St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas is one of the Church's greatest theologians and most brilliant minds. He was born in either 1225 or 1227 in the Kingdom of Naples. His father was the Count of Aquino and his mother the Countess of Teano; the family were relatives of the Holy Roman Emperors Henry VI and Frederick II, as well the royal families of France and Spain. Thomas was sent at age five to study with the monks at Monte Cassino, where he astounded his teachers with his precociousness. The abbot insisted that Thomas' father send the brilliant youth to the University of Naples. Here he soon outstripped his teachers, learning Latin, philosophy, mathematics, grammar, logic, rhetoric, astronomy, and music. By August 1243, he had joined the Dominicans, much to the disappointment of his family; his mother was so upset that she ordered his brothers to bring him home. They did so and kept Thomas a prisoner in a tower for around eighteen months, each member of the family trying various tactics to sway him from his vocation. Eventually, his mother and sister relented somewhat and under pressure from the pope and the emperor, his brothers set him free. During his imprisonment he had studied Scripture and various books given to him by his sister. The Dominicans sent him to Cologne where St. Albert the Great became his teacher. Quiet, overweight Thomas was called a "dumb ox" by some of the students, but Albert defended him, saying "We call this young man a dumb ox, but his bellowing in doctrine will one day resound throughout the world." Thomas Aquinas was ordained around 1250 and was awarded his Doctorate of Theology from the University of Paris on October 23, 1257. His priestly life was filled with prayer, preaching, study, teaching, and writing. His biographers record that he could dictate on several subjects at one time, so he was given a team of secretaries. During his relatively short life, he wrote over fifty works, including the massive Summa Theologica, which is still studied today. Thomas had an extraordinary memory; according to one biographer who knew him personally, Aquinas' mind was like a library. His brilliance came from more than his astounding intelligence; he was a mystic and frequently received insights while praying. After one vision, near the end of his life, he said "Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value." Thomas Aquinas died at Fossa Nuova on March 7, 1274. Many miracles were attributed to him during his lifetime and after his death. He was canonized in 1323. He is a Doctor of the Church and is often called the Angelic Doctor because of his in-depth treatment of angels. His feast is January 28. He is the patron of all Catholic universities, colleges, and schools.