Thomas was born in the castle of Roccasecca in the Kingdom of Sicily in 1225. Although his family was prestigious, as the youngest and 7th son, he was expected to enter the Benedictine monastery and become an abbot.

He began his education at Monte Cassino and then later at the Studium Generale in Naples. He had met John of St. Julian, a Dominican preacher, who influenced him to join the recently founded Dominican Order, abandoning his family’s plans for him. Upon his mother’s discovery, his brothers captured him and kept him at home for over a year but he still communicated with the Dominicans.

His mother realized she could not sway him and so then let him ‘escape’ to save the family name. He returned to Naples and then set off for Rome and finally to the University of Paris for the rest of his studies. He was quiet and studious with a stout physique earning him the nickname of “dumb ox”. After graduation, he was ordained a priest and taught in Cologne. He returned to Paris in 1252 to earn his Master’s in Theology.

His greatest contribution to the Catholic Church is his writings. The unity, harmony and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings. He was broad enough and deep enough to see the whole natural order as coming from God the Creator, and to see reason as a divine gift to be highly cherished.

He was working on his last work, the Summa Theologiae, when during prayer, Christ told him, “You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have for your labor?” He replied, “Nothing but you, Lord.” He abandoned his work and noted that he could not go on. “All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.”

On his way to present his works to the 2nd Council of Lyon, he fell ill. He received his last rites and prayed, “I receive Thee, ransom of my soul. For love of Thee have I studied and kept vigil, toiled, preached and taught.” He died on March 7, 1274.

The University in Paris in which he taught was renamed the College of Saint Thomas and later transformed into the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

He is the patron saint of apologists, Roman Catholic academics, Catholic schools and academies, chastity, colleges, pencil makers, scholars, students, and theologians.

His feast day is January 28.

For God’s Glory.

Please say the following prayer which he wrote for Student’s:
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.