Cardinal Advincula to lead Mass for feast of St. Thomas on Jan. 27; no classes on Jan. 28

UST WILL mark the feast of its patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas, with a Eucharistic celebration to be led by Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila on Thursday, Jan. 27.

The University’s commemoration of the feast will start with daily rosary and triduum prayers at 4:30 p.m. from Jan. 25 to 27, which will be followed by Eucharistic celebrations at 5:15 p.m.

The Jan. 27 Mass, which will be presided over by Advincula, will also feature the profession of faith and oath of fidelity of Institute of Religion professors set to receive the academic mandatum. 

The mandatum is a requirement for theological professors in Catholic higher education institutions under Canon 812 of the 1983 Code of Canon law and “Ex corde ecclesiae” (From the heart of the Church), the apostolic constitution issued by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

UST’s celebration will be under the theme, “Saint Thomas: Beacon of Hope and Perseverance.” 

Fr. Maximo Gatela, O.P., regent of the College of Education and Education High School, will lead the activities on the first day of the triduum on Jan. 25. 

Fr. Wenifredo Padilla, III, O.P., sub-prior of the Priory of St. Thomas Aquinas, will lead the second rosary and triduum prayers and Mass on Jan. 26. 

Aside from the Mass, Advincula will also lead the rosary and triduum prayers on Jan. 27.

In a circular dated Jan. 19, UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. urged Thomasians to “virtually take part” in the celebrations, which will be broadcast live via the Facebook pages of the University and the Santísimo Rosario Parish.

“May we draw wisdom, strength and inspiration from St. Thomas Aquinas as we continue to hope and persevere amidst the challenges of the current pandemic,” Coronel said.

Jan. 28, the feast day of St. Thomas, is a “no-class, no-work” day, he added.

Here is the updated collegiate calendar for the second half of Academic Year 2021 to 2022.

Key dates: Jan. 26 start of second term; Apr. 13-18 Easter Break; June 3 Baccalaureate Mass; June 8 solemn investiture rites pic.twitter.com/EP3K5QL4yh

— The Varsitarian (@varsitarianust) January 19, 2022

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of Catholic schools and universities. He is one of the 33 Doctors of the Church and hailed as the Catholic Church’s greatest theologian.

The Summa Theologica, Aquinas’ greatest work, tackled the proofs of God’s existence, man’s ultimate purpose, and faith and morality.

Other notable works of St. Thomas are the “Summa Contra Gentiles,” “De Malo” (On Evil) and “Disputed Questions on Truth.”