Also known as
- Angelic Doctor
- Doctor Angelicus
- Doctor Communis
- Great Synthesizer
- The Dumb Ox
- The Universal Teacher
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Son of the Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples, Italy. Educated by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and at the University of Naples. He secretly joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244. His family kidnapped and imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram him, but they failed to sway him, and he rejoined his order in 1245.
He studied in Paris, France from 1245 to 1248 under Saint Albert the Great, then accompanied Albertus to Cologne, Germany. Ordained in 1250, then returned to Paris to teach. Taught theology at University of Paris. He wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard’s Sentences, and some bible-related works, usually by dictating to secretaries. He won his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. Recalled by king and university to Paris in 1269, then recalled to Naples in 1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa Theologica.
On 6 December 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.
His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since. They systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1567.
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Additional Information
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Golden Legend
- Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
- Pictorial Lives of the Saints
- Saint Thomas Aquinas, by G K Chesterton (available in epub and kindle formats)
- Saint Thomas Aquinas of the Order of Preachers, by Father Placid Conway, OP (available in epub and kindle formats)
- Studiorum Ducem, by Pope Pius XI
- Summa Theologica P1, Q1: The Nature and Extent of Sacred Doctrine
- Summa Theologica P1, Q2: The Existence of God
- Summa Theologica P1, Q3: Of the Simplicity of God
- Summa Theologica P1, Q4: The Perfection of God
- Summa Theologica P1, Q5: On Goodness in General
- Summa Theologica P1, Q6: The Goodness of God
- books
- A Summa of the Summa: The Essential Philosophical Passages, Edited and Explained for Beginners, by Peter Kreeft
- Aesthetics of Thomas Aquinas, by Umberto Eco, Hugh Bredin (translator)
- Aquinas: Moral, Political, and Legal Theory, by John Finnis
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Guide of Thomas Aquinas, by Josef Pieper
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
- Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Person and His Work (Volume 1), by Jean-Pierre Torrell, Robert Royal (Translator), Walter Principe
- The Christian Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, by Etienne Gilson, I.T.Shook
- Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master, by Robert Barron
- other sites in english
- images
- audio
- video
- e-books
- Aquinas – A Guide for the Perplexed, by Peter S Eardley and Carl N Still
- Aquinas’s Summa: Background, Structure and Reception, by Benedict M Guevin, OSB
- Authority of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Jacobus M Ramirez, OP
- Bread of Life – Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Sacrament of the Altar, by Father Rawes, DD
- Catechism of the Summa Theologica, by R P Thomas Pegues, OP
- Catechism, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Classification of Desires in Saint Thomas and in Modern Sociology, by Henry Ignatius Smith, OP
- Commentary on Aristotle’s Treatise on the Soul, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Commentary on the Gospel of John, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Compendium of Theology, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Concerning Being and Essence, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Devotion of the Six Sundays in Honor of the Angel of the Schools, Saint Thomas of Aquinas, by Father Henry Joseph Fflugbeil, OP
- Elements of Moral Theology, Based on the Summa Theologiae, by John J Elmendort, STD
- Function of the Phantasm in Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Henry Carr
- Grounds of Non-Catholic Freedom in the Summa Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas, by Arhtur Maxson Smith
- Homilies for Sundays, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Introduction to the Metaphysics of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by James F Anderson
- Lexicon of Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Life and Labors of Saint Thomas of Aquinas, by Archbishop Roger Bede Vaughan
- Life of the Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Pius Cavanaugh, OP
- Life of Thomas Aquinas, by Renn Dickson Hampden, DD
- Life of Thomas Aquinas, from the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
- Meditations for Lent, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Meditations for Lent, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Mediaeval Philosophy Illustrated from the System of Thomas Aquinas, by Maurice de Wulf
- Modern Thomistic Philosophy, v1, by R P Phillips
- Moral Teaching of Saint Thomas, v1, by Joseph Rickaby, SJ
- Moral Teaching of Saint Thomas, v2, by Joseph Rickaby, SJ
- Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Charles Jerome Callan
- New Things and Old in Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Ninety-nine Homilies of Saint Thomas Aquinas, translated by John M Ashley, BCL
- Of God and His Creatures, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- On Prayer and the Contemplative Life, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Philosophical Texts of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Thomas Gilby
- Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Hans Meyer
- Physical System of Saint Thomas, by Father Giovannit Maria Cornoldi, SJ
- Political Ideas of Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Reactions Between Dogma and Philosophy, illustrated from the works of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Philip H Wicksteed
- Relationship Between Faith and Reason in Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Darrell
- Religious State, according to the Doctrine of Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Canon Jules Didiot
- Saint Thomas Aquinas and Ideology, by Father Ferre
- Saint Thomas Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy, by D J Kennedy, OP
- Saint Thomas’ Political Doctrine and Democracy, by Father Edward F Murphy
- Summa Theologica, Part 1, Questions 1 – 26
- Summa Theologica, Part 1, Questions 27 – 74
- Summa Theologica, Part 1, Questions 75 – 102
- Summa Theologica, Part 1, Questions 103 – 119
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 1 – 46
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 47 – 79
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 80 – 100
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 101 – 140
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 141 – 170
- Summa Theologica, Part 2, Questions 171 – 189
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Questions 1 – 26
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Questions 27 – 59
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Questions 60 – 83
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Questions 84 – Supplement 33
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Supplement 34 – 68
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Supplement 69 – 86
- Summa Theologica, Part 3, Supplement 87 – 99, Appendices
- Summary Exposition of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Philosophy of Knowledge
- Thomas Aquinas, by Father M C D’Arcy
- Thomas Aquinas, His Personality and Thought, by Dr Martin Grabmann
- Thomism and Mathematical Physics, by Bernard I Mullahy
- Treatise on Law, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Treatise on Man, by Saint Thomas Aquinas
- siti in italiano
- spletne strani v sloven¹cini
Readings
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; and God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
If you seek the example of love: “Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends.” Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake. If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because “when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth.” If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. “For just as by the disobedience of one man,” namely, Adam, “many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.” If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is “the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink. Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because “they divided my garments among themselves.” Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for “weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head.” Nor to anything delightful, for “in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” - from the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
Most loving Lord, grant me a steadfast heart which no unworthy desire may drag downards; an unconquered hear which no hardship may wear out; an upright heart which no worthless purpose may ensnare. Impart to me also, O God, the understanding to know you, the diligence to seek you, a way of life to please you, and a faithfulness that may embrace you, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen. - Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Something Of A Saint
Hence we must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he does not need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the truth in all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural knowledge. - Saint Thomas Aquinas
