Yesterday while roaming the internet, I discovered something delightful: The English Dominican Studentate at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford have created a snazzy blog with lots of lively and thoughtful posts, and a fun section on Biblical Beasts. They have audio and video, explanations and sermons, and they’ll even take your questions via email. It a website that’s well worth a visit.
If you’re not familiar with the Dominicans, the blog takes its name from a Latin pun. Here’s how they explain it:
The name ‘Dominican’, although derived from the name of our holy father and Founder, St Dominic, is also a pun on the Latin phrase “Domini canes” which means ‘Dogs of the Lord.’
This was itself based on a dream which St Dominic’s mother, Blessed Juana de Aza, had in 1170 when she was pregnant: she saw a black and white dog with a torch in its mouth setting the world ablaze. This was interpreted to refer to St Dominic and his spiritual children, the Dominican Order – in their black and white habits – whose preaching brings the light of Gospel truth to shine upon and inflame the world with divine love.
And so, this site represents the ‘barks’ of this pack of ‘God’s dogs’, hopefully gathering all into the flock of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd!
I got side tracked on the biblical beasts
So the picture in the stained glass window should be a border collie instead of a dalmatian — somebody alert the Domicans, quick! (This is great.)