Thomas of Villanova

"St. Thomas of Villanova" redirects here. For other uses, seeSt. Thomas of Villanova (disambiguation).

Saint Thomas of Villanova OSA
Old master printof St. Thomas inPortraits of Illustrious Spaniards(Madrid, 1791)
Religious, bishop and confessor
Born	Tomás García y Martínez 1488 inVillanueva de los Infantes, Ciudad Real,Spain
Died	September 8, 1555 inValencia,Spain
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church (Order of St. Augustine)
Beatified	October 7, 1618 byPope Paul V
Canonized	November 1, 1658 byPope Alexander VII
Feast	September 22
Attributes	A bishop distributing alms to the poor
Patronage	Danao,Cebu Santolan,Pasig AlimodianandMiag-aoinIloilo Dao,Capiz Villanova University

Thomas of Villanova,OSA (1488 – September 8, 1555), bornTomás García y Martínez,was aSpanishfriarof theOrder of Saint Augustinewho was a noted preacher,asceticand religious writer of his day. He became an archbishop who was famous for the extent of his care for the poor of his see.

Life

He was born Tomás García y Martínez inFuenllana,Spain, in 1488.His father was a miller,who regularly distributed food and provisions to the poor, as did his mother.He grew up and was educated inVillanueva de los Infantes,in theProvince of Ciudad Real,Spain, therefore the nameThomas of Villanueva.Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family's wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor.

At the age of sixteen years, Thomas entered theUniversity of Alcalá de Henaresto study Arts and Theology. He became a professor there, teaching arts, logic, and philosophy, despite a continuing absentmindedness and poor memory.In 1516, he decided to join the Augustinian friars inSalamancaand in 1518 was ordained a priest.

He became renowned for his eloquent and effective preaching in the churches of Salamanca.Thomas composed beautiful sermons, among which stands out theSermon on the Love of God,one of the great examples of sacred oratory of the 16th century.Charles V,upon hearing him preach, exclaimed, "Thismonsignorcan move even the stones! ".Charles named Thomas one of his councilors of state and court preacher in Valladolid, the residence of theEmperorwhen on his visits to theLow Countries.

His scathing attacks on his fellow bishops earned him the title of reformer.Some of his sermons attacked the cruelty ofbullfighting.He also had a great devotion to theVirgin Mary,whose heart he compared to theburning bushofMosesthat is never consumed.

Within the Order, he successively held the positions ofpriorof his local monastery,VisitorGeneral, and PriorProvincialforAndalusiaandCastile.In 1533, Thomas sent out the first Augustinian friars to arrive inMexico.Charles V offered him the post ofArchbishop of Granadabut he would not accept it.

Bishop

Thomas of Villanova Heals The Sick, Murillo

In 1544 he was nominated as Archbishop ofValenciaand he continued to refuse the position until ordered to accept by his superior. Given a donation to decorate his residence, he sent the money to a hospital in need of repair.He began his episcopacy by visiting every parish in the Archdiocese to discover what the needs of the people were.Aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order an archdiocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college forMoorishconverts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity. In 1547 he ordained as a priestLuis Beltrán,a noted missionary in South America. Thomas started Presentation Seminary in 1550.

He was well known for his great personal austerity (he sold the straw mattress on which he slept in order to give money to the poor) and wore the same habit that he had received in the novitiate, mending it himself.Thomas was known as “father of the poor.”His continual charitable efforts were untiring, especially towards orphans, poor women without a dowry, and the sick. He possessed, however, an intelligent notion of charity, so that while he was very charitable, he sought to obtain definitive and structural solutions to the problem of poverty; for example, giving work to the poor, thereby making his charity bear fruit. "Charity is not just giving, rather removing the need of those who receive charity and liberating them from it when possible," he wrote. He established boarding schools and high schools.

Thomas died in Valencia on September 8, 1555, ofanginaat the age of 67. His remains are preserved at the Cathedral there.

Veneration

He wascanonizedbyPope Alexander VIIon November 1, 1658.Hisfeast dayis celebrated on September 22.

Legacy

Barangay Santo Tomas Lubao, Pampanga (a Kapilya or Church) in Lubao Pampanga, Philippines, dedicated to Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Thomas is the author of variousTracts,among which is included theSoliloquy between God and the soul,on the topic of communion.Francisco de Quevedowrote his biography. His complete writings were published in six volumes asOpera omnia,inManilain 1881.

Thomas is thenamesakeandpatron saintofVillanova University,nearPhiladelphiain the United States, which was founded and is administered by the friars of his Order;Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de VillanuevainHavana,Cuba;St. Thomas UniversityinMiami Gardens,Florida,US; andVillanova College,a Catholic school for boys located inBrisbane,Australia.

In the Philippines, some churches and towns are dedicated in honor of the saint with grand celebrations on his feast day, preceded by nine-day novena Masses. He is the patron saint of the towns ofAlimodianandMiag-aoinIloilo,Santolan and Sto. Tomas inPasig,and Pitpitan inBulakan, Bulacan.

A congregation of sisters is also named after him.

External links

• Life of Thomas of Villanova (Augustinians of the Midwest)
• Sermons of Saint Thomas of VillanuevaArchived2016-03-16 at theWayback Machine(inLatin)