The Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominican Fathers, originated in southern France.
St Dominic de Guzmán (c. 1172–1221) founded a community of mendicant friars in the early thirteenth century. A native of Spain, St Dominic was ordained as a diocesan priest and served for a time as a canon at the cathedral in Osma. The Friars Preachers are now called Dominicans after their founder. Fr Dominic de Guzmán founded the first monastery in Toulouse in 1215. A year later, Pope Honorius III approved the new Order, which followed the Rule of St Augustine. The Dominicans’ mission was to live according to the Gospel, oppose heretical teachings — initially those of the Albigensians, a task that later led the Holy See to appoint many members of the Order as inquisitors — and proclaim the Kingdom of God, not only from pulpits but also while travelling and to everyone they encountered. This required a sound education, uncompromising fidelity to God and the Church, and constant discernment of the signs of the times.
The community, which began with six like-minded friars, has now grown to more than six thousand members. Their desire to know God and acquire a thorough education led the Friars Preachers to the universities. Their pastoral and apostolic work continued to flourish as the Order extended its missions to more countries, gradually taking its place in the history of the universal Church. Houses and convents, vicariates and provinces, schools and universities appeared not only in European cities but also in the Far East, Asia and North America. In their missions, the Dominicans also developed social initiatives, which likewise required sound preparation. The Order is supported by benefactors. Today, the term “Dominican Family” is firmly established within the Order of Preachers. This family unites the First Order, the male branch; the Second Order, the enclosed nuns; and the Third Order, comprising lay Dominican fraternities and active congregations of Dominican sisters. Well-known Dominicans include Blessed Fra Angelico, St Albert the Great, St Catherine of Siena, St Margaret of Hungary, St Thomas Aquinas, Meister Eckhart and Girolamo Savonarola.
The Order’s motto is Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare — Latin for “To praise, to bless, to preach”.
One symbol of the Friars Preachers is a dog carrying a burning torch, a play on the words Dominicani and Domini canes, “the Lord’s dogs”.
The torch symbolises the light of truth, while the dog also represents the protection of the Church from false teachings.
Source: http://www.dominic.ua