St. Thomas Aquinas-Thomas (1225–1274), born in Roccasecca, Italy, was a Dominican priest and theologian whose Summa Theologica synthesized faith and reason. He taught at Paris and Naples, integrating Aristotelian philosophy with Christianity, and died en route to a council in 1274.

Role in Christianity: Aquinas’s work, Thomism, underpins Catholic theology, explaining doctrines like the Eucharist and natural law. He’s patron of scholars and universities, with his ideas shaping Vatican II and modern ethics.

Significance for Catholics: Aquinas’s clarity on faith and reason offers intellectual grounding for your site’s educational resources on Catholicism.

Prayers to St. Thomas Aquinas

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas
Text:
Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know You, a heart to seek You, wisdom to find You, conduct pleasing to You, faithful perseverance in waiting for You, and a hope of finally embracing You. Amen.

Prayer Before Study
Text:
O ineffable Creator, Who, out of the treasure of Thy wisdom, hast ordained three hierarchies of Angels, and placed them in wonderful order above the heavens, and hast most wisely distributed the parts of the world; Thou, Who are called the true fountain of light and wisdom, and the highest principle, deign to cast upon the darkness of my understanding the twofold beam of Thy light and wisdom, to dispel the twofold darkness of sin and ignorance wherewith I was born. Make my tongue eloquent, my memory retentive, and my understanding subtle; direct my study, and let Thy grace perfect it. Thou Who art true God and true man, Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer Before Mass
Text:
Almighty and everlasting God, behold I come to the Sacrament of Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: I come as one infirm to the physician of life, as one unclean to the fountain of mercy, as one blind to the light of everlasting brightness, as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Therefore, I implore the abundance of Thy measureless bounty that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to heal my infirmity, wash my uncleanness, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty and clothe my nakedness, that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and humility, with such sorrow and devotion, with such purity and faith, with such purpose and intention as may be profitable to my soul’s salvation…

Prayer After Mass
Text:
I give thanks to Thee, O Lord, most holy, Father almighty, eternal God, that Thou hast vouchsafed, for no merit of mine own, but out of Thy pure mercy, to appease the hunger of my soul with the precious body and blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly I implore Thee, let not this holy communion be to me an increase of guilt unto my punishment, but an availing plea unto pardon and salvation…

Hail to Thee! True Body Sprung
Text:
Hail to Thee! True body sprung from the Virgin Mary’s womb! The same that on the Cross was hung and bore for man the bitter doom. Thou whose side was pierced and flowed both with water and with blood; suffer us to taste of Thee in our life’s last agony. O kind, O loving One! O Jesus, Mary’s Son! Amen.