In our Institute the study of St. Thomas Aquinas is not something of second category; it is something primary for it goes closely linked with our own charism. St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the innermost foundations of evangelizing the culture. Many times, this was highlighted by the Church and even by the Fathers of our 5th General Chapter when stating the “...clear intention of following St.Thomas Aquinas, as mandated by the Church, and in this context, following the best Thomists, such as Fr.Cornelio Fabro. St. Thomas is of central importance in our formation“.
Because of this, and in view of the great work that is to be done, each year, we devote some days in order to study of St. Thomas Aquinas, both his philosophy and his theology.
The main topic of this year’s Thomistic Studies is “The Notion of Participation”, which is, as Fr. Fabro understood, the core of Thomism. With it St. Thomas was able to give a final explanation to beings and to realize of the proper name of God: the very same Being (Ipsum Esse Subsistens). As well causality, being for long time unfounded, received by this very notion its final explanation thanks to a self-evident principle “all being (ens) by participation are caused by another, which is by essence” (STh., Ip, q44, a1).
This is the geniality and originality of St. Thomas which has been darkened during the course of long centuries but recently discovered by a genuine re-reading of the Thomistic Corpus; and this was done by another geniality: Fr. Cornelio Fabro.
Before the Thanksgiving Mass, we watched Fr. Buela’s video on Fabro Project which had been subtitled in English and in Chinese. There, our Founder underlines the essential importance of Fr. Fabro’s philosophy together with the irreplaceable labor of publishing his Complete Works.
We thank God for the undeserved gift of a good formation, faithful to the Church and to the Same Truth.
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