UST CENTRAL Seminary Vice Rector Fr. Napoleon Sipalay Jr., O.P., urged Thomasians to emulate St. Thomas Aquinas’ commitment to prayer and the Eucharist during the Mass commemorating the 700th anniversary of the University patron saint’s canonization on July 19.
In his homily, Sipalay said prayer is an important component of academic life.
“There is a strong connection between study and prayer that many of us who are seeking truth found in our moments of prayer struggle to understand in our study,” he said.
St. Thomas’ academic and spiritual achievements earned him the title “Doctor Angelicus” (the Angelic Doctor) and left a lasting legacy in the fields of philosophy and theology.
Sipalay recounted the story of St. Thomas’ practice of attending two Masses every day.
“The witnesses of St. Thomas said that he had attendance to two Masses daily: one he celebrated and the other where he was just present. Even on Sundays, we sometimes forget our obligations, but Thomas would fulfill them every day,” he said.
“Let us find in St. Thomas a way to return to God. Let us connect every desire and endeavor, whether in study or contemplation, with the support of our prayer. Everything is interconnected, and our love for the Eucharist should deepen our love for Christ and for those whom Christ sends us to serve,” he added.
St. Thomas was canonized on July 14, 1323 by Pope John XXII in Avignon, France.
To honor the great theologian and Doctor of the Church, the Vatican granted a plenary indulgence to participants of St. Thomas’s jubilee celebrations until the 800th anniversary of his birth in 2025.
In recognition of St. Thomas Aquinas as the patron saint of the University, a special “triennium” was opened on Jan. 24 to 27 to mark the three significant anniversaries of his canonization, death, and birth, which will take place between 2023 and 2025.
St. Thomas is regarded as the greatest theologian of all time and is the patron saint of universities and scholars. Justin Benedict T. Lim
