Who Was Dominic de Guzman?
Young Dominic St. Dominic was born in Spain in 1170 of the illustrious house of Guzman. After graduation from the University of Palencia and ordination to the priesthood, he became a canon of St. Augustine and superior of the canons in the cathedral of Osma. Passing through southern France with his bishop in the year 1203, the young canon was shocked to witness the spiritual horrors wrought by the Albigensian heresy. It was in this storied domain of the troubadours that our zealous Castilian discovered his vocation and laid the foundation of the Order of Preachers. A Preachers Response To perpetuate among these benighted souls his future apostolate Dominic founded a three-fold religious Order, one for the converted Albigensian women at Prouille, one for an apostolic band of preachers, and another for men and women known as Tertiaries living in the world as lay Dominicans affiliated with the Order. Dominic, like St. Bernard before him, found the heretics unreceptive, stubborn and hostil
