St. Dominic’s Day

“All these people, and many others from Fanjeaux, asserted to a man that they had never seen anyone so holy and so good.” — Process of Canonization Toulouse, n. 19

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Order of Friars Preachers (Dominicans.) Despite being a fairly popular saint, very little is known about St. Dominic compared to other saints like St. Francis of Assisi, Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, or St. Thérèse of Lisieux. However, what we do know about St. Dominic is quite telling. One evening, after a long journey on foot (which were often bare in his case,) St. Dominic stumbled upon an inn. The innkeeper was a member of a heretical group known as the Cathars; Dominic patiently stayed up with this man until daybreak—listening to him, debating him, and preaching to him. By dawn, he was converted. More often than not, Dominic would keep vigil, weeping and praying late into the night, asking God, “O Lord, what will become of sinners?”

I think these two stories reveal a lot about this man. St. Dominic loved God so very much, and had a deep desire to share the joy of Christ with everyone he came in contact with. I have been so blessed by the Sons of St. Dominic: Fra Angelico’s art, St. Thomas’ theology, and the friendship of the Dominican Student Br.’s are all priceless treasures that I’m grateful to have found. Today is a day of great joy, as the whole Church, and especially the Dominican Order, remembers a fervent preacher, who was indeed, so holy and so good.

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Image: St. Dominic

Ο Γιωργος!

On this date, April 10th, my friend George Goss was born! I’d like to tell you a little bit about my friend, George, but before I do, I think discussing the history of my friendships with men is worth mentioning. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a fairly popular kid, & making new friends was never difficult. If I was thrusted into a community of human beings, it didn’t take long for me to know most of the people in that community. As I got older, I became aware of the fact that although I had many “friends,” the quality of these friendships were poor. They were very superficial, lacking in genuine love & charity. I especially found this to be true amongst my male friends, who I began distancing myself from significantly. I much preferred my own company: taking long walks through Greenwich Village, or spending a Friday afternoon at MoMA. During this period, I was fortunate to have met a few men who were much older than myself, that I did enjoy spending time with. However, there was a huge disproportion of young women, old men, & no male 20 somethings in my life. Surprisingly, this was not a big concern for me. I found my niche, & I was content.

My conversion to Catholicism is the most significant change in my life since my High School years. Since becoming a Catholic, I’ve met & befriended so many amazing young people, which include men my own age! Go figure! Finally, I’ve been meeting guys who I actually want to hang out with & not avoid like the plague. Which leads me back to my good friend, George. I met George at the Dominican Foundation (where I am now employed) close to two years ago & we became fast friends. It’s been a pleasure getting to know such a gentle, thoughtful, artistic soul. George is not the kind of person to announce the many charitable things he does when no one is looking, so I won’t embarrass him by disclosing his saintly endeavors! However, I can say that I’m always inspired by how freely the works of charity just flow out of this man. One can suspect that it comes from a deep communion with the Living God, who is the ultimate source of Divine Love, & life giving charity. One of my favorite saints, St. Thomas Aquinas, said, “there is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” You are a true friend indeed, George! Happy Birthday!

Photo: St. George

Hearing Modernity: The Music of the 20th Century

 

The following essay was written for my class, “20th Century Music.” In it, I compare and contrast a number of 20th Century genres. I will provide links for each genre throughout the essay.

Impressionism, Primitivism, and Expressionism, were all musical innovations that developed during the 20th Century. But why? For one, many European composers were eager for progress. Tonal music dominated Europe for 300 years and composers like Stravinsky, Webern, & Debussy were excited to try something new. In the Americas, the abolition of slavery made it possible for African Americans to cultivate their cultural identity as free men and women. Black Americans had greater exposure to many different styles of music. That exposure resulted in some of the most innovative & exciting sounds of the 20th Century.

Although Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude in G Minor” was written in 1901, Sergei was reluctant to embrace the avant-garde styles that were brewing throughout Europe. The title alone, “Prelude in G Minor,” indicates that this was written in a minor key. You can really hear the transition from minor tonality (when the piece begins,) to major tonality at the 0:10 mark when the pianist aggressively strikes the major chord. The contrast between major & minor tonality, help to foster captivating music that tells a story. The pianist gradually transitions to playing beautiful, languid, and expressive phrases at 1:18 and slowly builds back up to the main theme of bouncy, robust chords that make this music unforgettable.

