He was the son of the Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples. He was educated by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and at the University of Naples. He secretly joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244. His noble family kidnapped and imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram him, but he rejoined his order in 1245.

He studied in Paris from 1245-1248 under Saint Albert the Great, then accompanied Albertus to Cologne. Ordained in 1250, and then returned to Paris to teach. Taught theology at University of Paris. He wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard's Sentences, and some bible-related works, usually by dictating to secretaries. He won his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. Recalled by king and university to Paris in 1269, then recalled to Naples in 1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa Theologica.

On 6 December 1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his other writing were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.

His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since. They systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1567.

Do You Skip Breakfast?

Holy Family Catholic School is not able to serve breakfast, but we recognize that many children do not eat breakfast.  Please read the following for some helpful suggestions.  

Some kids skip breakfast because they sleep too late or because they think it's a way to stay thin. But skipping breakfast doesn't help people maintain a healthy weight. In fact, someone who skips breakfast tends to eat more calories throughout the day.

If you find yourself skipping breakfast because you're too rushed, try these quick breakfasts. They're easy to grab on the way out the door or can be prepared the night before:

• single servings of whole-grain, low-sugar cereal
• yogurt
• fresh fruit
• whole-grain muffin
• trail mix of nuts, dried fruits, pretzels, crackers, and dry cereal

Need More Convincing?

Just in case you need more evidence that eating breakfast is the way to go, kids who don't eat breakfast are less able to learn at school, get less iron (an important nutrient) in their diets, and are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), which is a sign they may be overweight.

On the other hand, kids who eat breakfast do better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities, and tend to eat healthier overall. So tomorrow morning, don't run out the door on an empty stomach. Fuel up with a healthy breakfast!

Updated and reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD