For Dominicans, effective preaching involves more than just a well-crafted homily; it includes an entire life lived in praise of God. One motto of the Order of Preachers, “laudare, benedicere, praedicare” (“to praise, to bless, to preach”), tells us about the mindset of the Order from its earliest days. As a friar of our Province recently noted, these words are extracted from an ancient Dominican liturgical text. The text describes the early friars’ act of worshipping God in joyful thanksgiving for His blessings. This religious order–an order explicitly founded for the sake of preaching–solemnly sings God’s praises as part of its fundamental identity and sacred mission.
Eight centuries after its foundation, the Dominican Order, engaged in countless ministries throughout the world, still focuses on the praise of God. In order to share the abundant graces given to the Order during this Jubilee year, the student brothers of the Province of St. Joseph announce the release of Gaudeamus: Celebrating 800 Years of Dominican Life. This album, our third in the last three years, offers insights into various characteristics of Dominican life–from Eucharistic worship, devotion, and fellowship with the saints (especially the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Dominic), to preaching and prayers for the deceased–through beautiful chants, choral motets, and original compositions by the friars. May this work inspire you to join us, along with 800 years of Dominican saints and blesseds, in praising, blessing, and preaching God, who has been so good to us all.
Gaudeamus may be purchased digitally or on CD. Proceeds go to support the formation of the Dominican student brothers in Washington, DC.
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Image: Gaudeamus album cover