Claude Monet – “Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son” (1875)

Impressionistic music, is without question, my favorite classical style of the 20th Century. Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau” is the perfect example of why this is true. When the composition starts, you’re immediately overwhelmed with a flurry of rapid, beautiful notes. It’s akin to watching a group of butterflies circle around a bouquet of flowers. Instead of using major or minor scales, Ravel & many other Impressionists, prefered the whole tone scale. This scale, especially if it’s used frequently, gives the music a circular feel. In other words, it doesn’t sound like “Jeux d’eau” has an ending. The closest thing to an “ending,” is when the main theme at 0:00 transitions into a different set of musical ideas at 0:34, yet it still maintains a circular feel throughout the entire piece.

Picasso – “Stravinsky”

Primitivism, was in a sense, a reaction against modernity. The artists in this school were influenced by non-western and pre-technological cultures throughout the world. Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” is a good example of what an African tribal mask might “sound” like. This music contains many elements that contribute to it’s jarring & primitive character. Stravinsky organized the music in such a way, that musical sections quickly move from one to the other, with little or no transition between the sections. The contrast between the slow, brooding melody that begins at 3:35, to the loud, eerie, thumping section at 4:15 is astonishing. At 6:05, the syncopation really takes off, the beating drums coupled with an extremely dissonant string section, help to create an intense, savage atmosphere throughout the piece.

The Hungarian composer Béla Bartók also wrote music in the Primitive style & his piece, “The Miraculous Mandarin” is a good representation of this genre. At the very beginning of this composition, the string section is playing so fast, it sounds like a swarm of bees are circling around your head. At the 0:25 mark, you can begin to hear the haunting, dark, folk melody, which continues throughout the excerpt, only getting louder and more intense every second. This melody reminds me of music from an ancient culture that’s long passed, yet it’s fused with such high levels of dissonance, the music is elevated to something truly unique.

Edvard Munch – “The Scream” [Detail] (1893)

Anton Webern’s “Three Little Pieces” exemplifies what the Expressionist school was all about. The goal of Expressionism was to express the hidden psychological torment of the subconscious mind. Within just a few seconds of the first movement (1:28,) one is transported to a surreal, eerie world. The screeching cello & unresolved notes played on the piano, pose the listener with a musical question that never gets answered. Webern pulls you into the world of the tormented subconscious at 2:28. The violent, dissonant chords paired with horrific pitches from the cellist create a nightmarish atmosphere!

Webern’s creative output was not limited to one style. Twenty two years after writing “Three Little Pieces,” he composed “Variations for the Piano,” which was written in the 12 Tone style. As the name suggests, there are 12 pitches arranged in a very precise, mathematical order. The first movement has a random, and almost playful dimension. Movement #2 doesn’t seem to have any direction at all, it’s a series of notes being played one after another with no discernible melody or rhythmic pulse. I guess this is what you can expect from music that was composed by a grid system.

Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude in G Minor” & Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau,” are both beautiful pieces of music, but they do have different characteristics. “Prelude in G Minor,” because it’s written in a tonal style, tells a very clear musical story. There’s a beginning, middle, and closing section of the music. The percussive chords that are played at the beginning of the composition, slowly wind down to calmer, longer notes, only to return to a repeated phrase that you heard at the beginning of the piece. “Jeux d’eau,” doesn’t sound like it’s telling you a story. Instead, it repeats circular, whole tone scales one after another. It does a great job of making musical impressions, using dynamic colors, and beautiful melodies.

Stravinsky’s “Sacrificial Dance” & Bartók’s “Miraculous Mandarin,” would seem like they would share many of the same characteristics, given the fact that they’re both written in the same style. With that said, I would argue that these particular excerpts differ significantly. Although both pieces pile on massive levels of dissonance, Bartók’s piece is much less shocking. It lacks the strong accents & syncopated rhythms that are so prevalent in the “Sacrificial Dance.”

As I mentioned earlier, Webern was fortunate to contribute to the Expressionist & 12 Tone movements in classical music. Based on the objectives of both of these styles, it would be safe to conclude that they would sound very different from one another. Expressionism explores the psychological torment of the subconscious mind, while 12 Tone music was created by arranging a series of 12 notes with the help of a grid. Both styles are fairly sparse, but “Three Little Pieces” sounds and feels intentional. There’s a strong, emotional message that Webern in trying to convey to the listener. “Variation for Piano,” however, lacks those emotional qualities. It’s more theoretical, mathematical, and lifeless.

