Who was St. Thomas of Villanova?
Born in Spain in 1488, St. Thomas of Villanova was an Augustinian friar and dedicated follower of the teachings of St. Augustine. St. Thomas of Villanova was known his entire life as a giver to the poor and a man of charity. He was known to help hundreds of people in need personally through giving them meals, money, clothing, and even supplied people with the tools they needed to make a living. He was already called "the almsgiver" and "father of the poor" while he was still alive, and was known for his life of charity since he was canonized as a saint in 1658.
What does this have to do with Villanova University?
Villanova University annually hosts a St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service each September, leading up to his feast day, September 22. Keeping up with the Augustinian Catholic traditions of the university, the community looks to St. Thomas of Villanova to emulate his practices of service and charity in our daily lives. This event actually consists of multiple events leading up to and following the actual day of community service.
The Celebration Begins: One Book Villanova Lecture
Part of the Day of Service Celebration is the St. Thomas of Villanova Lecture, hosted by the author of Villanova University's One Book. Each year, the university selects one book to stimulate dialogue on campus about an important issue in society. The 2018 selection is Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy Stevenson is Harvard Law graduate and an attorney from Montgomery, Alabama. He is also the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, which works to defend those most in need in the criminal justice system, such as the youth, the poor, the wrongly accused, etc. In his book, Stevenson discusses how we need to see more justice and mercy in our justice system instead of allowing poverty and institutionalized racism and discrimination to remain ignored, or even worse, be used to make matters worse for those involved in the justice system. When talking to the students, faculty, and guests at Villanova University on Friday, September 14, Stevenson urged his listeners to realize their role in society and find how they can also make a difference in this system of abuse that must be reformed. One of Stevenson's points in the lecture that truly resonated with me was the idea of getting "proximate." In his famous 2012 Ted Talk "We Need to Talk About an Injustice", his book, and the lecture, Stevenson discusses an experience in law school where he was told to meet an inmate on death row and tell them they would not be executed this year. He claims this allowed him to get proximate to those who are suffering in prisons and see how the people imprisoned are not just criminals, but have their own stories, their own families, and their own needs. After that experience, Stevenson has dedicated his life to helping these types of people, all because he was able to get proximate to those who needed his help the most.
The Day of Service
The following Saturday, the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service officially began. In the morning teams of volunteers met in the Jake Nevin Center. These teams were volunteers from many on and off campus organizations, such as our sports teams, clubs, freshman orientation groups, and also some groups of alumni and their families who have returned to keep up the practice of this day of service. These volunteers visited over 100 locations throughout Philadelphia to volunteer their service. Being so close to Philadelphia, the community of Villanova was able to get proximate, as we were urged by Bryan Stevenson, to those in need who are so close to us. Personally, I was with my freshman orientation group, and we visited a local YMCA and helped them with some outdoor refurbishments. They were generally simple tasks, but being able to do this service and work hard all day for these people was incredibly fulfilling. Being able to see the young families and groups of friends and all of the other patrons of the YMCA smile as they watched us transform the YMCA with our service filled many of the students working with much pride.
Conclusion of the Celebration
Later on that day, many students went to the Villanova v. Towson football game at 4:00 pm. That Sunday, there was a 4:30 pm community liturgy in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church on campus, served by President of Villanova University, Fr. Peter Donahue. In his homily, Fr. Peter also referenced Stevenson's words and call to action in getting proximate to those in need, because it was an incredibly relatable experience for those who had spent their Saturday doing just that. Following mass was the community dinner on campus, which of course brought massive crowds, and was a pleasant conclusion to the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service Celebration.
As a freshman, this was my first time participating in all of these activities. I decided to come to this school because I loved the community, inclusive and enthusiastic atmosphere, and its dedication to service and compassion. These days of service and community have shown me firsthand that I and many of my peers made the right decision in finding a home here.