Seignadou 800

"From this spot, 800 years ago today, St. Dominic sat on a hillside overlooking a broad valley in southern France. He could not see it in the dark, but he knew the little church of Our Lady of Prouille stood at the crossroads. Dominic was at a major crossroad in his own life, which seemed to be falling apart.

Suddenly from the sky descended a large fireball which hovered over the small church. This was the supernatural sign, the seignadou, the sign from God he was seeking. He would establish his nuns to pray for his work and those who would join him in the future. This group of women would be the "first-born" of his "holy preaching" for the salvation of the world."

Today the Order also celebrates it's patronal feast day. St. Mary Magadalen is the Order's patroness because she is the "apostle to the apostles."

Fittingly, our community enters into our annual retreat this evening. Fr. Michael Monshau, OP is our retreat master. During this time of greater silence and solitude and intimacy with our Lord we promise you our prayers for all your intentions and we ask that you pray for us that we be open to all the graces the Lord has in store for us during this retreat so that we too might become more on fire with St. Dominic's charism of the Holy Preaching, interceeding for the salvation of souls.