Herman Leonard – “Dexter Gordon, Royal Roost” (1948)

Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” B.B. King’s “Blues Improvisation,” & Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” all share one thing in common, all three of these genres were created by African-Americans. Thus, the West African tradition of “call & response,” which was brought to America by African slaves, was never abandoned at the birth of a new musical innovation. Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” does differ from the other two examples, however. As exciting as “The Entertainer,” sounds, there was no improvisation in that style of music. This differs from “Mood Indigo,” which features three improvised solos, as well as B.B. King’s blues piece which was also improvised.

The influence that jazz and the blues once had on popular music has slowly disappeared over the years. I’m very young, and I don’t listen to much pop music, but when I do hear some (usually against my will,) I don’t hear anything that reminds me of jazz or the blues at all. Brian Setzer had a hit record in the 1990’s called “Jump Jive An’ Wail” with his swing revival band. When’s the last time you heard something like that on the radio?

There are dozens of musical innovations that took place during the 20th Century, but I only covered eight of them. There’s great diversity among these styles, on so many levels. For example, I don’t think that the development of the blues was a response to impressionist music in France. However, Webern’s atonal music was clearly a deviation from the tonal tradition that dominated Europe for 300 years. If there’s one thread that links all eight of these styles together, it’s this, they were all new. There was nothing like the “Rite of Spring” before the “Rite of Spring.” Even if new music is absolutely terrible, if it’s different, it’s hard to forget it.

Falling in Love – St. Dominic & The Order of Friars Preachers

“All these people, and many others from Fanjeaux, asserted to a man that they had never seen anyone so holy and so good.” – Process of Canonization Toulouse, n. 19

The name Dominic translates to “man of God,” or “belonging to God.” Could any name be more apropos for this medieval saint? The life of St. Dominic de Guzman overflows with examples of his love for God, and the men & women he felt called to serve as a priest. It is said that when he celebrated Mass as a Canon Regular, tears could be seen coming down his face as he elevated the Eucharist. When he spoke, his brethren recall his words being directed “to God or about God.” On pilgrimages, he often brought the Gospel of St. Matthew with him, & was totally immersed in the Word of God. There are many anecdotes that I can give about this man that testify to his holiness, but I’m especially interested in sharing why I love St. Dominic & his Order of Friars Preachers.

When St. Dominic was 7 years old his parents, Bl. Jane of Aza & Don Felix de Guzman, left him in the care of an elder priest to start his catechesis in the Roman Catholic tradition. He learned how to read, write, & pray. All three, especially the latter, would become an indispensable part of his life. At 14, he began his studies of the humanities & sacred theology. It’s during this period, that St. Dominic grew to know & love God by his incessant reading of Sacred Scripture, which resulted in him knowing long passages of Scripture from memory. This would serve him well later in life, as he would rely on the Scriptures during his itinerant preaching throughout Europe at the turn of the 13th Century. Around the age of 25, feeling called to the priesthood, Dominic became a Canon Regular in Osma, Spain. As a Canon priest, St. Dominic celebrated Mass, lived a simple common life with his fellow Canons & chanted the Liturgy of the Hours several times a day in the cathedral. One can only imagine how joyful this life was for the young priest.

“Four canons with Sts Augustine and Jerome by an open grave, with the Visitation.”

In the year 1203 or 1204, Prince Ferdinand was to be wed & asked Bishop Diego de Acebo to find him a bride in Denmark. Bishop Diego asked his Canon, St. Dominic to accompany him on the journey. Dominic obliged. It was this trip, this pilgrimage, that changed Dominic’s life forever. During his travels throughout Europe, he encountered many heretics, who held beliefs of varying levels of absurdity. One of the most prominent groups were the Albigensians. In short, they believed that all things that were spiritual in nature were good, and all things that were physical were evil. This belief was, & continues to be problematic because the Scriptures tell us, “God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:10) Thus, the beliefs of the Albigensians could not be true because we are made of both physical matter (our bodies) & spirit (our souls,) we are one, made in the image & likeness of God.

The numerous encounters that Dominic had with the Albigensians deeply saddened him. Instead of being filled with pride because of the many graces that was given to him, he was filled with compassion & love for these people. Dominic wanted to bring them out of heresy, & into the truth of Jesus Christ & His Holy Church. There’s one story of when St. Dominic & the Bishop needed a place to stay for the night and stumbled upon an inn during their travels. Somehow, St. Dominic discovered that the innkeepers theology was off kilter & he was indeed, a heretic. St Dominic patiently & lovingly “argued the case with the innkeeper point by point.” They stayed up all night talking, debating each other, challenging each other. By day break, the innkeeper decided to come back to the Catholic faith.

