The Spiritual Formation of Priests: Lessons from St. Thomas Aquinas

Abstract: Saint Thomas Aquinas is often considered a model for the intellectual formation of future priests. His positive influence on their spiritual formation merits further consideration. This essay examines three areas of St. Thomas's teaching that prove useful for those in priestly formation: (1) the true nature of holiness as a life animated by the theological and moral virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, (2) the sanctifying capacity of philosophical and theological study, and (3) the importance of the Eucharist in the lives of seminarians and priests. In each case, St. Thomas's teaching conforms to the documents of the Church's Magisterium that guide the work of priestly formation.