My Favorite Dominican Saints

           I was able to get beautiful miniature images of my favorite Dominican saints. Their sizes are around 1x1x3 inches. They are beautifully crafted, I ordered them from TangingArt Studio from Shopee online, they are priced around at Php329.00, almost $6. Quite pricey for a miniature image but they are beautifully designed and crafted, 3d images. 

For now, I ordered 3 Dominican miniature statues, St. Dominic de Guzman, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Martin de Porres. I am familiar with the Dominican saints because I used to watch the canozzas that were lined up at the church in Sto. Domingo also known sa Our Lady of Holy Rosary La Naval de Manila, during their fiesta month which is in October. 

A bit of information about these saints. St. Dominic de Guzman is of Spanish nobility. I read that he is a good-looking fine gentleman. His mother is Blessed Joan of Aza. He is the father/founder of the Order of Preachers. He is known for battling the Albigensian heresy and it was he whom  Our Lady gave and taught how to pray the Holy Rosary. As a Marian devotee, the Holy Rosary is really important for me. That is why the Dominican order is very close to my heart. Their habit is composed of a white tunic with a black cappa or cloak. They wear this cloak over their white habit, and they have a rosary hanging on their belt. The Dominicans are also called as "Hounds of the Lord," in Latin Dominicans is rendered as Dominicanus, which is quite similar to Domini Canis or Hounds of the Lord. Also, this refers to the mother of St. Dominic in her dream she was shown a dog carrying a torch in its mouth. Thus, St. Dominic was indeed God's torch bearer, giving light to this world by preaching God'a truth and battling heresy. St. Dominic de Guzman is often depicted holding a lily and a bible and/or rules of their order, also with a dog and torch by his side.

Next is St. Catherine of Siena. I am familiar with her because I read her life once in the Lives of Saints when I was a young girl. She is an Italian virgin and saint and a lay Dominican and is considered as a Doctor of the church.  She also received the Stigmata. She is often depicted holding a lily, a symbol of purity and a heart. I read that Jesus gave her His heart in one of her visions. Her writing can be found in the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena.

She also urged the Pope Gregory XI  to return the papacy to Rome. She is a a defender of faith and of the papacy.

Last but not the least is a lay Dominican brother St. Martin de Porres. He is a popular Dominican saint also and in easily recognizable because his color. He is often depicted holding a bread and holding a wooden stick, sometimes with a stray dog by his side. He is known for his kindness and his charity especially to the needed. His birth date is same as mine, 9th of December. I am also familiar with him because I also read his story in The Lives of Saints book. He is also known for his many miracles. He can bilocate or be seen in two places at the same time, levitate and he can communicate with animals. He is the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a black, indigenous freed slave. He is the patron saint of mixed race people, barbers, innkeepers, 

public health workers and those seeking social justice.

We as Roman Catholics are very blessed to have saints whom we can follow and look up to and better yet to idolize especially during these times where vanity and riches are given importance to. Only few young people now look up to God's holy servants. Let us pray for priestly and religious vocations all around the world! 

All Dominican Saints and Blessed! pray for us! 🌹

A Vist to St. Pauls Religious Store

           Yesterday, during lunch I went to SM North Edsa to buy a few things. My husband wants to buy goblets and we needed a cross for the upcoming house blessing. We moved in our new house June of this year. The blessing has long been postponed we haven't put in order the things in our house and we have been very busy, and my mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. So last week my husband accompanied me to the hospital and I had my mammogram done. 

I was able to buy the things that we need. I was able to buy a simple dress that I will wear tomorrow, I also bought the goblets that my husband wanted and lastly I was able to buy a few religious items. All of these of course, was permitted by my husband because he is in charge of our finances. He also handles my money (salary). Our set-up is different from other couples. I think I was able to mention it in one of my previous posts before.

Going to St. Pauls religious store evoked a lot of good memories. I remember my childhood days, when its my birthday I would buy nothing but religious items and books. My favorite aunt, the one I grew up with would give me money as birthday presents and I would go to the religious store to buy books. I remember going home happily. I would go into my room and I browse at the things or books that I bought. Sadly, all of my religious books collection when I was still young, I disposed them when I became a Protestant. Those were really precious books. Because among them were my aunts books. I lost the book, Bernadette and Lourdes by Michael De Saint-Pierre. It was a very good book about St. Bernadette and her life as a religious sister. Also, books given to me by the late Msgr. Severino G. Casas, H.P., former parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima Church was also lost..He gave me a St. Therese of Lisiuex book with dedication from him. I really regretted deeply what I did. Those were valuable books. I also have books about Christ passion, the Stigmata and a lot more. If given a chance I would like to study more about the lives of saints, the Catholic faith and everything related to our faith. I pray that my joining the Third Order Carmelite will be an instrument for me to be able to accomplish that. 

I was able to buy a beautiful rosary. Actually, I don't believe now in birthstone rosary. Believe in charms and crystals is part of the occult. But I admire the gemstones and that's it. It is only a precious stone and nothing more. One particular reason why I bought this rosary its because it reminded me of my wedding in the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Manila Cathedral, or simply known as the Manila Cathedral. Our Blessed Mother Mary, the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of that church. So between St. Benedict rosary and the Immaculate Conception rosary, I chose the latter one. It is such a beautiful rosary it has a rose in each bead which is a gemstone zircon. In the middle part of the rosary there's the beautiful image of the Immaculate Conception. I also recently, have a devotion to St. Michael and all the holy angels. Our Blessed Mother Mary is known as the Queen of Angels too! She has supreme dignity as the mother of God, that's why she's superior to them and she reigns over all the angels! Satan is afraid of her! So we should also have a special devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary, that she will protect us and cover us with her blue mantle. The case of the rosary has a month of December marked and title of our Blessed Mother. This rosary if supposed to be for those born in December. It is actually my birth month and also my husband. This rosary is a bit expensive and I told my husband my previous rosary which is the Divine Mercy was destroyed by our daughter who is a toddler when she played with it.

Did you know that the rosary means "crown of roses". Our Lady has revealed to several people that each time they say a Hail Mary they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses. I also bought a stampita, of the holy name of our Lord Jesus to be put inside the house. I thank God for the a beautiful yesterday. I pray our Almighty Father will bless me and my family everyday and keep us safe from evil. Amen!