Villanova University is named
for a Spanish Augustinian, Thomas García (1486-1555), the son of a miller who was born in
the village of Villanova de los Infantes, Castille, Spain. Thomas studied at the
University of Alcalá where he received his master's degree in 1509, and the insignia
marking him as a doctor shortly thereafter. In 1512, he became a professor of philosophy
at the University of Alcalá where his lectures were received enthusiastically for their
clarity and conviction. In addition, Thomas was praised by his students and colleagues for
always being friendly and helpful.
In 1516, Thomas was offered the chair of philosophy at the
prestigious University of Salamaca, where the Augustinians had founded a monastery in
1377. Thomas declined the chair and instead entered the Augustinian Order in that city.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1520, Thomas was soon asked to assume administrative
positions in the Order. He served as prior of the Augustinian houses in Salamaca, Burgos,
and Valladolid, and was later elected provincial of Andalusia and Castile. As provincial,
he sent the first Augustinian missionaries to the New World where they helped evangelize
what is now modern Mexico and, from there, the Philippines.
Thomas' many gifts, especially his scholarship, powerful, uncompromising oratory, skills
as a mediator and administrator, and sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others,
brought him to the attention of Emperor Charles V, who appointed him court chaplain and
then archbishop of Valencia in 1544.
Thomas flourished in Spain at a time when the European
peoples of the fifteenth and sixteenth century were confronted by challenges to their
world views of the natural world, ecclesiastical authority and moral dilemmas concerning
the nature of African slaves and natives of the Americas. As priest and archbishop, Thomas
insisted that the material resources of the Church should be shared with those in the
greatest need. His life could be characterized as a lover of learning, peacemaker and
reformer of the church.
The intellectual legacy of Thomas is reflected in his
constant demand that all learning must be inspired by the desire for God. Thomas
cerebrated learning as an activity that ought to make a difference in the community and in
the world. He emphasized that justice and love are the guiding rules of virtue and
learning. In Thomas' writings we find a rich synthesis of the thought of Augustine and
Thomas Aquinas, especially his emphasis on the innate desire for God in all peoples, the
image of God in the human person, the power of grace, and a theology of love.
Thomas found himself in an ecclesiastical world that was
fraught with turmoil and struggles for power. His scathing attacks on his fellow bishops
earned him the title of reformer, but they were motivated by a genuine desire that church
leadership personify the teachings of the Beatitudes. In words that are very contemporary,
Thomas challenged all within the church to serve the least powerful, and discover love and
wisdom in the service of others.
Thomas was known as "father of the poor." He
established social programs on behalf of the poor, including boarding schools and high
schools for poor young men. For girls he provided dowries enabling them to be married with
dignity. For the hungry, he created a soup kitchen in the Bishop's palace, and for the
homeless he provided a place to sleep. In an Advent sermon, he states "Rejoice, then,
you poor people; shout for joy, you needy ones; because even if the world holds you in
contempt you are highly valued by your Lord God and the angels." His love of the poor
extended to all creation. Thomas' teachings, scholarship and special concern for the
impoverished inspire Villanova's mission of seeking wisdom, love and justice.
Source: The Mission and Heritage of
Villanova University: Catholic and Augustinian, (2000), pp. 27-28
