Motus Proprio "Dominicanus Ordo" The Dominican Order, whose members were proclaimed by Our gloriously reigning Predecessor

Honorius III as the future "warriors of the faith and true lights of the world"; in the course of several centuries, through various activities, have undoubtedly benefited in an excellent manner the Catholic cause. But that this Order has been of great support to Holy Mother Church in the defense of the Christian faith and the spread of the doctrine of the Gospel is due in Our opinion to the fact that she favors the study of the divine wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas, who was successively granted the titles of Doctor Ecclesiae and Doctor Universalis Ecclesiae, as Our Predecessor St. Pius X openly sought to emphasize in his Apostolic Letter to the Master General of the Order: "This famous Order indeed, which was founded by one of the great Saints of the Church, which the Lord has bestowed in support of the faith, will always have the greatest honor to serve the Church through its Teacher Aquinas who it counts as one of its members: the renown light of scholasticism, who is rightly said to have manifested miracles as he has written articles full of wisdom." However, one has to say that the Dominican Family not only served the interests of the Catholic Truth because it bore and formed in her womb the Doctor Communis, but also because almost immediately after the peaceful death of the Teacher of the Church she became a strict enforcer of his teaching, as Our Predecessors Benedict XV and Pius XI wrote: "This Order has not only been formed by the Doctor Angelicus but also its has not deviated an inch from his teachings." This is confirmed by the whole activity of the Dominican Community around the world, primarily in its houses of studies; which they have also established in this venerable city. Among them is the famous College of St. Thomas Aquinas which was founded in 1577 in Santa Maria sopra Minerva. In 1909, the College was followed by the Pontifical Collegium Angelicum: which was opened for the young members of the Dominican Order, the various dioceses and other religious Communities from every nation for the thorough study of the sound doctrine of Aquinas and from there to spread it more widely across the world. This goal was not only established by the Master General of the Dominican Order when he had in mind the institution of this building, but also by Our Predecessor St. Pius X, who, when the building was not yet finished, the Master General wrote: "Because the philosophy and theology of the Doctor Angelicus is there to be taught properly and spread from there, We have no doubt that it will bear excellent fruit everywhere." And indeed, this new college, which in 1942 received the name of Pontifical Athenaeum Angelicum, aims and seeks nothing but to remain faithful to the principles and learning method of St. Thomas, which the Popes have always recommended, especially after the Encyclical Aeterni Patris of Our Predecessor Leo XIII of immortal memory and what the Code of Canon Law has prescribed in particular. Our Predecessor Pius XI of blessed memory has

assured the following about the College: "One could say that Thomas, as it were, lives here as in his own home." It is no wonder then that this excellent Athenaeum, especially in philosophy and theology, has obtain power and prestige over the years so that the students from the various religious Orders and Congregations, and from many dioceses of all nations have in increasing numbers always come here. The general esteem that the Athenaeum has also acquired is due to the internal organization and structure which she has always adapted to the character and nature of time. For the first time in 1936 by its own decree, approved by the Holy Congregation of Seminaries and Universities, guidelines are given, which according to the Apostolic Constitution Dominus Deus Scientiarum are to serve Pontifical Universities and Faculties. To the three Faculties of theology, philosophy and canon law, that already existed from the creation of the Athenaeum Angelicum, in recent times, with the approval of the Holy Congregation of Seminaries and Universities, two other Institutes are to be added: one to promote the social sciences and the other for the study of religious art.

Since the Athenaeum, accessible to all nations, has fulfilled the required conditions which the Apostolic Constitution Dominus Deus Scientiarum for the flowering of science in the Universities and Faculties has established; and since then, as we said "Our fervent wish is that every day the true treasure of the teachings of St. Thomas will be deepened to the greater benefit of the Christian cause, that his writings be widely distributed, since his method and style of teaching in no way differ from the character and nature of our time," and finally, because We are convinced that, if the study of the doctrine of Aquinas is fueled with even greater care and zeal, the plans, which the Fathers of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council have proposed, will reach a successful outcome; We declare, after all voluntary considerations and under Our Apostolic authority, that the Pontifical Athenaeum Angelicum, open to all nations, legally founded by the Friars of the Order of Preachers, now and in the future be called "Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome." We also recommend that this new name be introduced in the statues and laws of the Athenaeum which are in force. We order that everything defined by Us in this Motu Proprio, be validly established, the contrary notwithstanding. Given in Rome at St. Peter's on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, March 7, 1963, the Fifth of Our Pontificate. Pope John