Dominican Friar, Master of the Order, and Patron Saint of Lawyers

One of the windows in the nuns’ choir of our monastery. Each window depicts a symbol or emblem of a Dominican saint.

A few minutes’ drive (or walk) from our monastery is a community of our brothers, living and serving under the patronage of St. Raymond of Penyafort. The community of friars serves St. Raymond of Penyafort parish and school, Stanford University, Vallambrosa Retreat Center, and provides chaplaincy to our monastery. We are ever more grateful for the tireless service they offer the community, and our community as well. Truly, they faithfully give themselves to the glory of God and salvation of souls in the example of their patron. So who was St. Raymond of Penyafort?

St. Raymond of Penyafort is an shining example of a person living daily a life of quiet fidelity, humility and sanctity. The Church remembers St. Raymond as an exemplar confessor and for his contributions to canon law. His brothers and sisters in the Order remember him for his steady and tireless giving of himself and the fruits of his contemplation, even well past the age we would think a person entitled to “retire.” For St. Raymond, “to live was Christ” (Phil. I:21).

In a castle near Barcelona, in the quiet, sleepy countryside of medieval Catalonia, lived the Penyafort family. It was here that St. Raymond was born and grew. As a child, he was dedicated by his parents to serve the Church and at an early age was sent to school in Barcelona. Upon completing his education, he began to teach in Bologna, but after a few years, decided to continue his studies. Possessing a brilliant mind, he eventually set his sights on specializing in canon law, and so moved to Bologna, Italy, which had the preeminent university for law at that time.

Upon completing his doctorate, he began to teach in Bologna. In those days, professors and students negotiated tuition fees – students paid for each class taught by the professor. However, St. Raymond believed that knowledge was a gift from God, so he never demanded payment for his classes from his students. In fact, he was horrified that some of his colleagues demanded such high payments from their students that they lived in relative luxury, while some students were so poor, one would have to stay home while another went to class wearing the only set of clothes they had between them! Nonetheless, the city of Bologna was so afraid of losing St. Raymond to a rival school, the governing officials voted to give him an annual stipend.

As a young professor, St. Raymond wrote many works, useful to his contemporaries and colleagues, and which are still the object of study. But his most notable written work for the Church was compiling the Decretals of Gregory IX. The Decretals were the code by which the discipline of the Church was directed from day of their promulgation, September 5, 1234, until May 19, 1918, when the Code of Canon Law became effective. In other words, for over six hundred and eighty-three years the collection of the Decretals made by St. Raymond was the authentic source of legislation in the Church.

When he was forty-seven, the year after St. Dominic’s death, St. Raymond donned the white habit of a Dominican novice and began a new mode of life. His entering the Dominicans caused a huge stir in the university city of Bologna, as well as a sudden surge of new vocations to the Dominicans. As a Dominican, he became Master of the Order after the death of Bl. Jordan of Saxony and compiled the Liber Constitutionum Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum, the Dominican Constitutions. Later, he encouraged St. Thomas Aquinas to write his Summa Contra Gentiles. As a missionary and apostle, he co-founded, with St. Peter Nolasco, the Order of Our Lady of Ransom (for the redemption of Christian captives). Yearning to convert the peoples of the East, he founded schools in Barcelona and Tunis for the study of oriental languages.

After two years of intense labor as Master of the Order, citing ill health, St. Raymond begged to be allowed to resign as Master. Though his resignation was eventually accepted (and the accepting friars were penanced severely for letting him go), St. Raymond continued to labor for the Order and Church. He was appointed, at different times, as confessor to the pope and king, and as papal penitentiary he pronounced on difficult cases of conscience. He wrote various works for the guidance of confessors and canonists, and in art he is pictured holding a key, the symbol of confession.

St. Raymond of Penyafort, pray for us!

P.S. – Give up on the life event depicted in our stained glass window? St. Raymond was always consulted by King James I of Aragon in every important affair of state. Toward the end of his life, St. Raymond accompanied King James I to an island to obtain the conversion of the Moors. However, King James also brought with him his mistress. St. Raymond reproved the king several times, but to no avail. Refusing to be part of the royal entourage, he began looking for a ship to take him back to the mainland. But, every captain had been forbidden under penalty of death to give him passage. Undaunted, St. Raymond said to his fellow friar, “You will see that the King of Heaven will confound the wickedness of this earthly King and provide me with a ship.”

With that, he walked to the seashore, removed his black cappa and cast one part upon the water and fastened the other part to his staff. Kneeling on the part floating on the surface of the water, he invited his fellow friar to do likewise; but the friar declined. Making the sign of the cross, St. Raymond pushed off from shore and quickly sailed away on his cappa. He made the voyage of 180 miles in six hours, faster than any ship at that time. When he reached shore, a crowd had gathered, seeing him on the water. He stepped on land, picked up his cappa and put it back on his shoulders, as dry as if it had never touched water. He walked to the convent, which was locked; but suddenly, he was inside the cloister without anyone seeing how he got in, or hearing him.

When news of the miracle reached King James, he sincerely repented and gave up his sinful life, and he and St. Raymond became friends once more.

