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Ave Maria!

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Ave Maria!

gratia plena

One of the best groups of nuns I’ve seen and they are Dominican:

http://www.nashvilledominican.org/Main.htm

It's interesting that the Alibgensian heresy occurred in the southeastern part of France - the area where islamic influence has lasted the longest since their invasion.

In 722 C.E. Abd-ur-Rahman crossed the Pyrenees at the head of an immense army and advanced as far as the Loire River, pillaging and burning as he went. David W. Koeller in his article The Battle of Tours, says, " (The) Moslem army, in a wild search for land and a fanatical zeal to an end to Christianity, after the conquest of Syria, Egypt, and North Africa, they began to invade Western Europe under the leadership of Abd-ur-Rahman." The Muslim army had between 600,000 to 400,000 soldiers, and "an over whelming number of horsemen."

http://www.historyofjihad.org/france.html?bl=culture

The Kingdom of Navarre was never conquered by Islamics and it spanned the Pyrenees - in both France and Spain. It was the home of Queen Isabella, who with Ferdinand of Portugal led the Christian resurgence which reconquered Spain by 1492.

Southeastern France never regained the christian umbrella of faith once the Islamics influenced the gene pool. To this day it is a tourist attraction for Parisians and others who gawk at the historical castles and ruined sites of battles from the "Alibgensian Crusade".

Knights and fair ladies, troubadours, sieges, bloody wars, and an Inquisition: the fortified castle-town of Carcassonne has seen them all. The only invasions nowadays are by tourists – visit off-season or stay for the night to enjoy this fascinating city at its medieval best.

http://www.igougo.com/journal-j36737-Carcassonne-The_Medieval_Walls_of_Carcassonne.html

Southeastern France in the 1200's was ripe for the taking and the Albigensian Heresy is one example of how Islam has a corrosive effect on all things Christian. There is nothing worse than a French Heretic...

Reading	From various writings on the history of the Order of Preachers
He spoke with God or about God
Dominic possessed such great integrity and was so strongly motivated by divine love, that without a doubt he proved to be a bearer of honour and grace. He was a man of great equanimity, except when moved to compassion and mercy. And since a joyful heart animates the face, he displayed the peaceful composure of a spiritual man in the kindness he manifested outwardly and by the cheerfulness of his countenance. Wherever he went he showed himself in word and deed to be a man of the Gospel. During the day no one was more community-minded or pleasant toward his brothers and associates. During the night hours no one was more persistent in every kind of vigil and supplication. He seldom spoke unless it was with God, that is, in prayer, or about God, and in this matter he instructed his brothers. Frequently he made a special personal petition that God would deign to grant him a genuine charity, effective in caring for and obtaining the salvation of men. For he believed that only then would he be truly a member of Christ, when he had given himself totally for the salvation of men, just as the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, had offered himself completely for our salvation. So, for this work, after a lengthy period of careful and provident planning, he founded the Order of Friars Preachers. In his conversations and letters he often urged the brothers of the Order to study constantly the Old and New Testaments. He always carried with him the gospel according to Matthew and the epistles of Paul, and so well did he study them that he almost knew them from memory. Two or three times he was chosen bishop, but he always refused, preferring to live with his brothers in poverty. Throughout his life, he preserved the honour of his virginity. He desired to be scourged and cut to pieces, and so die for the faith of Christ. Of him Pope Gregory IX declared: “I knew him as a steadfast follower of the apostolic way of life. There is no doubt that he is in heaven, sharing in the glory of the apostles themselves.”

Reading

From various writings on the history of the Order of Preachers

He spoke with God or about God

Dominic possessed such great integrity and was so strongly motivated by divine love, that without a doubt he proved to be a bearer of honour and grace. He was a man of great equanimity, except when moved to compassion and mercy. And since a joyful heart animates the face, he displayed the peaceful composure of a spiritual man in the kindness he manifested outwardly and by the cheerfulness of his countenance.

Wherever he went he showed himself in word and deed to be a man of the Gospel. During the day no one was more community-minded or pleasant toward his brothers and associates. During the night hours no one was more persistent in every kind of vigil and supplication. He seldom spoke unless it was with God, that is, in prayer, or about God, and in this matter he instructed his brothers. Frequently he made a special personal petition that God would deign to grant him a genuine charity, effective in caring for and obtaining the salvation of men. For he believed that only then would he be truly a member of Christ, when he had given himself totally for the salvation of men, just as the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, had offered himself completely for our salvation. So, for this work, after a lengthy period of careful and provident planning, he founded the Order of Friars Preachers.

In his conversations and letters he often urged the brothers of the Order to study constantly the Old and New Testaments. He always carried with him the gospel according to Matthew and the epistles of Paul, and so well did he study them that he almost knew them from memory.

Two or three times he was chosen bishop, but he always refused, preferring to live with his brothers in poverty. Throughout his life, he preserved the honour of his virginity. He desired to be scourged and cut to pieces, and so die for the faith of Christ. Of him Pope Gregory IX declared: “I knew him as a steadfast follower of the apostolic way of life. There is no doubt that he is in heaven, sharing in the glory of the apostles themselves.”