In the early years of the Order, the charism of voluntary poverty common to all religious was adapted in our Order so that the brothers could have personal use of books which were extremely expensive at that time. Another concern of the early times of the Dominican Order was what happened to the books of recently deceased brothers.

They were to be carefully added to the library of the community. The community library was thus an important tool in personal study of the faith and of the human sciences. Books are cheaper now, they are more numerous and varied than even one generation ago and every subject has an immense must-have bibliography. With growing specialisation of all subject areas, brothers usually build their own collection of books which, on their death, are added to community and provincial libraries. Specialist books will be useful for the next generation.


Ongoing, lifelong study permits friars to continue contemplating the truth about God and his revelation and to preach more effectively. In a more specialised manner, study of certain topics like philosophy and the sciences allows preachers to engage with contemporary society and to dialogue in areas of sensitive moral concern, for example.

Exchanges with a society that is post-Christian or heading in that direction is a concern that was close to the heart of those who were engaged in similar debates at the time of the foundation of the Order.