Father Samuel Celebrated 215 Years Later

This past Thursday, on November 4^th, we celebrated the 215^th birthday of our cherished founder, Samuel Mazzuchelli. Reports of celebrations came in from far and wide.  Of course, the Motherhouse and skilled care centers had a special Mass and dinner.  Our colleges and high schools reported special events as well.  Here at Dominican University, we had a study day and cake.  Doesn’t get much better than that!!!

An Italian Dominican, from a wealthy Milan family, he came to this country at the age of 22, just a few years after entering the Dominican Order.  Father Samuel preached a gospel of radical inclusivity.  All found a friend and good listener in our brother.  As his sisters, to this day, we feel a closeness and bond to our dear founder.  He left us a legacy of tireless service, deep prayer, and a joy for life.  This is our prayer for him, for ourselves, and for our church. 

LORD JESUS, you called your servant, Samuel, 
even in early youth, to leave home and all for 
a Dominican life of charity in preaching your 
holy gospel. You gave him abundant graces of 
Eucharistic love, devotion to your holy Mother of 
Sorrows, and a consuming zeal for souls. Grant, 
we beseech you, that his fervent love and labors for 
you may become more widely known, to a fruitful 
increase of your Mystical Body, to his exaltation 
and to our own constant growth in devoted 
love of you Who with the Father and the Holy 
Spirit live and reign one God, world without end. 
Amen. (With ecclesiastical permission)

Peggy Ryan, OP

Dominican University

River Forest, IL