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St Thomas Aquinas - Light of the Church

A fitting patron saint for students, teachers, and all aspiring scholars

T
homas Aquinas, angelic doctor of the
Church, was a quiet and humble student.
This prompted his fellow students to mock
him as “The Dumb Ox.” They interpreted his silence
and deep thought as a lack of intelligence. One of the
strongest defenses of St Thomas Aquinas, in this
regard, was made by his beloved professor St. Albert
the Great. He had heard Thomas’s defense of a
complicated thesis and countered the mockery of the
students with this statement:

“We call this young man a dumb ox,
but his bellowing in doctrine will one day
resound throughout the world.”

And so it did! Thomas Aquinas is one of the
most intellectual and prolific writers in the history of
the Catholic Church. In fewer than 50 years, he
wrote over sixty works. He had such a keen mind
that he was able to dictate to several scribes at the
same time.
Saint Albert the Great
The Early Journey AD 1352
Thomas was born to parents who were descend- Tommaso da Modena
ed from nobility. When he was just five years old, he Fresco
was sent to the Benedictine monks of Monte Cassino Chapter House, San Niccolò, Treviso
to be educated. The Abbot of Monte Cassino
recognized that Thomas was an exceptional student. The Productive Years
He recommended that he be sent to the University of Under the tutelage of St. Albert the Great in
Naples where he soon surpassed his masters in the Cologne, Thomas flourished. He then accompanied
grasp of each of his subjects. this beloved professor to Paris and then back to
When Thomas received the habit of the Order of Cologne. It was here that he was ordained a priest
St. Dominic, his mother became distressed, having and preached in Germany, France, and Italy.
had her own plans for her son with the Benedictine He rose from Bachelor to Doctor of Theology
order. She sent his brothers, who were soldiers at the during this time and began what we would call his
time, to kidnap Thomas and hold him in confinement public life. He began to command the attention of
until he gave up his vocation with the Dominicans. professors and students alike. He taught, he wrote,
Despite their efforts, Thomas held to his vocation, he preached, and he combatted heretical writings.
and after almost two years of confinement, he was He was truly a well-respected philosopher and
released to the Dominicans, to pray, teach, and write. theologian, a man pure in heart and keen in mind.
Cont’d.

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