22nd September, St Thomas of Villanova, Bishop and Confessor

St Thomas of Villanova, Bishop and Confessor

Thomas was born in Spain in the fifteenth century. From his earliest childhood he had the tenderst compassion for the poor. Having entered the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, he was soon made superior and after having refused the archbishopric of Granada he was forced to accept that of Valencia. He thus shared in the eternal priesthood of Christ (Introit, Epistle, Gradual, Offertory). He spent on the poor the large  revenues of his church, and on the day of his death, in 1555, he gave away his last penny, and died on a bed which did not even belong to him. The Church therefore celebrates especially in this pontiff "his extraordinary charity towards the poor" (Collect, Ant. of the Benedictus).



Statuit ei Dominus testamentum pacis, et principem fecit eum: ut sit illi sacerdotii dignitas in aeternum. * Memento Domine David et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.

The Lord made to him a covenant of peace, and made him a prince; that the dignity of the priesthood should be to him for ever. * O Lord, remember David: and all his meekness.
(Ecclus. 45:30 and Psalm 131:1. From the Introit at Mass).



Deus, qui beatum Thomam Pontificem insignis in pauperes misericordiae virtute decorasti: quaesumus; ut, ejus intercessione, in omnes, qui te deprecantur, divitias misericordiae tuae benignus effundas.
O God, who didst endow the blessed bishop Thomas in an extraordinary degree with the virtue of charity towards the poor ; we beseech Thee by his intercession, do Thou, in Thy loving kindness, pour forth the riches of Thy mercy upon all who humbly pray to Thee.
(Collect)



From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14696a.htm