One of the Dominican mottos which encapsulates our purpose and mission is ‘Veritas’ – Truth.
According to the Bible, God is the source of truth (Ps 119:160) and the great Dominican saint, St Thomas Aquinas, states that ‘not only is truth in [God], but he is truth itself, supreme first truth’ (Summa Theologiae, I.qI6.a5).
The conviction that God is our beginning and our end, that we come from him and we are going to him, that he himself is truth and that truth will set us free, is the ground of all Dominican action. St Dominic sought the ‘salvation of souls’ by preaching truth to his hearers, and he instituted ‘study’ as a Dominican practice so that we might preach truth soundly and convincingly.
Lay Dominicans undertake to continuously strive to know God and ourselves better. This involves a commitment and willingness to study and explore the church’s teachings, the scriptures and the tradition and spirit of St Dominic and his followers. Each fraternity will advise Enquirers and the Simply Professed on formation, and suggest a programme of study, and each fraternity plans an annual programme for their monthly meetings which will include reading, seminars and visiting speakers. In addition members undertake their own private reading, and where possible attend lectures and seminars of interest.
There are links to study materials at the website of The Southern Province of St Martin de Porres, USA