Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas

The Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas (original Latin name, according to Art. 1 of its Statutes: Pontificia Academia Sancti Thomae Aquinatis) was established on 15 October 1879 by Pope Leo XIII. The first Prefect was Cardinal Giuseppe Pecci (1879-1890) a noted Thomist at the time. The academy was one of several thomist foundations in places such as Bologna, Freiburg (Switzerland), Paris and Lowden. The Academy was then confirmed by Pius X with his apostolic letter of 23 January 1904 and enlarged by Benedict XV on 31 December 1914. John Paul II reformed the Academy on 28 January 1999 with his apostolic letter Inter munera Academiarium [http://ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2INTER.HTM] , issued shortly after his encyclical Fides et Ratio.

The Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas is temporarily headquarted in the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican City. Its objectives, as stated in the Academy's Yearbook (2007, in press), are the following:

* Carry out research, explain and disseminate the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas
* Propose St. Thomas Aquinas as a model Christian teacher, seeker of truth, lover of good and scholar of all learning
* Be at the service of all the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas in accord of the Christian tradition and the Magisterium of the Church, especially as set out in the encyclicals Aeterni Patris and Fides et Ratio
* Explain, in as much as this is possible, the mystery of health and the analogical connections between its internal articles of faith according to the thinking of St. Thomas Aquinas; honouring, thereby, at the same time, his title, Doctor Communis
* Encourage interaction between faith and reason, and foster increasing dialogue between the sciences, philosophy and theology
* Cooperate with the members of other Academies in a friendly spirit to promote Christian philosophy and theology
* Stimulate international interaction between scholars of St. Thomas Aquinas and his work
* Further the role of Thomistic thought in society
* Promote education in Thomistic studies and the public's understanding of the ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas
* Encourage research into the work and thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The current President of the PAST is the Reverend Father Edward Kaczyński, O.P.Current members include Romanus Cessario O.P., Lawrence Dewan O.P., Leo Elders S.V.D., Russell Hittinger, Ralph McInerny and John F. Wippel.Until 1965 the presidency of the PAST was held by a group of cardinals. Pope Paul VI appointed the first single cardinal as President of the PAST, Cardinal Michael Brown, O.P. After his death in 1971, the presidency became vacant until the appointment of Cardinal Luigi Ciappi, O.P. in 1979. After his death in 1996, the PAST was reformed. The office of president would no longer be bestowed on a cardinal and its appointment would be for a five-year period.¨Abelardo Lobato O.P. became president from 1999-2005.

References

* "Year Book", first edition, Pontificia Academia Sancti Thomae Aquinatis, Vatican City, 2001.
* "Yearbook", second edition, Pontificia Academia Sancti Thomae Aquinatis, Vatican City, 2007 (in press).

Bibliography

* D. Berger, "In dulcedine societatis quaerere veritatem. Zur Geschichte der Päpstlichen Akademie des hl. Thomas von Aquin". Doctor Angelicus II (2002), 135-180.
* A. Piolanti, "La Pontificia Academia Romana di S. Tommaso". Studi Tomistici 17 (1981) 223-235.