Candlemas 2025

St. Thomas Aquinas and the Light of Truth

We were blessed indeed to participate in Candlemas this year, a Sunday evening at Holy Cross Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The sung liturgy celebrated by Fr. Spencer Howe included the blessing of candles, procession, and a choir of voices praising God, and giving hope to all. This holy evening of light was followed by a talk in Kolbe Hall by UST Philosophy Professor, Dr. Stephen Heaney. 

As we celebrated the 800th anniversary of the birth of St. Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Heaney spoke on the saint's themes regarding the radical dependence of all creation on God, and the relationship between truth and knowledge. He emphasizes that truth is primarily about thought, yet it reflects the objective order of creation. Unlike modern philosophies that reject fixed natures, Aquinas insists that everything in creation has a purpose designed by God. Without acknowledging this, the universe loses its intelligibility.  Ultimately, Dr. Heaney points out, Aquinas leads us to a profound realization: God's creation is an act of pure gift, and in His light, we truly see light.

Photos courtesy of Joe Mellor