St. Thomas of Villanova

Thomas of Villanova was born in Spain in 1488. His parents Aloazo Tomas Garcia and Lucia Martinez Castellanos were well-known for their charity, giving bread to the poor daily and meal on every Friday; Lucia, continued these practices after her husband died. Thomas studied at the University of Alcalá and later taught there. He joined the Augustinians in 1516 and was ordained in 1518. Thomas became well-known for his preaching and teaching. Emperor Charles V appointed him as court preacher, but Thomas preferred to avoid the court when possible. He held several offices in the Augustinian order, including provincial-prior of Andalusia and then of Castile. He was appointed Archbishop of Valencia in 1544, accepting the post only in obedience to his superiors. As Archbishop he was remarkable for his charity, feeding as many as five hundred poor people a day at his palace. He abolished underground prisons, rebuilt a hospital, established an orphanage, had early Mass said for the working classes, and opened two colleges; one college was for poor students and the other was to improve the education of priests. He provided tools and seed to impoverished farmers and he sought out people whose fortunes had fallen, knowing that they would feel embarrassed to ask for help. He sought to reform abuses among his clergy and the laypeople of his diocese and to convert the nuevos Christianos—Jews and Muslims who had converted to Christianity out of pressure or fear for their lives and were not sincere believers He was well known for his deep prayer life and miracles. Thomas of Villanova died of heart trouble on September 8, 1555, at the end of a Mass being said in his room for him. He was canonized in 1658 and is one of the glories of the Augustinian order. His feast is September 18.