“Move even the stones!” Emperor Charles V exclaimed. He praised St. Thomas of Villanova’s powerful preaching.
We are standing before St. Thomas of Villanova. It is more than just a church. It is a testament to faith, charity, and the enduring legacy of its namesake.
St. Thomas of Villanova was a sixteenth-century Spanish Augustinian. He was known as the “Father of the Poor”. Our church is named in his honor.
Born in Fuenliana, Spain, in 1488, Thomas excelled academically. However, academic success alone did not fulfill him. He joined the Augustinian order in 1516.
In 1518, Thomas was ordained a priest. He preached and administered the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He taught theology at the Augustinian school in Salamanca.
Despite his busy life, Thomas maintained a daily life of prayer. In 1544, King Charles V appointed him Archbishop of Valencia.
At 56, Thomas eagerly accepted the task. He walked 530 kilometers to Valencia after his Episcopal ordination.
Thomas renewed his diocese spiritually. He earned the title “Father of the Poor.” He gave two-thirds of his income to care for the poor. Up to 500 people came to his door daily for food and money.
During his eleventh year in Valencia, Thomas fell ill. He died and was buried in his Augustinian habit. Later, his remains were moved to the Cathedral of Valencia. Pope Alexander VII declared him a saint in 1658.
St. Thomas saw what Christ wanted. He accepted God’s grace to fulfill it. The Augustinian Order adopted him as the Patron of Students.
Many Augustinian educational institutions are named after him. Villanova University is the most notable. The twin spires of St. Thomas of Villanova remind us of faith. A beautiful church is a sermon in stone. Its spire is a finger pointing to heaven.
The parish predates the Gothic Revival church by four decades. Since 1848, growth and change have defined this community.
The Augustinians arrived from Europe in 1796. They founded St. Augustine’s Church in Philadelphia. Radnor was considered a mission of St. Augustine’s. The area was well known to the Augustinians.
Before the Augustinians, John Rudolph owned the Radnor property. He built a mansion and named it Belle Air. Missionaries from St. Augustine’s celebrated mass at Belle Air. The Rudolph parlor became a “parish” for the family and neighbors.
In 1841, the Augustinians purchased the Belle Air estate. They renamed it Villanova. The purchase was the first civil corporation of the Order in the U.S. Pope Gregory XVI permitted the transfer of the Augustinian Motherhouse to Villanova.
Father O’Dwyer celebrated the first mass in 1843. The monastery was placed under the patronage of St. Thomas of Villanova. The Augustinians converted the estate into a religious community.
William and Julia Moulden, were among those who helped. They contributed to the present church construction.
The Belle Air mansion served as a chapel, novitiate, monastery, school, and dormitory. A new chapel was built in 1844.
The official parish registry opened in 1848. St. Thomas of Villanova became a separate parish. Classes began in 1843. Enrollment grew steadily.
In 1872, a temporary chapel was created. It accommodated the community until 1887. The present Gothic Church was then completed.
Ground was broken for the current church in 1883. It was made of Downingtown limestone with granite. Edwin F. Durang designed the Gothic Revival style church. The 137-foot high twin spires were modeled after the Charters Cathedral. The church was blessed in 1887.
Today, St. Thomas of Villanova stands as a beacon of faith and service. Remember St. Thomas’s words: Charity is not just giving. It is removing the need and liberating people. His legacy continues to inspire us all.