Celebrating our Saint of the Month
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Feast Day: 28th January
Patron of students and universities
Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest and Doctor of the Church. He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism. The name 'Aquinas' identifies his ancestral origins in the county of Aquino in present-day Lazio.
Thomas was educated from the age of five to thirteen at St Benedict's monastery at Monte Cassino. He then studied at the University of Naples for five years, where he met the Dominicans and decided to join their order. His family were so upset by this they imprisoned him for fifteen months in an effort to make him change his mind. They failed.
Thomas became a monk and went on to study in Paris. Following the conclusion of his education, he taught in Cologne as an apprentice professor and instructed students on the books of the Old Testament.
In 1252, Thomas returned to Paris to earn his master's degree in theology. As an apprentice professor, he lectured on the Bible and devoted the final three years of his education to Peter Lombard's Sentences. The spring of 1256 saw Thomas appointed regent master in theology at Paris, and one of his first works after assuming the office was Contra impugnantes Dei cultum et religionem, in defence of mendicant orders, which William of Saint-Amour had been attacking. Between 1256 to 1259, Thomas spent his tenure writing several books, such as Questiones disputatae de veritate, Quaestiones quodlibetales, Expositio super librum Boethii De trinitate and Expositio super librum Boethii De hebdomadibus. At the conclusion of his regency, Thomas was in the process of writing one of his most famous works, Summa contra Gentiles.
In 1259, Thomas completed his first regency and returned to Naples, where he was appointed general preacher. In September 1261, he was asked to lecture in Orvieto, and during his stay he finished Summa contra Gentiles, as well as Catena aurea, and Contra errores graecorum.
In 1265, Thomas was summoned to Rome to serve as the papal theologian and was later ordered by the Dominican Chapter of Agnani to teach at the studium conventuale, which was the first school to teach the full range of philosophical subjects of both moral and natural natures.
While teaching, Thomas wrote his most famous work, Summa theologiae. He continued to write and released several more books until 1268, when he was called to Paris for a second teaching regency. He was named regent master again, and stayed until 1272. During this time, he wrote De virtutibus and De aeternitate mundi.
At the conclusion of his regency, the Dominicans called Thomas to establish a university wherever he wanted with a staff of whomever he wished. He established the university in Naples and took the regent master post.
Towards the end of his life he experienced a revelation of God, after which he stopped writing. St Thomas said that after what he had seen, everything he had written was 'so much straw'.
In May of 1274, Thomas was called to the Second Council of Lyon, where his works for Pope Urban IV would be presented. While journeying to the meeting, Thomas hit his head on the branch of a fallen tree and fell ill. He was escorted to Monte Cassino to recover, then he set out again. Unfortunately, he became ill once again and stopped at the Cistercian Fossanova Abbey, where the monks cared for him for several days. He received the last rites and prayed 'I receive Thee, ransom of my soul. For love of Thee have I studied and kept vigil, toiled, preached and taught...'
Thomas died on 7th March 1274 during a commentary on the Song of Songs. His remains were placed in the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse on 28th January, 1369.
It is not known who beatified Thomas, but on 18th July 1323, Pope John XXII canonized him. He was made a Doctor of the Church in 1567.
Saint Thomas' remains were moved to the Basilique de Sant-Sernin, Toulouse, between 1789 and 1974. They were then returned to the Church of the Jacobins.
Saint Thomas's influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy developed or opposed his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory. Unlike many currents in the Church of the time, Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle – whom he called 'the Philosopher' – and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. The works for which he is best known are the Summa Theologiae and the Summa contra Gentiles. His commentaries on scripture and on Aristotle form an important part of his body of work.
He is often depicted with an open book or writing with a quill.
Feast Day: 28th January
Patron of students and universities
Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest and Doctor of the Church. He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism. The name 'Aquinas' identifies his ancestral origins in the county of Aquino in present-day Lazio.
Thomas was educated from the age of five to thirteen at St Benedict's monastery at Monte Cassino. He then studied at the University of Naples for five years, where he met the Dominicans and decided to join their order. His family were so upset by this they imprisoned him for fifteen months in an effort to make him change his mind. They failed.
Thomas became a monk and went on to study in Paris. Following the conclusion of his education, he taught in Cologne as an apprentice professor and instructed students on the books of the Old Testament.
In 1252, Thomas returned to Paris to earn his master's degree in theology. As an apprentice professor, he lectured on the Bible and devoted the final three years of his education to Peter Lombard's Sentences. The spring of 1256 saw Thomas appointed regent master in theology at Paris, and one of his first works after assuming the office was Contra impugnantes Dei cultum et religionem, in defence of mendicant orders, which William of Saint-Amour had been attacking. Between 1256 to 1259, Thomas spent his tenure writing several books, such as Questiones disputatae de veritate, Quaestiones quodlibetales, Expositio super librum Boethii De trinitate and Expositio super librum Boethii De hebdomadibus. At the conclusion of his regency, Thomas was in the process of writing one of his most famous works, Summa contra Gentiles.
In 1259, Thomas completed his first regency and returned to Naples, where he was appointed general preacher. In September 1261, he was asked to lecture in Orvieto, and during his stay he finished Summa contra Gentiles, as well as Catena aurea, and Contra errores graecorum.
In 1265, Thomas was summoned to Rome to serve as the papal theologian and was later ordered by the Dominican Chapter of Agnani to teach at the studium conventuale, which was the first school to teach the full range of philosophical subjects of both moral and natural natures.
While teaching, Thomas wrote his most famous work, Summa theologiae. He continued to write and released several more books until 1268, when he was called to Paris for a second teaching regency. He was named regent master again, and stayed until 1272. During this time, he wrote De virtutibus and De aeternitate mundi.
At the conclusion of his regency, the Dominicans called Thomas to establish a university wherever he wanted with a staff of whomever he wished. He established the university in Naples and took the regent master post.
Towards the end of his life he experienced a revelation of God, after which he stopped writing. St Thomas said that after what he had seen, everything he had written was 'so much straw'.
In May of 1274, Thomas was called to the Second Council of Lyon, where his works for Pope Urban IV would be presented. While journeying to the meeting, Thomas hit his head on the branch of a fallen tree and fell ill. He was escorted to Monte Cassino to recover, then he set out again. Unfortunately, he became ill once again and stopped at the Cistercian Fossanova Abbey, where the monks cared for him for several days. He received the last rites and prayed 'I receive Thee, ransom of my soul. For love of Thee have I studied and kept vigil, toiled, preached and taught...'
Thomas died on 7th March 1274 during a commentary on the Song of Songs. His remains were placed in the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse on 28th January, 1369.
It is not known who beatified Thomas, but on 18th July 1323, Pope John XXII canonized him. He was made a Doctor of the Church in 1567.
Saint Thomas' remains were moved to the Basilique de Sant-Sernin, Toulouse, between 1789 and 1974. They were then returned to the Church of the Jacobins.
Saint Thomas's influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy developed or opposed his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory. Unlike many currents in the Church of the time, Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle – whom he called 'the Philosopher' – and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. The works for which he is best known are the Summa Theologiae and the Summa contra Gentiles. His commentaries on scripture and on Aristotle form an important part of his body of work.
He is often depicted with an open book or writing with a quill.
