A Message from Fr. Peter Lewitzke, OP
On Tuesday, we will celebrate the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, our parish patron. While Fr. Steve and other Dominicans didn’t arrive here until 2000, this church was named after this holy Dominican half a century earlier.
This was no accident. Aquinas is one of the greatest scholars in the history of Christianity, and one could hardly think of a better person after whom we could name a university parish, whether Dominicans are there in the flesh or not.
We live at a time when people can’t seem to agree on the relationship between faith and reason. On the one hand, religious fundamentalists would argue that reason has little to no place in the life of the believer. God has already told us everything we need to know. On the other hand, many others would argue that religious doctrines are simply outdated. Reason is all there really is.
These debates are not new. In Europe in the 1200s, the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle reopened the intellectual scene thanks to their preservation and translation by Arab Muslim philosophers. Some thinkers took these writings in strange directions, such as the idea that faith and reason can contradict each other, each being true in its own way.
Aquinas led the intellectual charge against this nonsense. Faith and reason are two ways of acquiring truth, all of which come from God. For God to tell us one thing through one avenue and the opposite through another would make him a liar. If our philosophy and theology seem to contradict each other, we need to think harder – and pray harder – about how they can be reconciled.
Speaking of prayer, I don’t want to leave the impression that Aquinas was canonized as a saint simply because he was an intelligent human being. Unfortunately, people who are neither particularly smart nor particularly holy sometimes think that a great theologian cannot also be a great saint. Because Aquinas’ writings were mostly academic, his relationship with God must have been dry and conceptual.
Nothing could be further from the truth. One day, while Aquinas was in prayer, he had a mystical vision of Christ. Christ spoke to him in this vision and asked, “Thomas, you have written well of Me. What reward would you like for your work?” Aquinas could have asked for anything. Instead, he responded with the words, “Non nisi te, Domine” – “Nothing except you, Lord.” Like all Christians, he knew that his destiny was ultimately to be united with God, our creator and bridegroom. All our intellectual projects exist to lead us to that union. To know God better allows us to love God better.
Near the end of this life, Aquinas was working on his magnum opus, the Summa Theologiae, which would summarize and harmonize our beliefs as Christians through thousands of questions and answers, answering even more objections along the way. The Summa has been described as a cathedral of the written word, in which the truth of Christianity is laid out in an ordered way that leads us to know and contemplate God. One day, while he was celebrating Mass, Aquinas had some kind of a mystical experience. He never described it. All he said was, “I cannot go on. All that I have written seems like straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.” Aquinas’ cathedral was to be left unfinished, its roof open to the heavens.
As far as I know, none of us at St. Tom’s have a mind like Aquinas's. People probably won’t be reading our spiritual insights 750 years from now. That said, we can strive to imitate Aquinas’ relentless pursuit of God’s truth in whatever way we can and allow that to spur on our love. If we do that, we will be saints.
This was no accident. Aquinas is one of the greatest scholars in the history of Christianity, and one could hardly think of a better person after whom we could name a university parish, whether Dominicans are there in the flesh or not.
We live at a time when people can’t seem to agree on the relationship between faith and reason. On the one hand, religious fundamentalists would argue that reason has little to no place in the life of the believer. God has already told us everything we need to know. On the other hand, many others would argue that religious doctrines are simply outdated. Reason is all there really is.
These debates are not new. In Europe in the 1200s, the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle reopened the intellectual scene thanks to their preservation and translation by Arab Muslim philosophers. Some thinkers took these writings in strange directions, such as the idea that faith and reason can contradict each other, each being true in its own way.
Aquinas led the intellectual charge against this nonsense. Faith and reason are two ways of acquiring truth, all of which come from God. For God to tell us one thing through one avenue and the opposite through another would make him a liar. If our philosophy and theology seem to contradict each other, we need to think harder – and pray harder – about how they can be reconciled.
Speaking of prayer, I don’t want to leave the impression that Aquinas was canonized as a saint simply because he was an intelligent human being. Unfortunately, people who are neither particularly smart nor particularly holy sometimes think that a great theologian cannot also be a great saint. Because Aquinas’ writings were mostly academic, his relationship with God must have been dry and conceptual.
Nothing could be further from the truth. One day, while Aquinas was in prayer, he had a mystical vision of Christ. Christ spoke to him in this vision and asked, “Thomas, you have written well of Me. What reward would you like for your work?” Aquinas could have asked for anything. Instead, he responded with the words, “Non nisi te, Domine” – “Nothing except you, Lord.” Like all Christians, he knew that his destiny was ultimately to be united with God, our creator and bridegroom. All our intellectual projects exist to lead us to that union. To know God better allows us to love God better.
Near the end of this life, Aquinas was working on his magnum opus, the Summa Theologiae, which would summarize and harmonize our beliefs as Christians through thousands of questions and answers, answering even more objections along the way. The Summa has been described as a cathedral of the written word, in which the truth of Christianity is laid out in an ordered way that leads us to know and contemplate God. One day, while he was celebrating Mass, Aquinas had some kind of a mystical experience. He never described it. All he said was, “I cannot go on. All that I have written seems like straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.” Aquinas’ cathedral was to be left unfinished, its roof open to the heavens.
As far as I know, none of us at St. Tom’s have a mind like Aquinas's. People probably won’t be reading our spiritual insights 750 years from now. That said, we can strive to imitate Aquinas’ relentless pursuit of God’s truth in whatever way we can and allow that to spur on our love. If we do that, we will be saints.
Fr. Peter Lewitzke, OP
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Announcements
Nametag Sunday is this Weekend
Nametag Sunday is a fun way to meet your fellow parishioners and a chance to win $500 in the annual Nametag Sunday drawing. Simply fill out a nametag when you arrive. Drop your nametag (with your contact information) in the basket as you exit church to be eligible for the drawing. Thank you for participating and helping to create community among fellow parishioners!
St. Thomas Aquinas Feast Day - Jan. 28
This Tuesday, Jan. 28, we will celebrate our parish’s namesake, St. Thomas Aquinas, on his feast day during Daily Mass at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and with Solemn Vespers (evening prayer) led by our Dominican priests at 6:30 p.m. in the Church. During Vespers, we will have Eucharistic adoration, hear a passage from St. Thomas' writing on the Eucharist, sing some of his authored hymns, and pray evening prayer in the Dominican tradition. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Worship aids will be provided for the prayer service.
Circle of Catholic Women Meets Tuesday
Women of St Tom’s, you are invited to join the Circle of Catholic Women for prayer, support, and discussion. The group's next meeting is this Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 24 (upstairs). This month's topic will be "Gender Differences in Language." For more information, email kathybatz@aol.com.
Second & Food Pantry Collection Feb. 1-2
Next weekend is the first Sunday of the month when we collect items for the campus food pantry. Items can be placed in the southeast corner of the sanctuary. The second collection will benefit our Mother Teresa Fund, assisting our community members needing rent and utility assistance.
Candlemas Blessing on Feb. 1-2
A Candlemas blessing will take place during weekend Mass on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 1-2. On this feast day, we commemorate the day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. The candlelight is an outward and visible sign of Christ, illuminating our hearts and inner being. It is customary on this feast day to bless candles – those to be used throughout the liturgical year. Please feel free to bring your own home candles to be blessed.
Theology on Tap resumes Feb. 4
"Did God Create Evil & Suffering?" is February's Theology on Tap topic. Join us on Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room at Harry's Chocolate Shop. Our speaker will be James McLean, director of evangelization for St. Tom's.
Adult Faith Formation Opportunities
Spring 2025
St. Tom's adult faith formation programming is broad in its offerings, and both resident and student parishioners are welcome to participate. Below is what has been scheduled for spring to date:
January 29 to April 16 (Wednesdays, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Newman Hall
Spring Discipleship Training (STARTS WEDNESDAY)
Student AND Resident Parishioners: Did you know that WE, as members of the Church, are ALL called to be Christ’s disciples and to bring our Catholic faith to others? … Do you know how? Spring Discipleship Training will prepare you. … Own your faith, step out into discipleship, and reach hearts. Sign up online or call the Parish Office at (765) 743-4652. For questions, email Br.Jacob Mazur-Batistoni or Fr. Dennis Woerter, OP.
February 11, 18, and 25 (Tuesdays, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Room 3)
Evil, Suffering, and the Goodness of God
All are welcome to a three-part series on "Evil, Suffering, and the Goodness of God," sponsored by the Men of St. Tom's (MoST) and St. Tom's Office of Adult Formation. Sessions meet on Tuesdays, Feb. 11, 18, and 25, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 3. For more information on this parish bible study series, contact James McLean, director of evangelization and adult formation, at james@boilercatholics.org.
February 15 and 22 (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Newman Hall)
Called & Gifted
What are your God-given gifts? To learn more about yours, join Called & Gifted, offered by the Diocese of Lafayette at three parishes this spring, including St. Tom’s. The cost is $70 (includes print and online materials plus follow-up opportunities. This program is partially funded by a generous gift from Lilly Endowment, Inc., under the Phase III National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders. To register or for more information, visit https://dol-in.org/spiritual-gifts.
March 11 to April 15 (Tuesdays, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Room 3)
Lenten Scripture Study: Paul's Letter to the Galatians
This will be a six-week instructor-led study of Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. Each week will be devoted to one of the six chapters of Paul's epistle. This will be a rigorous study of the text led by James McLean, director of evangelization, and parishioner TJ Bogan.
April 5 (Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. tentative schedule)
Lenten Workshop: Building Bridges in Today's Divided Church
"Building Bridges in Today's Divided Church" will be the focus of this year's Lenten Workshop, scheduled for Saturday, April 5. Hosted by the Men of St. Tom's (MoST) and facilitated by Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP, former St. Tom's pastor, participants will discuss what they are witnessing and how they can build the bridges that will reunite us at the table. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Save the date and stay tuned for more details.
KoC Chili Cook-Off on February 1
The Knights of Columbus will host their third annual Chili Cookoff on Saturday, Feb. 1, after the 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass to raise funds for Food Finders Food Bank. All are welcome to enter the competition, and there is no entry fee. To enter, email council15144@indianakofc.org. Thieme and Wagner will be serving beer and wine. Tasting all chili entrants costs $5 per person ($25 for a family). Come for great chili and fellowship!
