In 1225, Thomas Aquinas was born in his family castle near Naples, Italy. He was bright and witty and studied under Benedictine monks. His family hoped he would one day be a prestigious Benedictine abbot, but at 19 he joined a Dominican order, and he was ordained at 25. He studied and taught in Naples, Germany, and Paris where he earned his doctorate in theology under St. Albert the Great. He wrote hymns, prayers, lectures, and over 60 major works, including his unfinished masterpiece, the Summa Theologica. His works and his brilliant scholastic mind have earned him the title Doctor of the Church as well as the nickname “The Angelic Doctor”.
CHALLENGE
Though he was renowned for his humility, St. Thomas Aquinas had so much influence on the Church that at the Council of Trent the three authoritative sources of the faith were the Bible, a collection of papal decrees, and the Summa Theologica. Today, buy a book that helps you learn more about what St. Thomas Aquinas taught.
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