St Thomas Aquinas’ family locked him in a tower and sent in a prostitute to keep him from becoming a priest!
To prevent his mother from interfering, the Dominican arranged for him to go to Rome. On his way to Rome, Thomas’s mother sent her other sons to kidnap Thomas while he was drinking from a spring.
They took him back to their parents’ castle and held him there for two years. Due to political reasons, the Pope didn’t order for his release. During his home imprisonment, Thomas tutored his sisters and communicated with the Dominican Order.
His mother was hoping that the detention would kill his aspirations. His brothers became desperate and sent a prostitute to seduce Thomas. He chased her away with a burning stick.
Legend has it that two angels appeared to him that night and blessed him with more fortitude to remain celibate. Finally, his mother realized she’d lost the battle and he wouldn’t change his mind.
To save face, instead of just releasing him and admitting defeat, she arranged for him to escape through his bedroom window to finally join the Dominican Order.
