Manila Archbishop Advincula to lead UST’s celebration of St. Dominic’s 800th ‘dies natalis’

THOMASIAN ARCHBISHOP. Cardinal Jose Advincula delivers the homily during the rites for his installation as the 32nd Roman Catholic archbishop of Manila on Thursday, June 24, at the Manila Cathedral. (Photo from the Manila Cathedral Facebook page)

THOMASIAN Cardinal Jose Advincula will preside over the University’s commemoration of the 800th dies natalis or birth in heaven of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers.

Advincula will lead UST’s Eucharistic celebration on Aug. 7 at the Santisimo Rosario Parish, which will have the theme, “At Table with St. Dominic, Preacher of Grace: Gifted to Praise, Gifted to Bless, Gifted to Preach.”

It is in line with the theme set by the Master of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P., to mark the death anniversary of the founder of the order.

UST will also organize a triduum or three days of Masses preceding the feast of St. Dominic.

Fr. Art Vincent Pangan, O.P. of the Convent of St. Albert the Great will lead the Mass on Aug. 4., which will have the theme, “Gifted to Praise: Prayer and Preaching.”

The Aug. 5 celebration will be under the theme, “Gifted to Bless: Study and Preaching,” and will be led by Fr. Rudolf Steven Seño, O.P. of the UST Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophy.

Fr. Roman Santos, O.P. of the Convent of Saint Raymond of Peñafort will lead the Mass on Aug. 6, which will have the theme “Gifted to Preach: Community and Preaching.”

Advincula will also lead the commemoration of St. Dominic’s birth in heaven in a Eucharistic celebration on Aug. 4, 10 a.m.

All activities are part of UST’s celebrations for the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines and the 50th Anniversary of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

In a memorandum dated July 23, UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. urged Thomasians to “virtually participate” in the celebrations, which will be broadcast live via the Facebook pages of the University and the Santísimo Rosario Parish.

Citing the Dominican Missal and Lectionary for the Order of Preachers in the Philippines, Coronel described St. Dominic as someone who “brought many to Christ by his life and teaching, and devoted himself without reserve to the building up of the Church, the body of Jesus Christ.”

St. Dominic de Guzman founded the Order of Preachers in 1216 to combat heresy and address the spiritual and intellectual needs of the people during his time.