Thomas Aquinas was born into a noble Italian family around 1226. At the age of 10, he was judged ready to enter the University of Naples. At 17, he joined the newly founded Dominican Order, against his family’s wishes. His brothers, generals in the Italian army, kidnapped Thomas and held him prisoner for two years in their castle. However, Thomas escaped in a basket over the wall and went to Germany to study under Saint Albert the Great. He became a priest and was sent to the University of Paris, where he taught philosophy and theology for many years.
Saint Thomas deeply loved and revered Our Lord Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. He wrote special prayers and hymns for the feast of Corpus Christi—the Body of Christ. His greatest and probably best-known work is a summary of the theology of the Church—the Summa Theologia.
One day God gave Saint Thomas a special experience of His presence. After this, Saint Thomas stopped writing, saying his writing was like “so much straw” when compared to God’s glory. Saint Thomas died four months later, in 1274. He was named the “Angelic Doctor”— one of the 33 Doctors, or Teachers—of the Church, because the Church considers his teachings to be as wise and holy as those of the angels in heaven.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!
Submitted by Guest Blogger Bart Tesoriero
