Shout Out: St. Thomas of Villanova

Yeah, I'm late with this. I was asked to work this out for the 10th. I missed it. So what else is new?

If you mention Villanova to anybody, they will problem immediately think of Georgetown. This is unfortunate. The school has a lot more going for it than Big East affiliation and its much-heralded and remembered triumph over the heathens of John Thompson. For example, it was founded with St. Thomas of Villanova as its patron.

Thomas was an Augustinian friar during the late 15th/mid-16th centuries. He was unique for a guy with his superb intellectual talents in that you don't hear much, if anything, about his being involved with the Counter-Reformation, although I've been told that his famous sermon on the Love of God was to repudiate Calvinism. Regardless, Thomas was way too busy working miracles and helping the poor. You try serving food to 500 people a day and see how much time you have for anything else. That's what he did, though, often being known to multiply meager portions in the manner of Christ in order to feed whole crowds.

While I mention that he wasn't a big player in the battle against Protestantism, he was known for being a true ecumenist from his efforts to set up a school for Muslims who had converted to the True Faith. God willing that we see the need for similar work in the near future.

St. Thomas of Villanova, pray for us and for the conversion of Muslims all over the world.