“Dominic answers the arguments of his opponents in order, counting off on his fingers. At the bottom of the fresco, black and white dogs, representing Dominicans, rescue sheep from wolves who are devouring them. In the middle ages the dog was the traditional symbol of the preacher: he barks against error, chases off false shepherds and robbers, and heals with the lick of his tongue.”

This early preaching, traveling throughout Europe on foot (which were bare in Dominic’s case,) became the top priority for Dominic & his companions. Dominic knew the salvific power of the Gospel & wanted to share it with everyone he came in contact with. The fact that these men (two Cistercians now accompanied St. Dominic & Bishop Diego) were poor, chaste, intelligent, and passionate about the Gospel made for very effective evangelization. Thoughts began to brew regarding an official Religious Order devoted to “preaching of the Gospel for the Salvation of Souls.” In the year 1215, seeing the good that these men were doing by spreading the faith, Bishop Foulques of Toulouse “signed a Charter approving the ‘regular life’ of the new community and formally appointing each of it’s members a preacher in his diocese.” This was great news, but not enough to be deemed an official Religious Order in the eyes of the Church. Well, all that changed in the Winter of 1216 when Pope Honorius III approved the Order, which was to be called the “Order of Preachers.”

In many ways, the Dominican friar is a hybrid between a parish priest & a monk. They live in houses known as priories, living under the Rule of St. Augustine. Dominicans are “Religious,” so they take a vow of obedience (which include the other evangelical counsels of poverty & chastity) upon entering the Order. Like parish priests, they celebrate Mass, pray the liturgy of the hours, and are involved in a number of active ministries. Campus ministry, hospital chaplaincy, and teaching at the high school & college level are some of the things they do outside of the parish. They differ from monks, in that, they do not take a vow of stability, so they are not vowed to stay in their religious community at all times. That said, the most important component to the Dominican charism is preaching. They are an Order of Preachers & they do it well, if I may say so myself. What informs, educates, and sanctifies this preaching, is a life dedicated to prayer, study, & contemplation. The Dominican must first be configured to Christ before he can preach God to others. St. Thomas Aquinas, a towering theologian and Doctor of the Church, asserts that Dominicans “contemplata aliis tradere,” which translates to “[to contemplate God] and to give others the fruit of contemplation.“

The Brethren

I have a deep love for Gothic architecture, I’ve loved it for many years now. A friend of mine, who knows how much I appreciate this style, took me to one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the city of New York, the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer. A few years later, when I decided to become a Roman Catholic, I returned to the beautiful church on Lexington Avenue, which happened to be staffed by Dominican friars. This was my first exposure to a male Religious Order in the Church. I recall staring at their habits in awe, thinking, “they’re priests? But they’re not wearing the little collar?” Fortunately, my knowledge about the Church & the varied ways one can serve her grew with time. I was thinking about a priestly vocation in the Archdiocese of New York & Religious Life with the Dominicans, although the latter was slightly more intimidating.

Mass is available everyday at St. Vincent’s, and prior to Mass, one can hear the friars chanting the Liturgy of the Hours in the friars chapel, which is to the right of the altar. When I would arrive for Mass at 5:30PM, I would often hear them finishing up their prayers. Usually, it would be the last few lines of the “Our Father.” One day, I decided to come 30 minutes early so I could watch them pray the entire office. I didn’t want to participate with them, and even if I did, I didn’t know how, plus I didn’t have a breviary. I just wanted to watch them do their thing. Just a few moments before 5:00PM, the friars walked into the friars chapel. They genuflected towards the Blessed Sacrament & sat in the choir stalls, sitting across from one another. One friar had his hands on his head, another had his hood on, all of them were silent. Shortly after 5:00PM, they all stood up and chanted, “Oh God, come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me, Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now & will be forever amen. Alleluia.” Wow! I thought the back of my head was going to explode. I had never seen or heard anything like this before. It was so exciting to see & witness. They continued their prayers and then proceeded to sing a hymn in unison, so beautiful. It seemed as though with each passing minute, my heart rate began to increase exponentially. After the Office of Readings, the brothers chanted the psalms back & forth using an ancient psalm tone. I recall staring through the grill, admiring these men who’s lives are entirely devoted to God, singing God’s praises without shame or fear. It was so moving, and before long, tears began to fall from my face. The last portion of Vespers was the Canticle of Mary, also known as the Magnificat. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. . .” they gently, yet firmly chanted. At this point, I was finished. I was basically a giant puddle of tears and snot, absolutely convinced that nothing on the face of this earth could be more compelling than a Dominican vocation.

Some of the Student Br.’s currently studying for the priesthood at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.

