Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.
It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.
The Feast Day of Thomas of Villanova
This is a Christian religious celebration of Thomas of Villanova, a noted 15th and 16th century Spanish friar, ascetic, preacher, and writer. He eventually became an Archbishop and was famous for his work as a reformer and for his care of the poor.
He is the namesake and patron of numerous places and also Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Go ‘Cats! Go!)
Thomas of Villanova, OSA (1488 – September 8, 1555), born Tomás García y Martínez, was a Spanishfriar of the Order of Saint Augustine who was a noted preacher, ascetic and religious writer of his day. He became an archbishop who was famous for the extent of his care for the poor of his see.
Life
He was born Tomás García y Martínez in Fuenllana, Spain, in 1488. His father was a miller, who regularly distributed food and provisions to the poor, as did his mother. He grew up and was educated in Villanueva de los Infantes, in the Province of Ciudad Real, Spain, therefore the name Thomas of Villanueva. Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family’s wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor.
At the age of sixteen years, Thomas entered the University of Alcalá de Henares to study Arts and Theology. He became a professor there, teaching arts, logic, and philosophy, despite a continuing absentmindedness and poor memory. In 1516, he decided to join the Augustinian friars in Salamanca and in 1518 was ordained a priest.
He became renowned for his eloquent and effective preaching in the churches of Salamanca. Thomas composed beautiful sermons, among which stands out the Sermon on the Love of God, one of the great examples of sacred oratory of the 16th century. Charles V, upon hearing him preach, exclaimed, “This monsignor can move even the stones!”. Charles named Thomas one of his councilors of state and court preacher in Valladolid, the residence of the Emperor when on his visits to the Low Countries.
His scathing attacks on his fellow bishops earned him the title of reformer. Some of his sermons attacked the cruelty of bullfighting. He also had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary, whose heart he compared to the burning bush of Moses that is never consumed.
Within the Order, he successively held the positions of prior of his local monastery, Visitor General, and Prior Provincial for Andalusia and Castile. In 1533, Thomas sent out the first Augustinian friars to arrive in Mexico. Charles V offered him the post of Archbishop of Granada but he would not accept it.
Bishop
Thomas of Villanova Heals The Sick, Murillo
In 1544 he was nominated as Archbishop of Valencia and he continued to refuse the position until ordered to accept by his superior. Given a donation to decorate his residence, he sent the money to a hospital in need of repair. He began his episcopacy by visiting every parish in the Archdiocese to discover what the needs of the people were. Aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order an archdiocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college for Moorish converts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity. In 1547 he ordained as a priest Luis Beltrán, a noted missionary in South America. Thomas started Presentation Seminary in 1550.
He was well known for his great personal austerity (he sold the straw mattress on which he slept in order to give money to the poor) and wore the same habit that he had received in the novitiate, mending it himself. Thomas was known as “father of the poor.” His continual charitable efforts were untiring, especially towards orphans, poor women without a dowry, and the sick. He possessed, however, an intelligent notion of charity, so that while he was very charitable, he sought to obtain definitive and structural solutions to the problem of poverty; for example, giving work to the poor, thereby making his charity bear fruit. “Charity is not just giving, rather removing the need of those who receive charity and liberating them from it when possible,” he wrote. He established boarding schools and high schools.
Thomas died in Valencia on September 8, 1555, of angina at the age of 67. His remains are preserved at the Cathedral there.
Barangay Santo Tomas Lubao, Pampanga (a Kapilya or Chapel) in Lubao Pampanga, Philippines, dedicated to Saint Thomas of Villanova.
Thomas is the author of various Tracts, among which is included the Soliloquy between God and the soul, on the topic of communion. Francisco de Quevedo wrote his biography. His complete writings were published in six volumes as Opera omnia, in Manila in 1881.
In the Philippines, some churches and towns are dedicated in honor of the saint with grand celebrations on his feast day, preceded by nine-day novena Masses. He is the patron saint of the towns of Alimodian and Miag-ao in Iloilo, Santolan and Sto. Tomas in Pasig, and Pitpitan in Bulakan, Bulacan.
A congregation of sisters is also named after him.
What is a food to eat when celebrating the Feast Day of St. Thomas of Villanova?
Given that St. Thomas of Villanova is from Spain, celebrating his feast day with a traditional Spanish food seems like the thing to do. I was unable to find anything traditionally associated with this feast (please leave a message if you know of something), but I think I found one that sounds sufficiently delicious.
What does migas mean in Spanish? What is migas in English? Migas mean crumbs or breadcrumbs.
The Spanish Migas recipe was created many years ago in Andalusia, even though there are different versions of this dish in different regions of Spain.
Legend says that this dish was mostly made on rainy days, where people couldn’t leave their houses, so they had to cook with things that were in their pantry.
This is the reason why the Spanish Migas recipes are made with a few ingredients that are also easy to find.
This recipe gained the title of best breakfast recipe without a doubt since there are even competitions throughout Spain where people compete to make the best Migas.
Ingredients
5 cups (500 gr) stale bread cut into cubes
3 Chorizos (Spanish sausage)
5 strips of bacon
6 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Extra Virgin olive oil
Directions
The first step in this authentic Spanish migas recipe is to grab stale bread (the harder, the better) and prepare the bread crumbs. Crumble the bread and sprinkle some water on top, just enough to make it damp, but not completely wet. Let them sit covered overnight.
The next day when you’re ready to prepare the breakfast Migas, grab a pan and put enough oil to cover the bottom. Heat the oil and fry the bacon cut into strips (whatever size you want, I recommend an inch wide). Cook until golden brown.
After that add the sliced chorizo and cook until it is tender and golden about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the chorizo and bacon from the pan and set them aside for now. Leave the cooking oil in the pan to reuse it, this way the Migas will soak the rich bacon and chorizo flavor.
Then in the same pan pour the 6 cloves of garlic (peeled but not minced), and cook until golden brown for about 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and stir so they get every flavor.
Stir until they are completely and evenly toasted. Wait for them to toast to add the chorizo and the bacon again, otherwise, they will become a kind of dense ball. This takes from 5 to 7 minutes at medium heat.
Once toasted, add the chorizo and bacon to heat everything together. Serve your Migas hot and enjoy a filling breakfast.
Please follow the link above for some additional helpful tips and information.
What is a prayer to say for the Feast Day of St. Thomas of Villanova?
O God, Who didst adorn blessed Thomas, Thy bishop, with the virtue of a consuming charity for the poor, we beeseech Thee that, through his intercession, Thou graciously pour forth the riches of Thy mercy upon all who pray to Thee. Through the same.
When is the Feast Day of St. Thomas of Villanova celebrated?
This feast day is celebrated annually on 22 September.
I hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful day!
