Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)

Doctor of the Church, Author of the Summa Theologica

Born to a noble family in 1224, Thomas Aquinas’s life had a specific plan: he would study at the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino, be ordained, and rise to a position of importance.

Joining the Friars. This plan started to change when the Benedictine abbot sent him to continue his studies at the University of Naples. There, he encountered the Dominican friars and soon took his vows. As he was on route to Rome, his mother insisted his brothers kidnap him, fearing he may have been too hasty in his decision. Thomas was confined at home for almost two years as the family tried to dissuade him from his chosen path. Their efforts were unsuccessful, however; Thomas convinced them he should, indeed, be a Dominican, and he was allowed to return to the friars.

The Summa Theologica. In 1245, the Dominican superiors sent Thomas to the university at Cologne to study under Albert the Great. He would himself become a great teacher, seeking truth and sharing his quest and conclusions with others. Exploring the theological and philosophical perspectives of his time, the arguments he framed in the Summa Theologica would prove to be foundational to Western society. Although we may not realize it, our worldview is grounded in Thomas’s arguments. 

The “Mixed Life.” Among his many great insights, St. Thomas explored what he saw as a fundamental drive toward relationship—God seeking relationship with Creation and humans seeking relationship with God. As we strive to understand life at its deepest level and related to the divine, our love for God and neighbor deepens. This is the “mixed life,” a life in which contemplation of God leads us to active love of brother and sister. This is the life Dominicans still follow today through liturgy, private prayer, study, community service, social justice activities, teaching, and preaching.

Death and Canonization. Thomas died on March 7, 1274. He was canonized on July 18, 1323, and was later declared Patron of all Catholic universities, colleges, and schools by Leo XIII (August 4, 1880).