07 March 2009

Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

His undisputed mastery in scholastic theology gained him the title of "Angelic Doctor." He is one of the greatest glories of the Friars Preachers. Leo XIII declared him the patron of all Catholic Schools. He died in the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova, on his way to the Council of Lyons, in 1274.

O God, through Whom Thy Church is glorified by the wonderful learning of Thy blessed Confessor Thomas and profiteth still from his holy labors: grant, we pray, that we may grasp his teaching with our minds and show it, as he did, in our lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Today is baby Thomas's first name day! In honor of him and of his illustrious patron we had some red wine and chocolate for dessert. Holding a chocolate bar as big as himself in the arms of his godmother got quite a smile out of the little guy!


~Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XIII Aeterni Patris (on the Restoration of Christian Philosophy), 4 August 1879.
~Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI Studiorum ducem (on St. Thomas Aquinas), 29 June 1923.

2 comments:

Somebody Calls Me Nana said...

Those smiles are adorable -both Katie's and Tommy's!
1-2-3

Anonymous said...

We should all, at some point in our lives, have a chocolate bar as big as ourselves. . . and a proportionate quantity of red wine.

Or would that be immoderate?

BTW, Aaron was glad to hear from you on his confirmation patron's day. . .