By Michael Howard
ON July 18, the Church celebrated the 700-year anniversary of the canonisation of St Thomas Aquinas in 1323.
A Doctor of the Church, great philosopher and a brilliant theologian, St Thomas has garnered the reputation as one of the most influential Catholic minds throughout all history, alongside St Paul and St Augustine.
As the patron saint of Catholic Education, it seems apt that such a monumental anniversary should coincide with Queensland’s Catholic Education Week (23-29 July 2023).
As our parents, teachers and educators are celebrated, it is perhaps opportune to reflect upon Catholic education’s patron and his vision for learning and growing in the faith.
Most notably, St Thomas never finished the Summa Theologica, his summary of Catholic theology. For just prior to its completion, St Thomas had a revelatory realisation that his work “was but straw to me,” and ceased writing.
Further, despite his philosophical legacy, St Thomas never saw himself as such. Philosophers, to St Thomas, fell short in their pursuit of the truth.
With Christ being the ‘Way, the Truth and the Life’, St Thomas saw obedience to God as the first requirement of a teacher, with the truth arising from there.
St Thomas mirrors this position in his life’s work, as he taught and wrote across Europe, not of his own philosophy, but upon the revelation of Christianity and her Church.
Now, it may seem odd that upon the near completion of his magnum opus that St Thomas would stop writing, yet it encapsulates his ultimate humbleness and devoutness that we may draw upon.
St Thomas never lost sight of the true meaning of his work, recognising it was not himself who would cultivate the minds of believers, but Christ and the Holy Spirit.
CS Lewis once said, ‘Don’t shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him.’
St Thomas’ teachings and life act as a wonderful reflection of Lewis’ succinct, yet accurate, consideration of Christian faith.
Perhaps our teachers and educators can look to St Thomas to remind themselves of the ultimate goal of Catholic Education. As Catholic educators, they are tasked with nurturing their students to not only to become life-long learners, but with the goal of living out their faith and recognising like St Thomas, that the Holy Spirit works with and through them.
It is difficult to quantify the true effects an educator may have on a child, yet we know that such effects can make deep impacts upon their curious minds.
This is precisely why we celebrate our educators, and why it is apt that St Thomas is the patron of Catholic Education.
He was not merely a renowned theologian and professor, but someone who mirrored the core essence of Christianity in both his life and work. St Thomas knew the reason why he wrote, which is precisely why he stopped writing.
In the same vein, let us pray that our committed, and too often unsung, Catholic educators can find strength, guidance, and wisdom in their patron during this year’s Catholic Education Week.
Like St Thomas Aquinas, may our educators continue to shine so that our students may see Christ through them.
Michael Howard is studying law at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. As a member of St Gerard Majella’s Church, West Chermside, he has developed a passion for Catholic thought.
