All Dominican Saints

On November 7, the Order of Preachers celebrates the feast of All Dominican Saints, in which the Order honors those saints and blesseds of the Order who cannot be celebrated individually throughout the year, as well as those whose place in heaven is known only to God. One of the proper readings available for Dominicans on this day is Sirach 44:1-15, in which the praises of the Israelites are connected with the diversity of the holy men and women of the Order.

I will now praise the godly,
our ancestors, in their own time,
The abounding glory of the Most High’s portion,
his own part, since the days of old.

Subduers of the land in kingly fashion,
renowned for their might,
Counselors in their prudence,
seers of all things in prophecy,

Resolute princes of the flock,
lawgivers and their rules,
Sages skilled in composition,
authors of sharp proverbs,Composers of melodious psalms,
writers of lyric poems;

Stalwart, solidly established,
at peace in their own estates—

All these were glorious in their time,
illustrious in their day.

Some of them left behind a name
so that people recount their praises.

Of others no memory remains,
for when they perished, they perished,
As if they had never lived,
they and their children after them.

Yet these also were godly;
their virtues have not been forgotten.

Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants.

Through God’s covenant their family endures,
and their offspring for their sake.

And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out;

Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on and on.

At gatherings their wisdom is retold,
and the assembly proclaims their praises.

Image: Saints of the Dominican Order in a martyrology hand made by sisters of the Stone Congregation. Photograph by Br. Alex Robertson, O.P.