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September 22: ST. THOMAS OF VILLANOVA: Father of the Poor
- Religion
St. Thomas of Villanova refused to decorate his own archbishop's residence — and sent the money to a hospital instead. Known since childhood for giving away his own clothes to poor children, Thomas became Archbishop of Valencia and lived out that same generosity on a much larger scale — selling his own mattress, mending his own clothes, and building schools and jobs so the poor could become truly self-sufficient, not just fed for a day. "His own house could stay plain. The sick could not wait." Want to keep living Thomas's story after the episode ends...
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stood in the Archbishop's residence in Villanova waiting for instructions on how to decorate it.
,
important new title. However, when the Archbishop entered and looked around at the plain,
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Is this episode right for you?
B1 · Intermediate
Fine if you can follow simple news
- 84% of the words are B1 or easier.
- 122 words a minute: slow, clear speech.
- 24 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.
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The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.
harder words (B2+)
Welcome back to the Catholic Sproust podcast where we know that every day is a feast day. Today is September 22nd, so join us for St. Thomas of Villanova, father of the poor. stood in the Archbishop's residence in Villanova waiting for instructions on how to decorate it. Like most archbishops, this one likely wanted something grand and impressive to match his
important new title. However, when the Archbishop entered and looked around at the plain, unfinished rooms, he shook his head. He didn't want decorations. Instead, he thought of a hospital across town that sat in utter disrepair. It was unable to properly care for the sick who depended upon it. His own house, he thought, could stay plain, but the sick could not wait.
Then, dismissing the workmen, he decided to send the whole sum allocated to decorating his residence to the hospital instead. Welcome back, Sproust. Today is September 22nd, the feast day of St. Thomas of Villanova,
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