09_Eng - STD -IX

that he was sent to Cologne and paris to complete his studies under St Albert the Great. Post ordination and a Doctorate in Theology, he started to teach with such lucidity, accuracy and inspiration, that stu- dents were attracted by the thousands--the University of Paris at that time counted 30,000 students! This “Angelic Doctor” and “Prince of Catholic Theolgians’’ was the principal exponet of scholastic philosophy which interpreted Aristotle’s system in the light of Christian teaching. In his relatively short life of 49 years he is known to have composed some 60 works. Far surpassing everything else was his unrivalled Summa Theologica, a summary of Christian philosophy and theology. “Since the principal aim of this sacred science is to impart knowledge of God--not only as he is in himself, but also as the beginning and end of everything, especially of the rational creature-- we shall first treat of God, secondly of the rational creature’s ap- proach towards God and thirdly of Christ who, being man, is the Way by which we come to God,” he would say. Having first invoked God’s assistance in contemplation and prayer before taking up any study, Thomas would become so absorbed in his work that a friar had to be appointed to ensure that he did not completely forget his meals and rest. When faced with the interpretation of obscure Bible passages, he would undertake special fasts, and Heaven came to his aid in a definite and supernatural way, for that alone can explain his extraordinary intellectural powers and sanctity. The beautiful Office and Mass for Corpus Christi, with its much loved hymns Tantum ergo and O Salutaris Hostia, were composed by him on the Pope’s orders. Thomas died while on his way to the Council of Lyons, He was canonized by Pope John XXII on 18 July 1323, elevated to the Dignity of Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V on 11 April 1567 and in 1918 his name was included in the Code of Canon Law. Among other cita- tions, St. Thomas Aquinas has also been declared the special Patron of all Catholic Universities and educational institutions. 101

Notes 102

Notes 103

Notes 104