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Catechesis and St. Thomas’ Eucharistic Hymns

Sr. Mary Michael Fox shares the richness of St. Thomas Aquinas’ profound hymns on the Eucharist which are excellent catechetical tools.

The Eucharistic hymns of Saint Thomas Aquinas are an eloquent synthesis of the same profound and insightful theology found in his Summa Theolgiae—a work that is, I daresay, indispensible for catechists and one that the Church considers preeminent theology.[ii] Yet, the Summa is indeed somewhat daunting due to its structure and sheer magnitude. Fortunately, Saint Thomas offers more than one way of studying, contemplating and teaching the profound doctrine of the Eucharist. His Eucharistic hymns, Lauda Sion, Verbum Supernum, Pange Lingua, and Panis Angelicus, are a perfect convergence of theology and poetry. Their truth is beautiful and their beauty is true; and for this reason, they are perfectly catechetical.

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Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP, has been a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in Nashville, for over thirty years. During that time, she has been blessed to teach all ages, from three to ninety-three. She received a master of arts degree in education from Northwestern State University and a master of arts degree in theology with a specialization in catechetics from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Sr. Mary Michael conducted doctoral research into the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the pedagogy of Dr. Maria Montessori and Dr. Sofia Cavalletti at the Maryvale Institute of Birmingham, England. She holds a PhD through Liverpool-Hope University in Liverpool, England. She has been trained in all three levels of the Catechesis of the Shepherd and has served as a Level One catechist. She has published articles in The Sower, The Catechetical Review, and Catechist. She is also the author of Following God's Pedagogy: Principles for Children's Catechesis. Sr. Mary Michael serves as a catechetical consultant and is a popular speaker at catechetical conferences.

This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

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