The Lives of the Brethren: The Early Years of the Order of Preachers

Description

Gerard de Fachet was born in Chalons in 1205 and died circa 1271. He entered the Order of Preachers around 1225 and spent the rest of his life devoted to God as a Dominican friar. In this work, he writes of the life of Saint Dominic and the early friars of the Order, seeking to kindle a desire to imitate these great men of Faith and sanctity of life. **

commissioned by the 5th Dominican Master General, Humbert of Romans, O.P.

ref:6.74:

A schoolmaster of Novara, [Milan,] in Italy, who had made a vow to enter the Order, and had even fixed the day for his reception at Milan, was held back by affection for his pupils and love of the world. So he went to another town, hoping still to continue his school without the annoyance of meeting the friars daily. On the very day he broke his engagement he became blind, and so continued for three days. Conscious at last of his sin, he went to confession, and recovering his sight he became a member of the Order, and persevered in it until his death.

ref:6.184:

[W]hile he [Brother Walter] was praying for a young woman who had made a vow of virginity, he felt the words become bitter as gall in his mouth. Time unfolded the mystery, for the woman before long abandoned her immortal spouse and married a mortal one. [!]

Part 4 (ref:7.1) is like the last part of St. Bonaventure's biography of St. Francis of Assisi, in that it recounts copious posthumous miracles by St. Peter Martyr et. al Friars Preacher.

ref:7.47: "venerable Brother Matthew [St Dominic made him abbot of the Order in 1216 when he himself was planning to go to the East; he died in Paris about 1226 (Anal. , i, p. 66, No. 2).] of Paris who was the first and last Abbot in our Order".

Dominicans Our Lady's favorite order (ref:4.31):

St Dominic returned to his prayers, and was caught up in spirit from where he was standing to the throne of God, and there he beheld our Lord, and the Blessed Virgin sitting on his right hand, whilst she appeared to our holy father to be wearing a mantle of deep blue colour. As he gazed round he saw religious men of every Order in the Church standing in God's presence, but not one of his own family, so he began to weep bitterly and would not presume to come near our Lord and leis holy mother. Thereupon she made a sign with her hand for him to draw nigh, but still he did not dare to do so until our Lord also beckoned to him; then he came up and threw himself down before them, weeping as if his heart would break. Then Christ bade him arise, and asked him gently: 'Why weepest thou thus sorrowfully?' 'I am grieving,' said St Dominic, 'because I see here members of every religious Order, but of my own not one.' Then our Lord said: 'And would you see your Order?' To this the saint answered trembling: 'Yes, Lord, of a surety I would.' Placing his hand lovingly on the Blessed Virgin's shoulder, Christ replied: 'I have given over your Order to my mother's care.' At this the Blessed Virgin drew back her mantle, and opening it wide before St Dominic, it seemed to enclose nearly the whole of that heavenly country, so vast was it, and beneath it he saw a great host of his brethren.

St. Dominic's resurrections are at the beginning of Sr. Cecilia's Legend of St. Dominic , ch. 3 (ref:4.5-11).