“Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance. Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion.”

Italian Dominican friar, priest, theologian, and philosopher of the 13th century

Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, priest, theologian, and philosopher of the 13th century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Catholic theology and Western philosophy. He is best known as the founder of Thomism, the school of thought that developed around his work. His writing shaped later Christian theology and philosophical debate, and his name remains closely associated with reasoned argument about faith, ethics, and the structure of knowledge.