The Thomistic Institute Thomas Aquinas on Charity I Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P.
Aug 7, 2025
Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, a Dominican priest and scholar, dives into the depths of charity, the highest theological virtue according to St. Thomas Aquinas. He connects Aquinas's thoughts on charity to contemporary issues like just war theory and moral order. Exploring the Summa Theologiae, Fr. Cuddy highlights how charity underpins Christian ethics and influences societal harmony. His insights into the relationship between divine friendship and moral virtue illustrate Aquinas's lasting impact on philosophy and theology.
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Aquinas' Intellectual Monasticism
- St. Thomas Aquinas orders all knowledge like an intellectual monastery centered on God.
- This ordered structure reflects the wise and ordered nature of reality itself.
Human Powers and Objects
- Human intellect knows all that is, the will loves all that is good, and senses desire sensible goods.
- Objects activate our powers and thus become objects to our intellect, will, or senses, shaping our engagement with reality.
Why Will Surpasses Intellect in Loving God
- The intellect knows God abstractly and imperfectly due to God's infinite nature.
- The will, through charity, can truly touch and love God even without full knowledge.
