Doctors of the Church
Catholic-pages.com (to which this web site is indebted for some of the information regarding the Doctors of the Church) states that,
For a person to be proclaimed Doctor of the Church, three requisites are necessary, according to Pope Benedict XIV's well-known definition: an eminent doctrine, a remarkable holiness of life and the declaration by the Supreme Pontiff or by a General Council which has met legitimately.
If those are the qualifications, who are the people? Here is a list, along with a few extra details. If you would like to know more, please visit this splendid website (to which this web site is also indebted) www.doctorsofthecatholicchurch.com
I
Which Doctor? Jerome
When did he live? 345 - 420
Born? Strido, Dalmatia
Date of Elevation? 20th September 1295
Feast Day? 30th September
State of life? Monk (Cardinal)
Words of the doctor:
"Begin to be now what you will be hereafter."
II
Which Doctor? Gregory the Great
When did he live? 540 - 604
Born? Rome, Italy
Date of Elevation? 20th September 1295
Feast Day? 3rd September
State of life? Benedictine monk (pope)
Words of the Doctor:
"Not Angles, but Angels." [Latin: Non Angli, sed Angeli.]
(Gregory on seeing British slaves for sale in Rome)
III
Which Doctor? Augustine
When did he live? 354 - 430
Born? Tagaste (now Souk Ahras in Algeria)
Date of Elevation? 20th September 1295
Feast Day? 28th August
State of Life? Priest (Bishop of Hippo, North Africa)
Words of the Doctor:
“People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.”
IV
Which Doctor? Ambrose
When did he live? 340 - 397
Born: Augusta Treverorum (now Trier in Germany)
Date of Elevation? 20th September 1295
Feast Day? 7th December
State of Life? Priest (Bishop)
Words of the Doctor:
"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks."
V
Which Doctor? John Chrysostom
When did he live? 345-407
Born: Antioch, Turkey
Date of Elevation? 1568
Feast Day? 13th September
State of life: Priest (Bishop)
Words of the Doctor:
"When you perceive that God is chastening you, fly not to his enemies...but to his friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to him, and who have great power in God."
VI
Which Doctor? Gregory Nazianzus
When did he live? 330 - 390
Born: Arianzus, Asia Minor
Date of Elevation? 1568
Feast Day? 2nd January
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Words of the doctor:
"Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. Let us become God's for His sake, since He for our sake became Man. He assumed the worse that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich; He took upon Him the form of a servant that we might receive back our liberty; He came down that we might be exalted; He was tempted that we might conquer; He was dishonoured that He might glorify us; He died that He might save us; He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were lying low in the Fall of sin. Let us give all, offer all, to Him Who gave Himself a Ransom and a Reconciliation for us. But one can give nothing like oneself, understanding the Mystery, and becoming for His sake all that He became for ours."
VII
Which Doctor? Basil
When did he live? 330 - 379
Born? Caesarea, Cappadocia (Turkey)
State of life: Priest (Archbishop)
Date of Elevation? 1568
Feast Day? 2nd January
Words of the Doctor:
"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."
VIII
Which Doctor? Athanasius
When did he live? 295 - 373
Born? Alexandria, Egypt
Date of Elevation? 1568
Feast Day? 2nd May
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Words of the doctor [on Scripture]:
"These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these."
IX
Which Doctor? Thomas Aquinas
When did he live? 1225 - 1274
Born? Lombardy nr. Naples
Date of Elevation? 11th April 1567
Feast Day? 28th January
State of life? Dominican friar
Words of the doctor:
"Happiness is secured through virtue; it is a good attained by man's own will."
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes."
X
Which Doctor? Bonaventure
When did he live? 1217 - 1274
Born? Bagnorea nr. Viterbo (Italy)
State of life? Franciscan monk
Date of Elevation? 14th March 1588
Feast Day? 15th July
Words of the Doctor:
"Your Heart was wounded so that a visible scar would enable us to see the invisible wound of Your love. For how could the ardour of Your love be better shown than by this, that not only Your body but even Your very Heart was pierced with a lance? Truly the wounds of the flesh showed forth the wounds of the spirit. Who is there who would not love one so loving? ... Let us pray that the Sacred Heart may deign to wound our heart still so hard, still so impenitent, and bind it with the sweet bonds of His love."
XI
Which Doctor? Anselm
When did he live? 1033 - 1109
Born? Aosta (France)
State of Life? Monk and Archbishop
Date of Elevation? 3rd February 1720
Feast Day? 21st April
Words of the Doctor:
"For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this I believe -- that unless I believe, I should not understand."
XII
Which Doctor? Isidore
When did he live? 560 - 636
Born? Cartagena, Spain
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Date of Elevation? 25th April 1722
Feast Day? 4th April
Words of the Doctor:
"The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance in the next; the more sorrow in the present, the greater will be our joy in the future."
