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Feast Day: January 28
Also known as
Doctor
Angelicus; Doctor Communis; Great Synthesizer; The Dumb Ox; The Universal
Teacher
Profile
Son of the
Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near
Naples. Educated by
Benedictine
monks at Monte Cassino, and at the
University of
Naples. He secretly joined the medicant
Dominican friars in
1244. His noble family
kidnapped and
imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram
him, but he rejoined his order in
1245.
He studied in
Paris from
1245-1248
under Saint
Albert the Great, then accompanied
Albertus to
Cologne.
Ordained in
1250, then returned to
Paris to
teach.
Taught
theology at
University of
Paris. He
wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on
Aristotle and Lombard's Sentences, and some bible-related
works, usually by dictating to
secretaries. He won his doctorate, and
taught in several
Italian cities. Recalled by
king and
university to
Paris in
1269, then recalled to
Naples in
1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the
Summa Theologica.
On
6 December
1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that
he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his other
writing were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the
divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council
of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.
His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since. They
systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom
and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity.
Pope
Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all
theology
students. He was proclaimed
Doctor of the Church in
1567.
Born
c.1225
at Roccasecca, Aquino,
Naples,
Italy
Died
7 March
1274 at Fossanuova near Terracina of apparent natural causes; relics
at Saint-Servin,
Toulouse,
France
Canonized
1323
Patronage
academics,
against storms,
against lightning,
apologists,
book sellers,
Catholic academies,
Catholic schools,
Catholic universities,
chastity,
colleges,
learning,
lightning,
pencil makers,
philosophers,
publishers,
scholars,
schools,
storms,
students,
theologians,
universities,
University of Vigo
Prayers
Devoutly I Adore Thee (Adoro te devote)
Prayer of Thanksgiving After Mass
Prayer re...
Sion Lift Thy Voice and Sing
Tantum Ergo Sacramentum
Representation
chalice;
monstrance; ox; star; sun;
teacher with pagan philosophers at his feet;
teaching
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Thomas [11
images, 219 kb]
Readings
Grant me, O
Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a
hope of finally embracing you.
- Saint Thomas Aquinas
Charity is
the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.
- Saint Thomas Aquinas
We are like
children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; and
God has provided for this, by appointing his
angels to be our teachers and guides.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
If you seek
the example of love: "Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down
his life for his friends." Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he
gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever
hardships arise for his sake.
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross.
Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because "when he
suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and
he did not open his mouth."
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the
Father even unto death. "For just as by the disobedience of one man,"
namely, Adam, "many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man,
many were made righteous."
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is "the
King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge." Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat
upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to
drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because "they
divided my garments among themselves." Nor to honors, for he experienced
harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for "weaving a crown
of thorns they placed it on my head." Nor to anything delightful, for "in
my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."
from the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The
only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity,
assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Believing
is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the
will moved by God through grace.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Most loving
Lord, grant me a steadfast heart which no unworthy desire may drag
downards; an unconquered hear which no hardship may wear out; an upright
heart which no worthless purpose may ensnare. Impart to me also, O God,
the understanding to know you, the diligence to seek you, a way of life to
please you, and a faithfulness that may embrace you, through Jesus Christ,
my Lord. Amen.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Something Of A Saint
Hence we
must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine
help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he does not
need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the truth in
all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural knowledge.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
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