For the Dominican Jubilee

DSPT: New Perspectives on Early Lay Dominicans - Fr. Augustine Thompson, OP
Our Changing Understanding of the Black Penitents and Dominican Third Order in the Middle Ages

November 17.

Dominican Chants of the Passion for Holy Week

Dominican Chants of the Passion for Holy Week Available (NLM)

Francis: The Man and the Myth

FB Event - tonight at St. Dominic's in San Francisco.

Wednesday, August 6, 7:00 p.m., Church. Who is ‘the real’ St. Francis? Join the St. Dominic’s community for a fascinating evening lecture given by celebrated author, educator and Dominican priest, Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P. as he shares insights from his remarkable, award-winning new book, Francis of Assisi: A New Biography. With good humor and keen intellect, Fr. Augustine will provide a fresh perspective on Francis, the legendary patron saint of San Francisco. Throughout the evening, you’ll discover both truths and misconceptions about Francis, leaving you with a clearer portrait of the true man behind the legends and popular images.

Post by St. Dominic's Catholic Church, San Francisco.

If I had known about it sooner I would have tried to fit it in my schedule. But I think my copies of the book have been signed already...

Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P. on the Date of Christmas

Why December 25th??

Penance According to the Dominican Rite by Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P.

Also at NLM: The London Oratory School's 150th Anniversary Mass at Westminster Cathedral
A Jesuit in a Post-Summorum World: The Jesuit Charism and Mutual Enrichment - Faith and Tradition Series

Fr. Augustine: Dominican Rite Masses in the California Bay Area (cross-posted at NLM)

Late by a Day

Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., The Truth About Halloween

Scott Richert on Catholic Answers, dealing with the question of Halloween - A Catholic Approach to Halloween (audio should be available in a few days) [Edit. DL]

Donald Prudlo on St. Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi: Pattern for Lay Holiness

He does make reference to the biography of St. Francis by Fr. Augustine.

Christopher Blum's Review of Fr. Augustine's biography of St. Francis

The Francis We Never Knew: Surprising Revelations About the Man From Assisi

Ok, found Fr. Augustine's comment on Western iconography:

Okay. Out on a limb here. Yes, at least outside of book illumination, representational painting in the West up to the late 1300s is very "Byzantine" in its use of gold background, negative perspective, "static" composition. If you want an example of "Western" panel painting (or for that matter fresco or mosaic) in this period, the already mentioned Dan Damiano Cross is a good example. Then comes Giotto and Cimabue. And the art historians go crazy! Frankly, they are lovely painters, but, yes, in comparison to their contemporaries eccentric. Then comes the "retrograde" 14th Century. The Cione brothers, Orcagna, etc. This is the real Western Icon tradition at its high point. The much derided Byzantinizing Gothic. And, for the art historians a dead zone, finally ended by masaccio.


If one wants to do Western Icon painting, the "resourcement" shouldn't be to book illumination (which is spectacular in its own genre) but to the 14th century Italian altar pieces.


Sed, de gustibus non est disputandum . . .

Domincian Rite Missa Cantata of St. Thomas Aquinas at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula CA (NLM)


Fr. Augustine has a new biography on St. Francis of Assisi

An update on the Dominican rite

Fr. Augustine Thompson: Current Status of the Dominican Rite: A Summary
Questions and Answers on the Dominican Rite

I hope the Dominican rite will be celebrated regularly at Blessed Sacrament.

Dominican Rite News

From Fr. Augustine Thompson: Dominican Rite Update: Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

He writes: "I am pleased to report that the course has enrolled all the transitional deacons and those scheduled to be ordained transitional deacons, as well as two Dominican priest auditors."

I will have to ask Br. B if he is taking the course.

He also adds:

In addition, I am pleased to announce that the monthly celebration of the Dominican Rite Mass for the students of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology (Arch and Vine Streets, Berkeley CA), shown in the photo to the left, will be continued this spring. This Mass was instituted in fall 2010 at the request of our lay students, and the strong attendance by both lay and religious students makes it likely that the number of celebrations will be increased to more than one a month. It has been offered by Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., but we expect to add additional celebrants. I will announce the days and times when they are set. DSPT has been drawing large numbers of new lay students for the M.A. programs in both philosophy and theology and this is one of our responses to their spiritual needs.

That's the first I've heard of it; I'd like to go out to the DSPT despite the distance. It would be great if it were celebrated somewhere closer.

I just noticed that Fr. Augustine has this book out: Revival Preachers and Politics in Thirteenth Century Italy: The Great Devotion of 1233. Hmmm...

NLM: 13th-Century Dominican Stabat Mater: Text and Music

NLM: More on 13th Century Dominican Stabat Mater

This post at NLM, Liturgy Convention of the Archdiocese of Colombo: Cañizares, Ranjith, Lang, Mosebach, links to the website for a fascinating convention held not in Europe but in the Archdiocese of Colombo.

Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P.: On Abrogation and Permission to use a Liturgy

I think traditionalists have looked to the words of Cardinal Stickler and others to claim that not only was the old rite not abrogated, but that bishops had no right to prohibit their priests from using it. I believe that it has been asserted by traditionalists that Summorum Pontificum leaves this latter historical question unanswered?

Custom and the 1962 Roman Missal by Peter Vere, JCL and Fr. Michael Brown, JCL