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Dominic was born to Felix de Guzman, a noble man, and Blessed Joan of Aza, in 1170 at Caleruega in the diocese of Osma, Spain. He was a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi. It is said that before he was born, his mother saw in a dream that she had given birth to a dog that carried a burning torch in its mouth and went about setting the world on fire. According to medieval symbolism, dog signified the preacher (the dog barks when a stranger or thief enters the premises, thus indicating that something was not in order and has to be put right.) Later, at the child's baptism, the godmother saw a star on his head, which indicated the future of the child designed to be light to those who were in darkness and dwelt in the shadow of death. Dominic died at the age of 51, on 6 August 121 at Bologna, Italy.

Dominic was canonized on 3 July 1234 by Pope Gregory IX, his friend in life. Because of the new concept of priestly and apostolic life in his Order, we may say that St. Dominic is the father of all the apostolic Orders and Congregations. For all of us, the life of St/ Dominic stands out as a marvelous example of simplicity, sincerity and sinlessness. Blessed shall we be if we imitate his zeal for the conversion of sinners and the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus.