Catholic Central High School - Shamrock Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

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PATRON VF Cffi-If LIC EDUCATIV N AND f F Ti-IE BASIL!! N FAN-IERS Well hast thou written of Me, Thomas, what re- ward wilt thou have? None other, Lord, but Thyself. This is the colloquy that took place between Saint Thomas Aquinas and God at the close of the former's life. It makes pointedly clear the goal of Catholic education, the possession of God. It is not surprising, then, that Saint Thomas should be patron of education as well as of the Basilian Fathers, whose main task is the Christian educa- tion of youth. That the future saint was of noble birth and a blood relative of the Holy Roman Emperor is not as important as the fact that he was a provi- dential agent whose task was to combat the mis- taken ideas of his own day and to leave behind in his writings the answers to all wrongheaded notions of succeeding generations. How well he accomp- lished this latter task can be seen by the increas- ing number of twentieth century scholars, Catholic and non-Catholic, who turn to his works for a so- lution to the great questons of today. Saint Thomas was born in the south of Italy probably in 1225. His mother, the Countess of Aquino, had prayed fervently for a boy. Older sons had already taken to military pursuits in the steps of their father. Surely a third son could be given to the Church. She wished the name of Aquino to be carried down the centuries. If her son could become Abbot of the great Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino, or even Pope ............. When the father learned of the new arrival he gave his consent that the boy should be given to God. Accordingly at the age of five he was sent to Monte Cassino to begin his early training. Thomas developed an earnest desire for wisdom and was constantly asking questions. His fellow students thus grievously underestimated his talents. A story is told that Thomas' sarcastic schoolmates, when poking fun at him, said: Come to the window and see the flying-ox. The young student rose from his studies and began to scan the heavens for the strange phenomenon. His mates, crying from laughter, asked how he could believe such a thing to exist. Thomas humbly replied that it was easier to believe that an ox could fly than that a classmate should lie. On another occasion a fellow student became puzzeled in his attempt to explain something he thought too difficult for Thomas. The latter there- upon proceeded to the explanation with such ration- ality and eloquence that the other asked him to be his teacher in the future. After completing his elementary training, Thomas wanted to enter the Order of Preachers. Tothis his mother and father strenuously objected, Such a step would surely not lead to a great po- sition in the Church. He was advised by the preach- ing friars to devote another year to prayer and reflection about his vocation in life. At the ex- piration of the year, however, he was still bent on becoming a humble Preacher. By this time his father had died. Despite the continued op- position of mother and brothers to his folly of joining a band of religious beggars, Thomas took the step. He went north to the great University of Paris to continue higher studies under Albert the Great. Albert saw in this up-and-coming scholar and intelligence greater than his own. This did not make him despise the youth, rather he took Thomas under his own personal guidance. The great philosopher forced Thomas to expose his eloquence by purposely challenging him to a public debate. This won for Thomas the recognition of other great minds. From this time Thomas' genius grew. He became the personal consultant of several popes and preached constantly. His writings cover the whole of philosophy and theology. The SUMMA THEOLOGICA is his masterpiece. Herein he shows the perfect accord of Aristotle's philosophy and Catholic Faith. Despite his vast labors and many books Saint Thomas died at the early age of forty-nine on March 7, 1274. He will always remain the model os students, and so, Patron of Catholic education and of the Basilian Fathers.

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HIINCIPAL VF Ci-'Ii-If LIC CEN'IR'-L all ll Very Rev. J. D. Sheehy C.S,B. The American Christian is a privileged character in that he enjoys not one but two citizenships. By his birth he gains a temporal citizenship here in his native land, and by his baptism he gains an eternal citizenship hereafter in Heaven. As members of the class of 1949 you are about to step out into the work-a-day world and eventually to exercise the rights and privileges of this dual citizenship. For these past school years your teachers have been trying to give you a knowledge of all the implications of this dual citizenship. Yours is a glorious heritage as an American and as a Christian! It is to your credit that you seemed to have learned this lesson wellg for in this your Senior Annual, you have taken a glance over your shoulder to the Detroit of yesteryear. In your research into the past to prepare for this edition of the SHAMROCK you discovered a spirit that made the name Dynamic Detroit a by-word in America during the war years. This was the spirit of the founders and early citizens of Detroit, the spirit of men who fled from persecution and bigotry in the old world and who were conscious of the privileges of dual citizenship in the new world, the spirit of men who appreciated this gift by giving unstinted service both to God and to Caesar. May the spirit of the pioneer Father Gabriel Richard, whose image stands guard at the City Hall, be yours in the years to come. A good Christian is a good citizen, and one who is loyal to God is loyal to Caesar. May the knowledge of your native land of America and your adopted land of Heaven gained in the classroom yesterday fire your wills tomorrow to serve these lands with all the powers of your bodies and souls. May God be with you. J. D. sneeny c.s.B. 13

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