St. Thomas Aquinas, Camas, WA

Our Patron - St. Thomas Aquinas

Novena to St. Thomas

Life of St. Thomas Aquinas
by Mary Newhouse

St. Thomas Aquinas was born in Italy in 1226 to a very wealthy man, Count Landulf of Aquino. His father was a nephew of the great emperor Frederick Barbarossa known as Frederick II. This seventh son of his father was a large, shy, quiet boy. His father, the Count, thought that this son should be a future abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino. So at the age of 6, he brought this boy to the abbey to begin his studies.

At age 11, the monks thought they had taught him all they could and recommended he attend the University in Naples. They applauded his quick mind and good memory. Thomas knew that his father had plans for him, which definitely included being a future abbot in the Benedictine order. He could not see himself in that role and thought more of teaching. He became enamored with the Dominicans.

He had to wait until he was 18 to join this order. His parents were horrified that he would do this thing. This new order called the Dominicans was known as the Begging Friars. The family had things smoothly arranged so that Thomas would become a monk but have some official capacity that would be worthy of his worldly rank. Having this son from their prominent family begging on the streets was just too much. They tried to talk him out of it. He was unmoved by their arguments.

He tried to slip quietly away with the other friars but soldiers, two of whom were his own brothers, waylaid them and Thomas was very forcibly detained and imprisoned for 18 months. His two sisters were the only ones to want to help him. During this time he had only his Bible and few other books. Thomas accepted this state of affairs with his regular composure. His idea of relaxation was to philosophize and whether in a monk¹s cell or a dungeon didn't seem to matter. His brothers only managed to upset him when they sent in a beautiful courtesan to tempt him. The story goes that he became furious and sprang from his seat, snatched a brand out of the fire and stood brandishing it like a flaming sword. The woman screamed and fled. Thomas banged the door behind her and rammed the burning brand into the door and blackening and blistering it with one big black sign of the cross. He then returned his chair and resumed his contemplation.

His sisters eventually helped him escape via a window with a large and sturdy basket although by this time the Pope and the Emperor had heard of his situation and were putting pressure on his family.

He left and went to study in Cologne, Germany under St. Albert the Great. He was a large lump of a student and rarely participated. In the debates his fellows thought him very dumb. He was the object of not only mockery but of pity. They nicknamed him the Dumb Ox of Sicily.

One of the students tried to help him with his lessons, for which Thomas thanked him carefully. The student then had difficulty with another area and Thomas pointed out a solution. From then on strange whispers began to circulate the school. His lecturer, Father Albert, helped persuade Thomas to take part more fully in more debates and to put aside his bashfulness. Eventually they became close friends, which was a great source of advice and solace for both.

Father Albert went to Paris to study for a Doctor's degree. He convinced his superiors that Thomas should accompany him on this l 500 mile walk. They begged for food and slept by the roadside or in monasteries. He was ordained in 1250 at 24 years of age.

Thomas was always busy thinking and philosophizing and preferred a more solitary life. After his trip north and subsequent study with Albert the Great, he became his most famous pupil. He then began his teaching and lifelong work as preferred defender of the faith. His greatest work The Summa took 6 years to compete. When asked what he was most thankful for he stated, "I have understood every page I ever read." Throughout his life he maintained his humility and modest manner.

During his lifetime there were many theories and controversies regarding life and faith, body and soul. Throughout his writings, Thomas' conviction was that truth is ultimately one because it has its source in God. He saw the human being as a complete union of body and soul and that reason can be trusted. "I am not ashamed to say that I find my reason fed by my senses; that I owe a great deal of what I think to what I see and smell and taste and handle; and that so far as my reason is concerned I feel obliged to treat all this reality as real.."

His prayer life encompassed his whole being though he was intensely secretive about any visions he had seen. There were miracles after his death. Miracles did occur; witnesses said that he was levitated, a women was healed after touching his gown. One of the best known came about when he was in Paris. Thomas was asked to write about the mystical change in the Blessed Sacrament. It was a heavy responsibility and after completing it he placed it at the foot of the crucifix on the altar as he returned to pray. Other Friars were watching and declared the figure of Christ had come down from the cross in front of their eyes and stood upon the scroll, saying "Thomas, thou hast written well concerning the sacrament of My Body.' It was after this vision that the levitation is said to have occurred.

He died in 1274, 50 years old. He was canonized in 1323. His feast day was originally March 13, but in the new calendar was set on January 28.

This very large, shy, man who so preferred a quiet, humble, place, who was born in a castle, was known as the Dumb Ox of Sicily in his student days, was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1507. His many books and other writings are still held in high esteem. He is recognized as reconciling religion with reason.

His love of learning led him to be named Patron of Catholic universities, colleges and schools.

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About the image on the HOMEPAGE:

In this altarpiece St Thomas Aquinas receives not only the divine wisdom but also the wisdom of the Evangelists and the philosophers of the classical world. He then convey this to the Christian community, and also, in order to convert them, to the enemies of the Church. The intertwining structure of these rays of vision or wisdom determines the composition of the picture and creates a pictorial order which reflects the divine order of the cosmos.

The panel probably was painted on the occasion of the canonization of St Thomas in 1323.

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