XIII
Which Doctor? Peter Chrysologus
When did he live? 400 - 450
Born? Imola, Italy
State of life? Priest (archbishop)
Date of Elevation? 10th February 1729
Feast Day? 30th July
Words of the doctor:
"How many of you say: I should like to see His face, His garments, His shoes. You do see Him, you touch Him, you eat Him. He gives Himself to you, not only that you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment."
XIV
Which Doctor? Leo The Great
When did he live? 391 - 461
Born? Tuscany, Italy
State of life? Priest (Pope)
Date of Elevation? 15th October 1754
Feast Day? 10th November
Words of the doctor:
"We would have you recollect, brethren, as we do, that the Apostolic See, such is the reverence in which it is held, has times out of number been referred to and consulted by the priests of your province as well as others, and in the various matters of appeal, as the old usage demanded, it has reversed or confirmed decisions: and in this way 'the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace' has been kept."
XV
Which Doctor? Peter Damian
When did he live? 1007 - 1072
Born? Ravenna, Italy
State of life: Benedictine monk
Date of Elevation? 27th September 1828
Feast Day? 21st February
Words of a doctor:
"Through a woman [Eve] a curse fell upon the earth; through a woman [Mary] as well there returned to the earth a blessing."
XVI
Which Doctor? Bernard of Clairvaux
When did he live? 1091 - 1153
Born? Fontaines near Dijon (France)
State of life? Cistercian monk
Date of Elevation? 20th August 1830
Feast Day? 20th August
Words of the doctor:
"Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, thou Light of men, From the poor bliss that earth imparts, We turn unfilled to thee again. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Thou savest those who on thee call; To them that seek thee, thou art good, To them that find thee, all in all. We taste thee, O thou living Bread, And long to feast upon thee still; We drink of thee the Fountain-head, And thirst our souls from thee to fill. Our restless spirits yearn for thee, Where'er our changeful lot is cast; Glad, when thy gracious smile we see, Blest, when our faith can hold thee fast. O Jesus, ever with us stay; Make all our moments calm and bright, Chase the dark night of sin away; Shed o'er the world thy holy light."
XVII
Which Doctor? Hilary of Poitiers
When did he live? 315 - 368
Born? Poitiers
State of life? Married > Priest (Bishop)
Date of Elevation? 13th May 1851
Feast Day? 13th January
Words of the doctor:
"When we speak of the reality of Christ's nature being in us, we would be speaking foolishly and impiously - had we not learned it from Him. For He Himself says: 'My Flesh is truly Food, and My Blood is truly Drink. He that eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood will remain in Me and I in him.' As to the reality of His Flesh and Blood, there is no room left for doubt, because now, both by the declaration of the Lord Himself and by our own faith, it is truly the Flesh and it is truly Blood. And These Elements bring it about, when taken and consumed, that we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Is this not true? Let those who deny that Jesus Christ is true God be free to find these things untrue. But He Himself is in us through the flesh and we are in Him, while that which we are with Him is in God."
XVIII
Which Doctor? Alphonsus Liguori
When did he live? 1696 - 1787
Born? Marianella nr. Naples (Italy)
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Date of Elevation? 7th July 1871
Feast Day: 1st August
Words of the Doctor:
"Those who do something for the glory of God are not troubled at all by failure, because they have already achieved their purpose of pleasing God, by acting with a pure intention."
XIX
Which Doctor? Francis de Sales
When did he live? 1567 - 1622
Born? Savoy (France)
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Date of Elevation? 16th November 1871
Feast Day? 24th January
Words of the Doctor:
"Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength."
XX
Which Doctor? Cyril of Alexandria
When did he live? 376 - 444
Born? Alexandria (Egypt)
State of life? Priest (Patriarch of Alexandria)
Date of Elevation? 28th July 1882
Feast Day? 27th June
Words of the Doctor:
"That anyone could doubt the right of the holy Virgin to be called the Mother of God fills [us] with astonishment. Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him! Our Lord's disciples may not have used those exact words, but they delivered to us the belief those words enshrined, and this has also been taught us by the holy fathers."
XXI
Which Doctor? Cyril of Jerusalem
When did he live? 315 - 387
Born? Jerusalem
State of life? Priest (Bishop)
Date of elevation? 28th July 1882
Feast Day? 18th March
Words of the Doctor:
"Keep this faith ever by your side to help you on you way and close your ears and have nothing to do with any other, even if I myself should change my allegiance and preach another faith to you or an angel of darkness be transformed into an angel of light to lead you into error… To begin with, simply take the words of the Creed as they stand at their face value, put your faith in them and commit them to memory.
Later, as opportunity offers, you can take the propositions one by one and study them as truths of the Sacred Scriptures. Pay attention then, brethren, to the truths of the Faith now being handed down to you and write them deep in your hearts. Keep a careful watch and be on your guard against foes and heretics intent on perverting your faith and plundering it. You must, as it were, deposit this gift of faith in the bank of safe-keeping and God will demand of you an account of your investment.
In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who is his testimony before Pontius Pilate bore witness to that great claim, I charge you to keep the faith unstained until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."
