St. Thomas Aquinas

Today is the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest minds of the Church. St. Thomas Aquinas is very important to me as a Catholic student. Not only do I study his works, I also pray to him to intercede on my behalf. There's nothing like studying the writings of a saint and being able to seek their intercession that you'll understand what they were saying before you read what they've written. I love being part of a universal Church. So, as I struggle through my readings for philosophy and theology, St. Thomas Aquinas is often guiding me along the way.

Along with his role as a teacher and an intercessor though, he is also a model of great love and devotion to Christ. He united himself to the cross of Christ and lived a life of heroic virtue. Truly a genius and a brilliant scholar, St. Thomas Aquinas ultimately knew where to find Truth, that is in Christ. Through his example, St. Aquinas calls us all to imitate Christ.

St. Thomas Aquinas' Prayer for Students
O Mary, Mother of enchanting love, of fear, of knowledge, of holy hope, through Whose pious intercession many make admirable progress in studies and piety despite crudeness of understanding, I choose Thee as protectress and patroness of my studies. Humbly I implore Thee that, from the heart of Thy maternal pity, and principally from the Eternal Wisdom that deigned to take on our flesh in Thee, and that exalted Thee in heavenly light above all the saints, Thou obtain grace from the Holy Ghost for me so that I might be able to penetrate with my understanding, retain in my memory, express by my life and words, and teach to others all that brings honor to Thee and Thy divine Son, likewise to the advantage of my eternal joy and that of all men.
Amen.


Students Prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas

O Blessed Thomas, Patron of Schools,
Obtain for us from God
An Invincible Faith,
A Burning Charity,
A Chaste Life,
And True Knowledge
Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.