St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 in his family's castle in Lombardy Italy, which is near Naples. His family was a wealthy one; his father was the Count of Aquino. In his early years his parents had him educated by Monks. Subsequently, he attended the University of Naples. Sometime after that he secretly joined the Medicant Dominican Friars in 1224. This group worked for the salvation of souls through preaching and fostering theological study. In an attempt to deprogram, or convert him, his family kidnapped him and held him in captivity. He later escaped, and rejoined his former order in 1245. Following this he studied under Saint Albert the Great from 1245 to 1248, and was later ordained in 1250. He went to Paris to teach theology at the University of Paris. He wrote many works, including commentaries on Aristotle and wrote some bible related works. He later earned his doctorate and taught in many Italian cities. He was appointed regent of studies in Naples in 1272 while working on Summa Theologica. On December 6th 1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his other writing were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.

The principal reason I have chosen the confirmation name Thomas after St. Thomas Aquinas, is because he is well known as one of the patron saints of academics. His works have been instrumental to the thinking of the church ever since. His teachings in theology were so great that Pope Leo the 8th commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. I find it amazing that of all the numerous saints, he is one of only 33 Doctors of the Church. As academics are an important part of my life, I feel that he is a saint I can identify with, and I can look up to his many achievements in academics.

While my future is unknown to me, I still plan to model my life after his in that I hope to have a close relationship with God, and want to also live an academically centered career. After I am confirmed, I hope to strengthen my relationship with god, and continue to learn about the word of God. I plan to have a doctorate like St. Thomas one day, and maybe in my elder years share what knowledge I have, and become a teacher like St. Thomas.

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