XXII
Which Doctor? John Damascene
When did he live? 676 - 749
Born? Damascus
State of life? Priest
Date of Elevation? 19th August 1890
Feast Day? 4th December
Words of the Doctor:
"To be devout to thee, O holy Virgin, is an arm of salvation, which God gives to those He wished to save."
XXIII
Which Doctor? The Venerable Bede
When did he live? 673 - 735
Born? Wearmouth & Jarrow
State of Life? Benedictine Monk
Date of Elevation? 13th November 1899
Feast Day? 25th May
Words of the Doctor:
"... when we compare the present life of man on earth with that time of which we have no knowledge, it seems to me like the swift flight of a single sparrow through the banqueting-hall where you are sitting at dinner on a winter's day with your thanes and counsellors. In the midst there is a comforting fire to warm the hall; outside, the storms of winter rain or snow are raging. This sparrow flies swiftly in through one door of the hall, and out through another. While he is inside, he is safe from the winter storms; but after a few moments of comfort, he vanishes from sight into the wintry world from which he came. Even so, man appears on earth for but a little while; but of what came before this life or of what follows, we know nothing."
(Bede describing a speech given to King Edwin of Northumbria by one of his thains when they debated whether or not to convert to Christianity)
XXIV
Which Doctor? Ephraem
When did he live? 306 - 373
Born? Nisibis, Mesopotamia (Nusaybin, Turkey)
State of life? Deacon
Date of Elevation? 5th October 1920
Feast Day: 9th June
Words of the Doctor:
O Lord and Master of my life,
do not give me the spirit of sloth,
despair, lust of power and idle talk;
but give rather the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience and love to your servant.
Yes, O Lord and King,
grant that I may see my own transgressions
and not judge my brother;
for blessed are You unto ages of ages.
Amen.
XXV
Which Doctor? Peter Canisius
When did he live? 1521 - 1597
Born? Nijmegen, Holland
State of life? Jesuit Priest
Date of Elevation? 21st May 1925
Feast Day? 21st December
Words of the Doctor:
“Let the world indulge its madness. But we, buried deep in the wounds of Christ, why should we be dismayed?"
XXVI
Which Doctor? St John of the Cross
When did he live? 1542 - 1591
Born? Fontinveros (Spain)
State of life? Priest in the Order of Discalced Carmelites
Date of Elevation? 24th August 1926
Feast Day? 14th December
Words of the Doctor:
"In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone."
XXVII
Which Doctor? Robert Bellarmine
When did he live? 1542 - 1621
Born? Tuscany (Italy)
State of life? Jesuit Priest (Cardinal)
Date of Elevation? 17th September 1931
Feast Day? 17th September
Words of the Doctor:
"Representatives of the state have no power to bind men in conscience unless their own authority is tied to God’s. Obedience to civil authority is in reality an act of homage paid to God. We do not demean ourselves in showing due reverence to God; we are lifted up and ennobled, for to serve God is to reign"
XXVIII
Which Doctor? Albert The Great
When did he live? 1200 - 1280
Born? Lauingen (nr. Ulm, Germany)
State of life? Dominican priest
Date of Elevation? 16th December 1931
Feast Day? 15th November
Words of the Doctor:
XXIX
Which Doctor? Anthony of Padua
When did he live? 1195 - 1231
Born? Lisbon (Portugal)
State of life? Franciscan monk
Date of Elevation? 16th January 1946
Feast Day? 13th June
Words of the Doctor:
"The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."
XXX
Which Doctor? Lawrence of Brindisi
When did he live? 1559 - 1619
Born? Brindisi (Italy)
State of life? Capuchin monk
Date of Elevation? 19th March 1959
Feast Day? 21st July
Words of a Doctor:
“God is love, and all his operations proceed from love. Once he wills to manifest that goodness by sharing his love outside himself, then the Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation of his goodness and love and glory. So, Christ was intended before all other creatures and for his own sake. For him all things were created and to him all things must be subject, and God loves all creatures in and because of Christ. Christ is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned”
XXXI
Which Doctor? Teresa of Avila
When did she live? 1515 - 1582
Born? Avila (Spain)
State of life? A Nun in the Order of Discalced Carmelites
Date of elevation to Doctor? 27th September 1970
Feast Day? 15th October
Words of the Doctor:
"Let nothing disturb you; let nothing dismay you; all thing pass. God never changes; patience attains all that it strives for. He who has God finds he lacks nothing. God alone suffices."
XXXII
Which Doctor? Catherine of Siena
When did she live? 1347 - 1379
Born? Siena (Italy)
State of life? Third Order Dominican
Date of Elevation? 4th October 1970
Feast Day? 29th April
Words of a doctor:
"Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind."
XXXIII
Which Doctor? Therese of Lisieux
When did she live? 1873 - 1897
Born? Alcon, Normandy (France)
State of life? A Nun in the Order of Discalced Carmelites
Date of elevation? 19th October 1997
Feast Day: 1st October
Words of the Doctor:
"Sufferings gladly borne for others convert more people than sermons."
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