Vital Indicators of Dominican Spirituality and Missions. A Theological-historical Reflection

Sveti Dominik, utemeljitelj Reda braće propovjednika, osnovao je propovjednički red koji kao glavni cilj ima naviještanje Božje riječi i koji je po svojoj naravi aktivan i dinamičan. Od brojnih redovničkih opsluživanja starih monaških redova sveti Dominik preuzeo je ona koja su pogodovala ostvarenju njegova cilja. Red braće propovjednika u svoje zakone uvodi praksu oprosta od pojedinih monaških službi ako su one bile zaprjeka plodnom propovjedničkom apostolatu i teološkom studiju. Dominikanski red prva je crkvena redovnička ustanova koja je obvezu trajnoga studija ugradila u same temelje svoga djelovanja. Upravo zato dominikanska duhovnost nije ni čisto monaška ni strogo aktivna, nego sretan spoj apostolata i monaškoga načina življenja. Dominikanska duhovnost molitvom, studiranjem, zajedničkim redovničkim životom, monaškim opsluživanjima i specifičnim dominikanskim apostolatom usmjerava pripadnike Reda braće propovjednika prema vrhuncima kršćanskoga savršenstva. Od neprocjenjive je važnosti imati na umu misao sv. Tome Akvinskoga prema kojoj sav život dominikanaca i njihov apostolat moraju proizlaziti iz punine kontemplacije. Članak je razdijeljen na tri dijela. Najprije se govori o značenju i raznovrsnosti duhovnosti. Nakon toga slijedi izlaganje o naravi specifične dominikanske duhovnosti, tj. o kontemplaciji, o propovijedanju i studiju. U trećem se dijelu vrlo opširno govori o duhovnom životu i radu hrvatskih dominikanaca.Saint Dominic founded the Order of Friars Preachers with the main aim of proclaiming God\u27s word. By nature he was active and dynamic. Among the numerous religious rules practised by orders of monks, Saint Dominic carried on with those that served to achieve that main aim. The Order of Friars Preachers\u27 legislation introduced exemption of certain monastic servilities if these seemed to be a barrier to fruitful apostolate and studies of preaching. The Dominican Order is the first religious institution in the Church that built in the obligation of permanent learning into the very foundation of their lives. It is for this reason in fact that Dominican spirituality is not simply monastic, nor strictly active but a favourable combination of apostolic and monastic living. Dominican spirituality in prayer, studies, joint religious life, monastic rules and specific Dominican apostolate directs members of the Order of Friars Preachers towards the ultimate in Christian perfection. It is of immeasurable significance to keep in mind the thoughts of St. Thomas Aquinas according to which Dominican life and apostolate must result from the fullness of contemplation. The article is divided into three sections. The first refers to the significance and variety of the expression »spirituality«. There are various types of spirituality in the Church that are mutually varied even though they are not completely opposite and irreconcilable to spiritual attitudes and paths that lead to the ultimate Christian perfection. They all have an end life objective of directing souls towards God in faith and love, following and in being absolutely loyal to Christ. The second section speaks about the nature of Dominican spirituality. Saint Dominic founded the Order of Friars Preachers with the desire to combine monastic (static) and preaching (dynamic) in their way of life. He emerged as one who proclaimed God\u27s word through preaching and learning which, according to the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, needs to result from the fullness of contemplation, spiritual thinking permeated with God\u27s love and joyful adherence to God\u27s will which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Dominican preaching must result from the fullness of contemplation and learning. Contemplation represents thinking about God and about man, about the paths upon which man is directed to God as the final aim and meaning in life. It means uniting the soul with God with a simple view permeated with love. In the Dominican concept of life, studying is vitally connected to the apostolic mission of the Order. The words of the first Constitution of the Order about studying note: »As studying the Holy Truth is a vital means to realise the special aim of the Order, may our brethren, by the example and order of our blessed patriarch Dominic be completely occupied with their studies, by night and by day, in the home and on the road, may they read and contemplate and endeavour to remember whatever they can.« The third section of the article relates to the spiritual life and apostolic work of Croatian Dominicans. Permeated with Dominican spirituality, Croatian Dominicans in practise follow the ordinary way of apostolic life in their work which is evident throughout the entire Order. They study Preaching at ecclesiastic tertiary institutions, they write theological, philosophical articles and preachings in Latin, Italian and Croatian. Wider popular worship amongst the faithful is conducted through brotherhoods, preaching at so-called »parish missions« amongst the faithful in Croatian speaking regions while through the »Third Order«, they animate and engage lay persons to propagate spiritual and social values within their communities. They were deeply aware that apostolic missions of their every day lives must be, faithful to their words, teaching others of the holy life and that the word of action is more convincing than the voice from their mouths