Image of Angelic Doctor Graces St. Thomas Hall
Gift Made by Dr. and Mrs. McArthur
(Spring 2008 Newsletter)
On Thursday, April 24, 2008, an impressive statue of the College's
patron was unveiled in St. Thomas Hall. The 5-foot bronze image,
depicting St. Thomas Aquinas seated and teaching with book in hand,
was commissioned by the College's founding president and faculty
member, Dr. Ronald P. McArthur, and his wife, Marilyn. It now graces
the foyer of the new faculty office building.
On hand for the event was the sculptor, himself, Mr. Charles Kubilos,
a resident of the nearby town of Santa Paula. Following an introduction
by Mrs. Maria Grant, Chairman of the Board, Mr. Kubilos came forward
to remove a draped cloth that had concealed the statue since its
arrival and placement in the Hall some days earlier. Members of
the Board, friends, faculty, and students assembled for the event
expressed admiration for his work with warm applause.
Dr. and Mrs. McArthur then came to the podium to highlight the
significance of their gift (see sidebar for Dr. McArthur's remarks),
after which the College's Dominican chaplain, Rev. Paul Raftery,
O.P., blessed the new statue. The dedication ceremony closed with
hymns sung in honor of the Angelic Doctor by the College Choir.
A luncheon in honor of the McArthurs followed.
Said President Dillon, "This dedication ceremony was an occasion
on which to honor and thank the McArthurs for their generosity and
for the untold sacrifices they made in helping to bring Thomas Aquinas
College to life. Their gift today," he continued, "is
a most fitting one—a sign of their conviction that discipleship
to St. Thomas in the intellectual life is the surest way to attain
wisdom, and that the imitation of his virtues is an unfailing path
to personal sanctity. It will also be a sign of our own determination
to maintain down through the generations our essential mission:
Catholic liberal education under the light of the teaching Church,
so many of whose teachings have been wonderfully illuminated by
her Universal Doctor, our patron."
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| Sculptor Charles Kubilos poses
with Dr. and Mrs. McArthur (on either side of the new statue)
along with President Dillon and Chairman Grant. |
Dr. McArthur's Remarks
Dr. McArthur: Marilyn and I count it both a privilege and
a pleasure to have been able to commission this statue. Due to the
intelligent design of this building, anyone entering it cannot fail
to experience the all-pervading influence of the one in whose name
the College was founded. No one with a sound understanding of Catholic
higher education can ever over-estimate the importance of St. Thomas
Aquinas. Pope Pius XII, himself recapitulating the thoughts of almost
every pope after the death of St. Thomas, teaches that:
Those who wish to be true philosophers should take the principles
and foundations of their doctrine from Thomas Aquinas. To follow
his leadership is praiseworthy: on the contrary, to depart foolishly
and rashly from the wisdom of the Angelic Doctor is something
far from our mind and fraught with peril. For, those who apply
themselves to the teaching and study of theology and philosophy
should consider it their capital duty, having set aside the findings
of a fruitless philosophy, to follow St. Thomas Aquinas and to
cherish him as their master and their leader.
This college was founded specifically in that discipleship to
St. Thomas, the Common Doctor of the universal Church, and this
statue is now a fitting sign of the spirit of the College—now
radiating upon all who enter this hall, itself named in honor of
the Angelic Doctor.
The soul of St. Thomas was perfected with all the virtues, both
moral and intellectual; he was, according to the papal bull announcing
his canonization, among the very greatest of all the saints. All
praise, then, to Charles Kubilos for sculpting this very handsome
statue, which expresses at the same time through its penetrating
gaze a power of intellect, in the lines of its face an equanimity
and peace of soul, and in its posture the charity of the teaching
master. Thank you, Mr. Kubilos, for bringing to such a happy completion
all we had dared hope when we commissioned the statue.
May the principles and method of St. Thomas Aquinas reign uninterruptedly
at Thomas Aquinas College, and may his sanctity continue to enliven
us to imitate him in all our words and actions.
-- Qtrly Newsletter, Spring 2008
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