St. Thomas of Villanueva
Facts
Birth: 1488
Death: 1555
Author and Publisher - Catholic Online
Printable Catholic Saints PDFs
Shop St. Thomas of Villanueva

Augustinian bishop. Born at Fuentellana, Castile, Spain, he was the son of a miller. He studied at the University of Alcala, earned a licentiate in theology, and became a professor there at the age of twenty-six. He declined the chair of philosophy at the university of Salamanca and instead entered the Order of St Augustine at Salamanca in 1516. Ordained in 1520, he served as prior of several houses in Salamanca, Burgos, and Valladolid, as provincial ofAndal usia and Castile, and then court chaplain to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (r. 1519-1556). During his time as provincial of Castile, he dispatched the first Augustinian missionaries to the New World. They subsequently helped evangelize the area of modern Mexico. He was offered but declined the see of Granada, but accepted appointment as archbishop of Valencia in 1544. As the see had been vacant for nearly a century, Thomas devoted much effort to restoring the spiritual and material life of the archdiocese. He was also deeply committed to the needs of the poor. He held the post of grand almoner of the poor, founded colleges for the children of new converts and the poor, organized priests for service among the Moors, and was renowned for his personal saintliness and austerities. While he did not attend the sessions of the Council of Trent, he was an ardent promoter of the Tridentine reforms throughout Spain.
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Take this 24-Day Journey to Meet Jesus with Us! - Here's How...
-
Pro-Life Lawmakers at Crossroads Post-Roe
-
Pope Francis Cancels COP28 Appearance Due to Health Concerns
-
What is the Biggest Gift You've Ever Given? Unveiling the Impact of Your Support for Catholic ...
-
An Open Letter to the Faithful from Bishop Joseph E. Strickland:
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Friday, December 01, 2023
St. Eligius: Saint of the Day for Friday, December 01, 2023
Advent Wreath Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Friday, December 01, 2023
- Daily Readings for Thursday, November 30, 2023
- St. Andrew the Apostle: Saint of the Day for Thursday, November 30, 2023
- Prayer for Faithful Departed: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, November 30, 2023

FREE Catholic Classes Pick a class, you can learn anything
Copyright 2023 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2023 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.