Thomas of Villanueva, Saint

THOMAS OF VILLANUEVA, Saint. - Archbishop of Valencia, b. in 1488 at Fuenllana near Villanueva, d. at Valencia on 8 September 1555.

Having entered in 1515 among the Hermits of St. Augustine, and been ordained priest (1520), he was prior of various convents and provincial of Andalusia and Castile. Court preacher of Charles V, he refused the appointment as archbishop of Granada (1542), but, by virtue of obedience, had to accept in 1544 the archbishopric of Valencia. In the exercise of his pastoral duties, he considered himself the servant of his spiritual children. Giving free rein to the singular charity toward the poor that he had practiced since childhood, he used the revenues of the episcopal mensa for works of charity on behalf of the needy and the sick, for the ransom of prisoners, and he founded three colleges for poor students and for abandoned young girls. As a sign of humility and penance he wished to continue wearing the religious habit and to observe the rules of his Order. His writings are also important, especially the ascetical treatise Sermón del amor de Dios. His example and his doctrine made him one of the most important figures of the Spanish Catholic Reformation. He was beatified by Paul V (1618) and canonized by Alexander VIII on 1 November 1658. Feast on 22 September.

Piero Sannazzaro