Since that wonderful day in May, I’ve been to a number of vocation events here in New York City & in Washington, D.C. at the Dominican House of Studies. They have all been illuminating, fun, and encouraging. In my interactions with the Student Br.’s, I’ve noticed much diversity among the Studentate. Some men are quiet and reserved, while others are chatty & outgoing. Most of them, in my opinion, are a mixture of both personality types. Despite the diversity in temperament, there are qualities that are consistent with each Student Br. that I meet; they want to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in a way that is dynamic, honest, and steeped in the rich tradition of the Dominican Order. How could I refuse this wonderful vocation? I feel so fortunate to have found something that I truly feel called to. Thank you, God!

The title of this essay is “Falling in Love.” I don’t think I could come up with a stronger sentiment that describes how I feel about this Religious Order. I love the Order because of their love for souls. I love the Order because of their commitment to a life of study. I love the Order because of their almost 800 year tradition of scholarship (have you read St. Thomas Aquinas?), artistry (you should really check out Fra Angelico. Did I mention that he was a Dominican?), and long list of incredible saints (three of them are Doctors of the Church!) Lastly, I love them because I believe that God has led me to the Dominican Order, & in His Divine Providence, he knew that a Dominican vocation would make me happy, and that it would be the best way for me to serve Him & His Holy Church.

I would like to leave you with a quote by the 20th Century Dominican Cardinal, Fr. Yves Congar, O.P.

On his life as a Dominican, Fr. Congar said. . .

“The Order of Preachers is dedicated to the service of the Gospel, especially under the aspect of truth. I’ve loved it and still love it, in the way one loves a person.”

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So Good To Me

Today, April 5th 2014, is the Feast Day of Saint Vincent Ferrer, O.P., the patron saint of my home parish which shares the same name. I thought I would take the time to write about my experiences at this beautiful church since I started coming here in March of 2013.

It’s a funny story how I ended up at St. Vincent Ferrer Church; a dear friend knew & still knows about my deep love for Gothic architecture & raved about St. Vincent’s for months. For whatever reason, I wasn’t particularly eager to visit the Upper East Side Catholic church staffed by Dominican friars. One Spring day, my friend decided to take me to St. Vincent’s herself. I recall stepping into the church and immediately feeling overwhelmed by the beauty of this parish (which resembles any Gothic church built in the the Middle Ages.) I slowly walked down the nave towards the altar, but not without looking backwards and witnessing the splendor of the rose window that sits atop the entrance of the church.

I was so grateful to my friend for introducing me to something so precious, so beautiful, because it was at this very church that I experienced my conversion to Catholicism & fell in love with the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. During the Fall of 2012, I began doing some reading about the Catholic faith; I read about the history of the Church, Catholic apologetics, & the Her Sacraments. Upon reading such fantastic literature, my desire to become a Catholic grew exponentially. Aspects of the faith that made me uncomfortable like Transubstantiation, became biblical & historical truth that I fell in love with. My journey towards Catholicism was in fact, a journey towards God himself. Jesus Christ the Son of God, established this Church when he spoke those remarkable words to Saint Peter, saying, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

So, upon being blessed with a supernatural grace to accept this truth with joy, I decided to attend my first Mass at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in March of 2013. I was so impressed by the love & reverence everyone had for the Mass, especially the laity who have always been a source of strength for me as I continue my Christian journey. When the time drew near for Fr. Walter Wagner (the celebrant that Sunday morning) to “prepare the sacrifice,” I could feel that I was approaching the most important part of the entire Mass. All the reading I had done, all the questions I had asked came alive at this moment. It was like watching poetry in motion. The incense, all the genuflecting, the chants from the Roman Missal, “Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever. Amen.” It was a sight to behold!

Since then, I’ve only fallen deeper in love with God & His holy Church. I started RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) in September of 2013 & God willing, I’ll be Confirmed on Thursday, May 29th 2014, on the Feast of the Ascension.

God has been so good to me. He’s illumined my mind to the truths of the faith, He’s placed a desire to love Him above all things deep in my heart. I’m so fortunate to attend this beautiful church where Mass is celebrated everyday of the week. What can you say to someone that has done some much for you? Doesn’t it seem so disproportionate to the grace’s that He’s given me? How could I respond in equal measure to His love for me? St. Thomas Aquinas has this to say, “Grace builds upon our human nature and works to perfect or complete that nature.” (Summa Theologiae I-II, Question 111) Therefore, I can hope, that by the grace of the Sacraments, I may come to know Him & love Him in this life & in the next.

Saint Vincent Ferrer, O.P. – Pray For Us

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