St. Dominic Celebrated as an Athlete of Christ
Fr. Rodel Aligan honored St. Dominic de Guzman, calling him an athlete of Christ for his life's devotion to spiritual and physical discipline.
On the final day of Triduum Mass at Santisimo Rosario Parish Church, Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P., honored the spirit of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers. Speaking before the massgoers, Fr. Aligan called St. Dominic an “athlete of Christ.” By this, he meant that throughout his life, that key historical figure devoted himself to spiritual and physical discipline, which should incorporate both as a matter of healthy living.
Fr. Aligan also pointed out the mindfulness with which St. Dominic has called for the “To praise, to bless, to preach” mantra. This statement has the Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger–Together” at its basis. Analogously to the Olympic standards of supremacy and collective grace, the Dominican people strive to improve spiritually and elevate their communities. I find this thematic unity to mark a harmony between the Olympic spirit, venerated on 27 July during the final games of the 1900 Paris Olympics, and the spirit of a Dominican.
After the mass, Fr. Isaias Tiangco, O.P., Vice-Rector, and UST Central Seminary Rector Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, Jr., O.P., confirmed the decision to suspend classes and office work for the feast day of St. Dominic. Thereby, the church declared the significance that that Dominican preach and made to the history of both their community and the life of all religious people.
