He was born Tomás García y Martínez in
Fuenllana, Spain, in 1488. His father was a miller, who regularly distributed food and provisions to the poor, as did his mother. He grew up and was educated in
Villanueva de los Infantes, in the
Province of Ciudad Real, Spain, therefore the name
Thomas of Villanueva. Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family's wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor. At the age of sixteen years, Thomas entered the
University of Alcalá de Henares to study Arts and Theology. He became a professor there, teaching arts, logic, and philosophy, despite a continuing absentmindedness and poor memory. In 1516, he decided to join the Augustinian friars in
Salamanca and in 1518 was ordained a priest. He became renowned for his eloquent and effective preaching in the churches of Salamanca. Aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order an archdiocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college for
Moorish converts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity. In 1547 he ordained as a priest
Luis Beltrán, a noted missionary in South America. Thomas started Presentation Seminary in 1550. Thomas died in Valencia on September 8, 1555, of
angina at the age of 67. His remains are preserved at the Cathedral there. ==Veneration==