Who Was St Thomas Aquinas?

St Thomas Aquinas: https://catholicnovenaapp.com/novenas/st-thomas-aquinas-novena/

Saint and Doctor of the Church

Dominican who lived in the 1200s

His parents did not want him to enter the Dominicans, one of the new mendicant Orders, so they imprisoned him for a year, sent in a prostitute to seduce him, whom he drove away with a burning iron from the fireplace, but he ultimately escaped and entered the Dominicans.

Most brilliant scholar who ever lived

In the so-called Dark Ages, yet really this was the time of the Glory of Christendom, and we have not equalled it in scholarship, nor architecture, nor faith.

His landmark work, the Summa Theologica, he wrote for "beginning students," yet now only advanced doctoral students in philosophy, theology, and political science study it, which shows how far we have diminished in our scholastic achievement.

That said, I recommend reading the Summa, a bit at a time, as the concepts are presented so logically, that most Catholics can understand them at least in part.

Some of the language and words have precise, technical meanings which will elude you, but that is okay.

Highly recommend Louis de Wohl's historical fiction book about St Thomas, called The Quiet Light. It brings St Thomas Aquinas to life.

St Thomas is now the patron of students and universities. There's a great prayer that he composed for students that says things like ....

He also composed some of the most beautiful hymns in the Church, including Pange Lingua...

He is known as the Angelic Doctor due to the sublimity of his thought, and because two angels assisted him when he drove out the prostitute to remain celibate.

You can pray an excellent nine-day novena to St Thomas Aquinas from my website and mobile app here: https://pray.app.link/saintthomasaquinasnovena