St. Thomas of Villanova

Biography

St. Thomas (c. 1487–1555) was born at Fuenllana in Castile and grew up in nearby Villanueva de los Infantes, from which he takes his name. His parents were known for their charity, and he learned from them to share with the poor. He studied at the University of Alcalá, where he later taught philosophy. In 1516 he entered the Augustinian friars at Salamanca and was ordained a priest in 1518. He became a renowned preacher, served as prior and provincial, and was appointed a court preacher to the Emperor Charles V. As provincial he sent the first Augustinian missionaries to Mexico. He refused the archbishopric of Granada, but in 1544 he accepted the see of Valencia under obedience. There he visited his parishes, reformed the clergy, founded a college for poor students, and gave nearly all his income to the needy, feeding hundreds at his door each day and caring for orphans. He kept a simple, mended habit and lived as a friar. His sermons, especially on the love of God and on the Blessed Virgin, were later published. He died in Valencia on September 8, 1555, the feast of the Nativity of Mary. Pope Alexander VII canonized him in 1658. Villanova University in Pennsylvania is named for him.

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