Dominican Joy (with Our Latest Video)!

Our crocheted Holy Family, made by one of the sisters, traveling to Bethlehem.

A young woman recently completed her aspirancy with our community. As she was nearing the end of her month-long stay, one of the sisters asked her, “Has anything surprised you during your time here?” The young woman smiled and exuberantly responded, “You’re all crazy – in a good way! I didn’t expect you to have so much fun!”

She’s not the first to be surprised by our Dominican joy. While Dominicans cannot claim to be the only joyful religious (thanks be to God!), it is something that marks us in a special way, just as it marked Our Holy Father Dominic. Why is this? Christmas and the origins of our Order can give us a few clues.

We are familiar with fairy tales where Prince Charming swoops in and rescues the beautiful maiden from a life of hardship and poverty. But what if the poor maiden was bound to that life in such a way she couldn't just be swept off to the castle? Would Prince Charming set aside his crown and riches, roll up his sleeves and toil and sweat for the love of the maiden? God did, only infinitely more. That first Christmas…after thousands of years of waiting, in the fullness of time, God gave us His Son, born tiny and helpless and poor. God became man. In the midst of our suffering and darkness, God became one of us, one with us, so that we might become one with Him. Our suffering became His suffering. And His joy becomes our joy… His peace, our peace… His love, our love.

Blessed Margaret of Castello and Saint Francis of Assisi escorting the Baby Jesus to meet Joseph and Mary.

Fast forward a little over 1,000 years later to Midi-France. Saint Dominic and his bishop Diego encounter a particular poverty and darkness: the rich seem only interested in their wealth and the poor were suffering immensely with little hope. To make matters worse, a group of people are spreading beliefs which include the teaching that the physical world was created by an evil “god” and that Jesus did not really suffer with us, for us. It seemed to them too unbelievable that God, a good God, would have any part of sin and suffering. There are many consequences to believing this, and here is one: we know the proof of love is the willingness to set oneself aside and endure hardship and suffering for the beloved. If God did not actually become Incarnate, did not actually die on the cross and rise again, but it was all "just a show", where is love? Where is hope and redemption? It was to these suffering poor that Diego and Dominic, and a growing number of others, sought to offer hope and joy of the Good News – God is with us! He is one with us – with our work, our suffering, and He came to give us hope and love.

Like our Holy Father Dominic, we Dominicans are exuberant in rejoicing in this Good News – it is all grace! A free gift of love from God! His answer to our suffering was not to keep His distance, or simply pat us on the head with a slightly patronizing “There, there.” His answer to the deepest suffering, the darkest night of humankind was to become Emmanuel. How can this Good News not cause us to leap up and shout with joy?

But Dominican joy has one more facet – we are compelled to share the reason for our joy with others and to invite, urge them, to share our joy! We must preach, we must proclaim to others this Good News. How we do this varies with our specific vocation – friar, nun, apostolic sister or laity – but do it, we must. And so, in proper time and measure, we fast from the good things of God and mortify ourselves in various ways so as to proclaim that “we do not live by bread alone,” and to make evermore room for Him in our hearts. But when the time comes to feast, there is no celebration like a Dominican celebration!

In honor of Christmas and the reason for our hope and joy, we are delighted to share with you our latest video. The chant, “Verbum Caro” is part of our Vigil Office as we wait and pray in preparation for the Christmas Mass at Midnight.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you throughout the New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Thank you to all of our family, friends, and benefactors who make our lives merry and bright, and for your continued generous giving of time, talent, and treasure in support of our Dominican cloistered life.

. We are especially remembering you today in our prayers and thanksgiving.

Seeking Happiness...Did You Miss It?

Father Pius Pietrzyk, O.P. of the Province of Saint Joseph.

On Saturday, October 13th, a group of young women from around the Bay Area (and beyond) gathered here at the monastery for our second Janua Caeli Retreat Day. Father Pius Pietrzyk, OP of the Province of Saint Joseph spoke on our quest for happiness and how we can truly find happiness as we live a life of prayer and virtue, and how to go about it with the demands of life today.

Mass, praying the Divine Office with the nuns and times for silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament filled out the day, as well as opportunities for confession and short one-on-one conferences.

Sister Joseph Marie, O.P. welcoming the Janua Caeli retreatants and introducing Father Pius Pietrzyk, O.P.

As a fun break after lunch, some of the novitiate sisters spent recreation with the retreatants creating a little art and talking.

A big thank you to Father Pius and for our retreatants, and for those that prayed for these young women and all involved in providing the retreat day. May God richly bless you with abundant graces!

If you missed this retreat day, don’t miss the next one! Visit our Retreats at the Monastery page to learn more about our next Janua Caeli and Come-and-See Days, or contact Sister Joseph Marie, O.P.

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation, Part 5: The Labor Day Week Finale!

Each year around Labor Day, we have the privilege and joy of extending hospitality to one of our Dominican friars, Father Luke Buckles, O.P., before he returns to the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome, where he is a professor of theology. This year, as part of his visit, we were treated to a two-session seminar on Dominican and Carmelite mystics. Father wove together insights from St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. John of the Cross. One common thread that emerged was the unity of life bestowed by grace in the lives of the mystics. Each of these Doctors of the Church experienced a profound sense of God’s presence at every moment and in every circumstance, whether sacred or mundane.

