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Thomas Aquinas was born Italy about 1226. His parents, Landolfo and Donna Theodora, were well-to- do members of the lesser nobility. His eldest brother, Aimo, was a crusader. Rinaldo, also a soldier, was a poet of some renown. Of the third son, Landolfo, we know little except that Thomas believed he would be spending time in purgatory. Thomas, the youngest son, undertook the greatest adventure of them all! He became one of the Church's greatest saints. The custom of the time was that the youngest son enter religious life and, strange as it may seem to us today, Thomas grew up in the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino. His parents had realistic expectations that Thomas would someday be the abbot of the monastery. Thomas was described as a tall and corpulent youth. According to an early biographer, "He was a quiet boy with an unusually mature bearing; saying little, but already thinking much; rather silent and serious, and seemingly much given to prayer." In 1239 when he was about 15 years old, he was sent to complete his education at the university in Naples. Thomas was born a few years after the death of St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers . (Dominicans) - a revolutionary new order, unlike any known up to that time. Its members' lives revolved around study, teaching, preaching and prayer. Dressed in hooded white habits with handsome black capes, the friars of St. Dominic lived and worked, not hidden in rural monasteries, but conspicuously moving about in medieval cities. Devoted to apostolic poverty like the sons of St. Francis, they begged for their food and lived in simple community houses. In Naples, Thomas encountered these begging and preaching friars on the streets. At the university he knew them as fellow students and noted their dedication to study. At some point, the young student made a radical decision. Religious life, yes - but a grand monastery, no. As we might say today, Thomas "dropped out of school" at about nine teen years of age and "joined up" with the Dominicans. He probably received the habit in April of 1244. Thomas was not the first rich young man to be swept up into St. Dominic's dynamic charism. In fact, the Dominicans already had experience with disgruntled parents. This is why, according to some accounts, Thomas al most immediately began walking north toward Bologna with the Master General. He was to continue on to Paris, out of reach of his power ful family. It is not exactly clear how Donna Theodora heard of this, but she was definitely not pleased. Rinaldo - and perhaps Landolfo- rode forth with a company of soldiers. Capturing Thomas on the road, they violently separated him from his religious superior. Thomas was forced to mount a horse and go with them on a journey back to his mother. We can imagine that a stout and very determined young man would have put up some resistance. Certainly he didn't go willingly. Once home, Thomas was imprisoned in a tower in the family castle for over a year. His abduction created quite a stir. The Dominicans even appealed to the Pope in an effort to retrieve their brilliant novice. Donna Theodora and Thomas' brothers tried every inducement to convince him to change his mind. Religious life was fine, but not as a beg ging friar! One sister, Marietta, argued vigorously with Thomas until he persuaded her to become a nun. Later in life she would become the Abbess of her Benedictine monastery. Eventually, Thomas' persistence paid off and he was freed. He turned once more toward Paris where he began his great intellectual career.
GIRDING BY THE ANGELS During Thomas' imprisonment, one attempted inducement sounds like the work or the prank of coarse soldiers. Alone in a locked and guarded room, Thomas must have been exhausted from his struggles, angry about his violation, frustrated that he was being delayed in his religious formation. At this dark moment, a young woman was introduced into Thomas' room. The purpose was clearly to get Thomas to break his vow of chastity and in this way call into question his vocation. Within moments of initiating s wicked deed, the guards heard quite a commotion and probably even screams is the woman fought to get out of the room. Thomas had seized a burning brand from the hearth and fended off her seductions with fire. After the heavy door of his prison slammed, leaving him once more alone, Thomas burned the sign of the cross upon it. He fell to his knees with tears and prayed to be preserved in his vows, especially the vow of chastity. According to the acts of his canonization, Thomas had a vision or a mystical dream. From heaven, two angels came to him and girded his loins, promising that he would be preserved in chastity: "On God's behalf, we gird you with the girdle of chastity, a girdle which no attack will ever destroy." And so it was.
THE ANGELIC WARFARE CONFRATERNITY That this story became well-known is shown by the fact that wearing a cord and asking the intercession of St. Thomas in the battle to preserve one's sexual purity began to grow as a popular devotion. By the 15th and 16th centuries, some confraternities existed, and in 1649, Francis Duerwerdes, O.P., became the official founder of the Angelic Warfare Confraternity (Militia Angelica Divi Thomae Aquinatis). In 1727, Benedict XIII approved it as an apostolic confraternity under the direction of the Dominican Master General. Since then it has been recommended by many popes. St. Aloysius Gonzaga was an active member. In 1923, Pius XI wrote Studiorum Ducem, his encyclical on Thomas Aquinas. Realizing, with Leo XIII, the intellectual perils of our age, Plus XI. saw a return to the teaching of this magnificent Doctor of the Church as urgently necessary. He declared St. Thomas patron of all Catholic schools, colleges and universities. He also recommended the Angelic Warfare Confraternity as a powerful help in the battle for sexual purity. After this, the Confraternity was vigorously promoted by Dominicans in the United States for several decades. "If St. Thomas had not been victorious when his chastity was in peril, it is very probable that the Church would never have had her Angelic Doctor." Pius XI
THE ANGELIC WARFARE CONFRATERNITY TODAY Published during the Jubilee year, a newly revised booklet on the Angelic Warfare Confraternity by Dominican theologian, Father Brian Mullady, updates the traditional literature with the marvellous teachings of John Paul II's theology of the body. The Holy Father teaches that h man sexuality is essential to the great dignity of the human person, but that it must be subject to self-discipline, developed in particular by the virtues of temperance, chastity and charity. Before the sexual revolution, the Confraternity was promoted primarily among students, especially those considering the priesthood or religious life. Now that sexual immorality is one of the. prevalent "degenerative moral dis eases" of our society, it seems appropriate that St. Thomas Aquinas once more become a great intercessor in the battle for sexual purity. This can apply to the young and single, but it also includes those of any age who are unmarried; those, single or married, who in the past had sinful sexual habits; those who are preparing for marriage; married couples who seek to be chaste after giving up the use of contraception; (married) men or women facing the challenge of keeping their matrimonial vows despite a broken marriage; etc. The Confraternity does not offer a magical solution to sexual temptation, but members enjoy special graces in the battle for purity. Membership in the Confraternity requires a serious promise to remain sexually moral while see king to grow daily in the virtue of chastity. It is founded on devotion to St. Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of the Rosary. Members promise to seek the truth, especially the truth about the dignity of the human person made in the image of God. It requires enrollment by a Dominican Father or a priest who has permission to receive members. Members wear either a cord or a medal. For more information, see Father Brian Mullady's booklet The Angelic, Warfare Confraternity. The booklet includes the ceremony of solemn reception. You may also obtain a membership kit containing the booklet, a medal, membership form and cord for making the Confraternity cord. History The dramatic story of St. Thomas Aquinas' battle with sexual temptation in the 13th century inspired many to pray for his intercession to help them remain pure. In the 15th century, the Dominican Order formalized this devotion under the title of the Con .fraternity Angelic Warfare Confraternity. In 1727, Pope Benedict XII Medal made it an apostolic fraternity. Eight popes have recommended it; St. Aloysius Gonzaga was an active member. Today people of all ages and in all states of life - married or single - need ways to strengthen the virtue of chastity. Many turn to the intercession of one of the Church's greatest saints! Upon enrollment members receive a plenary indulgence and enjoy the daily prayers of the Dominican family throughout the world. Priests can easily obtain permission from the Confraternity director to enroll members.
For more information, e-mail us.. awc@nig.op.org
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