The Nineteenth-Century Thomist from the Far East: Cardinal Zeferino González, OP (1831–1894)

Abstract

In light of the celebration of the five centuries of Christianity in the Philippines, this article hopes to reintroduce Fr. Zeferino González, OP, to scholars of Church history, philosophy, and cultural heritage. He was an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomás, a Cardinal, and a champion of the revival of Catholic Philosophy that led to the promulgation of Leo XIII’s encyclical Aeterni Patris. Specifically, this essay presents, firstly, the Cardinal’s biography in the context of his experience as a missionary in the Philippines; secondly, the intellectual tradition in Santo Tomás in Manila, which he carried with him until his death; and lastly, some reasons for his once-radiant memory to slip into an underserved forgetfulness.