SAINT DOMINIC

Over 800 years ago, Dominic de Guzman (1170–1221) founded the Order of Preachers — the Dominicans — whose motto is Veritas (truth) and whose traditions are rooted in education. Aquinas Academy, formerly named Saint Philomena School and then Saint Philomena Academy, is an integral part of the history of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell, New Jersey, a congregation of Dominican sisters whose heritage is based on four pillars of prayer, study, community and service.

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS

In 1987, Aquinas Academy was renamed for Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), a Dominican priest, a Doctor of the Church, philosopher, theologian, poet, and patron of Catholic schools. Saint Thomas is often depicted with an image of the sun on his chest. Our school's shield combines both the cross of the Dominican Order (see above) and that illuminating sun, the light of truth and knowledge. Each morning, our school community offers the following prayer to Saint Thomas:

            Angel of Schools, at the bidding of Peter,

      Thousands today are saluting thee thus.

                We too are claiming thy care and thy counsel,

                                                        Angel of Schools, be an Angel to us.

                                              Come to our aid when thou hearest us calling,

                                              Light up the dark, make the rough places plain,

                                              Bring to our thoughts the unknown or forgotten,

      Give us the words that we seek for in vain. Amen.

 

Attributions:
Coat of Arms of the Order of Preachers, By Cybhernan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Saint Dominic (detail from The Mocking of Christ), Fra Angelico [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons, Detail of fresco in Convento di San Marco, Florence, 1441.

SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland (Detail of left stained glass window of the sixth bay of the west aisle, depicting Saint Thomas Aquinas), Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, 7 September 2012.