While we make think that mysticism is too lofty for everyday life, Father reminded us of a few lessons from these great saints: St. Teresa of Avila taught her sisters that prayer is never interrupted by charity. If one is called out of choir to help a sister in need, there is no break in one’s prayerful union with the Lord. St. Therese of Lisieux found heaven in doing little, mundane tasks, such as picking up a pen from the floor, with great love for God and neighbor. St. Catherine of Siena is famous for her discovery of the “interior cell,” in which she constantly dwelt with God even in the midst of a crowd.

And to quote another Dominican, Meister Eckhart, we are challenged: “Don’t go around doing holy things. Make everything you do holy!”

Preparing for a Houseful...

of novice mistresses! This weekend, novice mistresses from across North America will be arriving at our monastery for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Novice Mistresses organized by the North American Association of Dominican Monasteries. Each year, a different monastery hosts the meeting and this year we have the privilege. So, our sisters have been eagerly preparing for the arrival of our guests!

One of the responsibilities of the Association is to provide means of collaboration, formation and support to the member monasteries. The annual meeting of novice mistresses is aimed at providing a forum for the novice mistresses to have a time of renewal, opportunities to learn new tools to meet the challenges of initial formation, and to build relationships between the formators.

Please keep our novices mistresses in your prayers this week as the gather together and then return to their home monasteries.

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation, Part 3: Fifty Years and Counting!

Our diminutive and energetic Mexican hermana, Sister Maria Carmela of the Heart of Jesus, O.P., celebrated her 50th Jubilee Anniversary of profession on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Father Mark Padrez, O.P., our vicar and Prior Provincial of the Western Dominican Province, celebrated the Solemnity Mass to a full chapel of Lara family and friends in honor of their Jubilarian, and received abundant graces during their visit with her. The schola led the choir in the Dominican Kyriale V Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary with great gusto. Congratulations, Sister!

A Birthday Gift From Mary!

On this beautiful and joyous feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we’re pleased to announce the result our prioral election held this morning!  Sister Maria Christine of the Cross, O.P. was postulated to a third term as Prioress of our monastery.  The postulation was confirmed by our regular superior, the Very Reverend Mark Padrez, O.P., Vicar for the Master of the Order.

According to our Dominican Constitutions, the community chapter elects our prioress for a three-year term.  A current prioress may be elected to a second consecutive term; but for a third consecutive term, the election must be confirmed by the Master of the Order, which may be done in the person of the Vicar. 

Following a prioral election, the newly elected prioress and the community prayerfully discern the coming three-year term; this is also the time when all work assignments (charges) in the monastery will be formally assigned for the next three years.  As the prioress and community discern, the professed sister currently assigned to a given charge may be directed to continue in that charge, or it may be assigned to another professed sister.  This is one way the nuns practice itinerancy, as we hold our work with open hands and willing hearts.  This change of charges allows the nuns to learn new things, and to discover hidden talents and graces given by God in ourselves and our sisters.

Please keep Sister Maria Christine and our community in your prayers as we discern God's will and implement changes in the upcoming months.  May our Lady bless us and keep us faithful in our life of contemplative prayer and sacrifice.

Deo Gratias!

Have You Met...

Sister Joseph Marie, O.P. is our vocations directress and coordinator for our Janua Caeli Retreat Days.  She's passionate about helping young women grow in their relationship with God and discern His gift of their vocation, whatever that may be.  

A welcome from Sister Joseph Marie, O.P. on our vocations page.

If you are, or you know, a young woman who would like to grow more deeply in relationship with God (and other young women of like mind), check out our next Janua Caeli Retreat Day on Saturday, October 13th!  You can find out more and register online at our website.  Have additional questions?  Contact Sister Joseph Marie!

Final Days to Register for July’s Come and See!

We’re finalizing preparations for our Saturday, July 21st Come and See Day and if you’ve ever had questions about how to know what to do to follow God’s will, you won’t want to miss it!  Our guest celebrant and speaker is Father Michael Carey, O.P. of the Western Dominican Province.  He is currently an associate professor at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California and chair of the Moral Theology Department (for those not familiar with the different branches of theology, our faith teaches us our goal [eternal happiness with God in heaven]; moral theology is concerned about the human actions necessary to get us there).

The day of retreat will also include talks, Eucharistic Adoration, Mass and the Divine Office prayed with the Dominican nuns, and more!

Father Michael Carey is a native of Chicago, Illinois.  Later, his family moved to Arizona where he graduated from Arizona State University.  That same year he entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).  Continuing his education, he received a law degree from Boalt Hall, University of California, Berkeley, and a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas (The Angelicum) in Rome.  For many years he has done specialized, itinerant preaching throughout the United States and was chaplain to the cloistered Dominican Nuns in Hollywood, California.  As well as teaching at colleges and universities through the U.S.

To learn more or to register, contact Sister Joseph Marie, O.P. or visit the Upcoming Events page on our website.