Dominican Life

Obligations for Dominican Tertiaries

(Not binding under pain of sin)

The secular Lay Dominicans, Third Order of the Friars Preachers, also known as the Militia of Jesus Christ, is an association of the faithful living in the world, who, sharing in the religious and apostolic life of the Order of Friars Preachers through the observance of their own Rule approved by the Holy See, strive under the direction of the Order to attain to Christian perfection.

The object of the Lay Dominicans is the sanctification of its members or the practice of a more perfect form of Christian life, and the salvation of souls, in conformity with the condition of the faithful living in the world. (F.D. Joret, OP.)

Current Rule PDF
Old Manual of the Third Order PDF
Pillars of Dominican Life PDF
Litany of Dominican Saints PDF
Dominican Martyrology 1955 PDF
New Index of Saints PDF

Daily 
1.The recitation of the Divine Office or 15 decades of the rosary or 5 decades if one is impeded from
doing more.
2.One Our Father, Hail Mary and Eternal Rest etc. for all Dominicans living and deceased.
3.Fifteen minutes minimum of mental prayer or reading of Sacred Scripture.
4.Mass and Communion daily when possible.

Weekly
1.Sunday Mass
2.Sacrament of Confession
3.Chapter Meeting

Monthly
1. Eucharistic adoration if possible

Yearly
1.To assist at or have celebrated at least 3 masses for all living and deceased Dominicans.
2.Fasting on the vigil of the feasts of St. Dominic, St. Catherine and the Holy Rosary.

Other obligations
1. Annual retreat or days of recollection.
2. Abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year or some form of penance.
3. Modesty in dress, recreation, and avoidance of worldliness.
4.The practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy as permitted by state of life.

There are four pillars of the Dominican life, Prayer, Study, Community and Preaching.

Ten Spiritual Benefits of being a Dominican Tertiary.

1. You become a full member of the Dominican Order even a layperson.
2. You enjoy a privileged place in the Church.
3. You have St. Dominic for your Father and all the Dominican Saints as your brothers and sisters.
4. You share in the prayers, penances and good works of Dominicans throughout the world.
5. You gain plenary indulgences, under the usual conditions, making a promise of faithfully fulfilling the duties of one’s vocation; on the day of admission and on the day of profession, on the feasts of Christmas, Easter, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Dominic, St. Catherine of Siena, Annunciation, and Assumption.
6. You benefit from the spiritual formation.
7. You enjoy the fellowship of other Dominicans.
8. In sickness and sorrow, you have the support of the chapter's prayers.
9. Due to the influence of adherence to the Rule, you avoid occasions of sin and rise promptly when you fall.
10. These spiritual benefits are perpetual with the Order

Benefits in Death!

1. Your daily rosaries are an efficacious preparation for death.
2. On the day you die, if you wear the scapular, or spread it on your bed, you gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.
3. You may if you desire, be buried with the full Dominican habit.
4. The Chapter will assist at the funeral rites.
5. Your soul benefits from the Masses, prayers, and penances of all Dominicans long after your relatives and friends have forgotten you!
6. In Heaven, you will enjoy your special relationship with all the Dominican Saints!

Third Order Early Beginings (From The Dominican Life: Joret)

As early as the year 1206 certain laymen banded themselves together, at the request of our blessed Father's friend, Bishop Foulques, under the title of "Militia of Jesus Christ." They were truly knights wearing the white tunic and the black cloak, and pledged themselves to fight in defence of the faith, the rights of the Church and all Catholic interests. This knightly body had the direct benefit of St. Dominic's direction. Introduced into Lombardy, it became very flourishing, and in 1235 Pope Gregory IX advised St. Dominic's successor, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, to make careful provision for its spiritual direction. The "Militia of Jesus Christ "is commonly regarded as the original form of the Third Order, on the strength of a statement to that effect in Blessed Raymund of Capua's life of St. Catherine of Siena.

But the Dominican Tertiary life was also, and much more certainly, inaugurated by those other of the laity, men and women, who, heart-stricken at the relaxation of morals in the world, formed themselves into groups of so-called "penitents "or" continentes," attached themselves to the Preachers' churches, followed their religious observances and assisted them with their friendship,
their influence and temporal goods. The spiritual help they received in return, the authorized counsels and the example of virtues, enabled these pious souls to render ten times more efficacious the works of mercy undertaken by the Friars. After the "Militia of Jesus Christ " had ceased to be required as a military order, it allowed itself to be absorbed into these Fraternities of a somewhat different nature to fight evil and promote good by spiritual weapons only.

When the Master General, Muno de Zamora, St. Dominic's sixth successor, decided to give a definite
constitution to the Third Order in 1285, all he had to do was to unify and revise the rules which had long been in force in those brotherhoods of penance linked from an early date to the Dominican Order, by having placed themselves under the guidance of the Preachers.