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ST THOMAS OF VILLANOVA, BISHOP - 22 SEPTEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 22nd of September

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SAINT THOMAS OF VILLANOVA, BISHOP 

St Thomas was born at Fuenlana in Castile in 1488. His parents, Alphonsus Thomas Garcias and Lucy Martinez, were originally of Villanova. Their fortune was not affluent; but it contented all their wishes, and with their prudent frugality enabled them liberally to assist the poor.

The first words which his parents had taught him to pronounce were the names of Jesus and Mary; and during his whole life he had the most tender devotion to the mother of God. 

At the age of fifteen he was sent to the university of Alcala, which had been lately founded by Cardinal Ximenes, who gave him a place in St Ildefonso’s college. 

After eleven years spent at Alcala he was made professor of philosophy in that city, being then twenty-six years old. After he had taught two years at Alcala, he taught moral philosophy two years at Salamanca: during which time he considered what religious retreat he should make choice of. After the most mature deliberation, he determined to enter himself among the Hermits of St Austin. He took the habit in a most rigorous and exemplary house of that institute at Salamanca in 1518, about the time that Luther apostatised from the same order in Germany.   

The simplicity of his behaviour in his whole conduct charmed his fellow-religious, and made them admire how he seemed totally to forget that he had been professor in a famous university. Soon after the term of his novitiate was expired, he was promoted to priestly orders in 1520, and employed in preaching the word of God, and in administering the sacrament of penance. Of these functions he acquitted himself with such dignity and success that he was surnamed the apostle of Spain.

He was afterwards successively prior at Salamanca, Burgos, and Valladolid, was twice provincial of Andalusia, and once of Castile; and behaved himself in all these stations, with a sweetness and zeal which equally edified and gained the hearts of all his religious brethren, so that he governed them rather by the example of his most holy life than by the authority of his charge. 

He fell into frequent raptures at his prayers, especially at Mass; and though he endeavoured to hide such graces and favours, he was not able to do it: his face after the holy sacrifice, shining like that of Moses, sometimes dazzled the eyes of those who beheld him.       

He was most zealous to maintain regular discipline in his Order, and a great enemy to discourses of news among his brethren, or whatever else might dissipate their minds, or introduce the world into their hermitages. When any of his subjects had committed any grievous fault, he joined fasting and bloody disciplines with earnest prayer and tears, that it would please the Lord of mercy to bring back the strayed sheep, for which he had shed his blood. 

Whilst the saint was performing the visitation of his convents, he was nominated by the emperor Charles V. to the archbishopric of Granada. Pope Paul III. sent the bull for his consecration, and that ceremony was performed at Valladolid by cardinal John of Tavera, archbishop of Toledo. 

The saint set out very early next morning for Valentia. He travelled on foot, in his monastic habit, which was very old, with no other hat than one he had worn ever since his profession, accompanied by one religious man of his Order, and two servants. 

He took possession of his cathedral on the first day of the ensuing year, 1545; which he was prevailed upon to do with the usual ceremonies, amidst the rejoicings and acclamations of the people. But when he was led to the throne prepared for him in the church, he cast away the cushions and silk tapestry, fell upon his knees on the bare floor, embraced the foot of the cross, and adored our Lord, pouring forth a torrent of tears; and before he rose up he humbly kissed the ground. 

When he was pressed to put himself into a dress and equipage suitable to his dignity, his answer was, that he had made a vow of poverty; and that his authority did not depend upon his dress or appearance, but was to be supported by his zeal and vigilance. With much ado his canons gained so far upon him that he cast away his woollen hat, and wore one of silk. 

He discharged all the duties of a good pastor, and visited the churches of his diocese, preaching everywhere. His sermons were followed with a wonderful change of the manners and lives of men, in all places he visited. 

The holy pastor spent whole nights in prayer, and to render his prayers more efficacious, he accompanied them with tears and with some extraordinary austerities and alms. 

St Thomas not being able, through the weakness of his health, to assist in person at the council of Trent, deputed thither the bishop Huesca in his place. Most of the Spanish bishops who went, repaired first to Valentia to receive his advice. 

The saint having been forewarned by a vision that he should die on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, was taken ill of a quinsy, attended with a violent fever, on August 29. He began his immediate preparation for his passage by a general confession of his very least faults, which he made with many tears, as if he had been the greatest of all sinners. Then he received the viaticum. 

He rendered his soul into the hands of God, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, the eleventh of his episcopal dignity, of our Lord 1555. He was buried, according to his desire, in the church of the Austin Friars at Valentia: was beatified in 1618, and canonised by Alexander VII, in 1658. 

(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)

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