This is the first of a new series on patron saints of Catholic homeschooling (these may end up in a book eventually).
St. Thomas Aquinas – Feast Day January 28th
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 – March 7, 1274) was the son of Landulf VI of Aquino, a knight in service to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Theodora Galluccio, Countess of Teano. Born to a wealthy family, he was educated at the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino (where his uncle was abbot) and the University of Naples. His family wanted him to follow his uncle and become the Abbot of Monte Cassino, but he wanted to become a Dominican monk. His family was so upset by this choice that they kidnapped him and kept him prisoner in their castle for over a year to convince him to change his mind. He was not to be dissuaded, however. His mother helped him escape out a window and he became a friar over their objections.
The Dominicans sent him to Paris to study theology and philosophy, where he was a student of St. Albert the Great. Some of his fellow students referred to Thomas as a dumb ox, but St. Albert prophesied, “You call him the dumb ox, but in his teaching he will one day produce such a bellowing that it will be heard throughout the world.” St. Thomas became a college professor and pursued advanced study in theology. He would also serve as papal theologian to Pope Clement IV.
He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the medieval period and was named a Doctor of the Church. He has been referred to as the Angelic Doctor, the Universal Doctor, and the Doctor of Humanity. In his work, he attempted to integrate the teachings of Aristotle with those of Christianity. He wrote several works, including the Summa Theologica, which attempted to gather many of the Church’s teachings in an organized way.
How to Acquire Knowledge
St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a letter to Brother John with advice on “how to acquire the treasure of knowledge.”[1] Here are some of his words of wisdom, updated for today.
- Hesitate before speaking and resist engaging in gossip.
- Keep your conscience clean.
- Devote time to prayer.
- Be friendly to everyone, but don’t neglect your studies.
- Don’t waste time.
- Follow in the footsteps of the saints.
- Memorize wise words.
- Strive to understand all that you read.
- If you struggle to understand something, look for more explanation.
- Gain as much knowledge as you can.
A Student’s Prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas[2]
Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion. This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever.
Amen.
What Homeschoolers Can Learn from St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas’ parents had good dreams for their son, even if their methods to get him to comply left a lot to be desired. However, God had other plans for his life. When parenting, it is important to put God’s plans for our children before our own dreams for them. We should pray every day that our children be the people God wants them to be and help them pursue that path.
St. Thomas’ classmates referred to him as a dumb ox, but he was actually a brilliant thinker. Our perceptions of our children’s abilities can be skewed. Our children may not excel in areas we might like them to, but they have the gifts they need to fulfill the plans God has for them. They may also be late bloomers and have latent talents that haven’t come to the surface yet. Our job as homeschoolers is to encourage our children and cultivate their gifts, whatever they may be.
[1] Thomas Aquinas, A Letter of St. Thomas to Brother John, De Modo Studendi , CatholicLibrary.org, https://catholiclibrary.org/library/view?docId=Medieval-EN/XCT.044.html&chunk.id=00000003
[2] https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=2802
Image: Carlo Crivelli – The National Gallery: Saint Thomas Aquinas, Public Domain.
