Joe Magee

Celebrating Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Anniversaries in Surprising Ways

I found and shared on Facebook an article from the Vatican News Service “Pope Francis: Thomas Aquinas’ thought more relevant than ever“ featuring remarks Pope Francis made about the enduring value of Saint Thomas and his doctrinal legacy on the occasion of a workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences commemorating the 750thContinue reading “Celebrating Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Anniversaries in Surprising Ways”

750th Anniversary of the Death of Saint Thomas – Memento Mori

While no longer celebrated as his feast day, today, March 7, is the anniversary of the death of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and this year, 2024, marks the 750th such commemoration and is part of the Triple Jubilee of the Angelic Doctor (along with the 700th anniversary of his canonization and 800th anniversary of his birthContinue reading “750th Anniversary of the Death of Saint Thomas – Memento Mori”

Happy Feast of Fra Angelico/Blessed John of Fiesole, OP – 2024

Today, February 18, is the feast day of one of my favorite artists and Dominican saints and blesseds, Fra Angelico, or Blessed John of Fiesole. What follows is mostly a repost of my commemoration of his feast day from 2022 that presents my digital pictures of many of his frescos from the Museum of theContinue reading “Happy Feast of Fra Angelico/Blessed John of Fiesole, OP – 2024”

Happy Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas – 2024 Jubilee: the Consummation of Love

This year’s Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas falls within the Triple Jubilee of the saint celebrating the 700th anniversary of his canonization (July 18, 1373), the 750th anniversary of his death (March 7, 1274), and the 800th anniversary of his birth (1225). As I noted before, the Church chose January 28 — the date hisContinue reading “Happy Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas – 2024 Jubilee: the Consummation of Love”

A Santa Claus Connection?

It was 750 years ago last Wednesday, December 6, that Saint Thomas Aquinas received a vision that changed the course of his life and presaged its closing acts. As I wrote in 2021, As is well known, on December 6, 1273, Saint Thomas had some sort of mystical experience while celebrating Mass in the DominicanContinue reading “A Santa Claus Connection?”

700th Anniversary of the Canonization of Saint Thomas Aquinas

Today, Tuesday, July 18, is the 700th anniversary of the Canonization of Saint Thomas Aquinas, which begins a two-year jubilee celebrating this great saint and covers the 750th anniversary of his death on March 7, 2024 and the 800th anniversary of his birth in 2025. The Vatican News Service reported that Pope Francis is sendingContinue reading “700th Anniversary of the Canonization of Saint Thomas Aquinas”

Happy Feast of Corpus Christi 2023

Today, the second Sunday after Pentecost, is the Solemnity of Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or in Latin, Corpus Christi. As I posted a few years ago, Saint Thomas Aquinas had a particular devotion to Jesus Christ really present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, and when he was present inContinue reading “Happy Feast of Corpus Christi 2023”

Notes on Rational Knowledge (Intellect) Posted

I have posted edited and expanded notes on the nature of rational knowledge taken from my undergraduate days at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology initially written by A. Moreno, OP (of happy memory) and M. Dodds, OP. I am immensely grateful for the introduction and instruction in Thomistic philosophy as a young friarContinue reading “Notes on Rational Knowledge (Intellect) Posted”

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once – Part II: Hollywood versus Nihilism – Thanks Daniels

In a previous post, I noted that the film Everything, Everywhere, All at Once mischaracterizes the admittedly unjust condemnation, and worse, the penalty, Galileo received as the result of his two trials for heresy by the Holy Office of the Roman Inquisition of the Catholic Church. In that post I gave instead a more accurate,Continue reading “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once – Part II: Hollywood versus Nihilism – Thanks Daniels”

Saint Thomas’s Skull Is on the Move

Two years ago, in my first Happy Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas post, I explained that January 28 was chosen as the date to commemorate his joining the Blessed in Heaven, not because it was the date of his entrance into that blessed state (i.e., the date of his death, March 7 (though, until 1969Continue reading “Saint Thomas’s Skull Is on the Move”