Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 1.djvu/368

ALMERIA  as wrought at that time form a chapter in the colony's history.

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Almeria, a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Granada in Spain. It is said to have been founded by Indaletius, a disciple of St. James the Greater, at Urci (Vergium). After a long eclipse, its episcopal honour was restored to this little seaport by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1489, on the occasion of the conquest of Granada. In the meantime it had acquired the Arabic name of Almeria (mirror). In 1900 its population, all Catholic, was 230,000. There were 110 parish-priests, 32 vicars, 28 canons and prebendaries, 122 churches, 50 chapels, 3 Dominican convents, and 4 houses of female religious.



Almici,, a priest of the Congregation of the Oratory, b. 2 November, 1714; d. 30 December, 1779. He became a member of the Congregation of the Oratory at a very early age and devoted himself to the study of theology, Greek, and Hebrew, the Holy Scriptures, chronology, sacred and profane history, antiquities, criticism, diplomacy, and liturgy, and was held in much esteem for his great and wide learning. Amongst his contemporaries he was regarded as an oracle upon many subjects, and is looked upon as one of the most celebrated theologians of his order. Of the many works he wrote, the principal are:—"Riflessioni sù di un libro di G. Febronio" (Lucca, 1766); "Critica contro le opere del pericoloso Voltaire" (Brescia, 1770); "Dissertazione sopra i Martiri della Chiesa cattolica" (Brescia, 1765) 2 vols.; "Méditations sur la vie et les écrits du P. Sarpi" (1765). The last named is a critical examination of Sarpi's unreliable history of the Council of Trent.



Almond, Cistercian, Confessor of the Faith; d. in Hull Castle, 18 April, 1585. His name has been included in the supplementary process of the English Martyrs, and his case is of special interest as an example of the sufferings endured in the Elizabethan prisons. He came from Cheshire, and had been a monk in the time of Henry VIII; but the name of his abbey has not been identified, nor his fate determined during and after its suppression. The long-drawn sufferings, however, amid which he closed his days are set forth in a relation printed by Foley. From this we see that the courageous, patient old priest, after many sufferings in prison, was left in extreme age to pine away under a neglect that was revolting.

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Almond, English priest and martyr, b. about 1577; d. at Tyburn, 5 December, 1612. He passed his childhood at Allerton near Liverpool, where he was born, and at Much-Woolton. His boyhood and early manhood were spent in Ireland, until he went to the English College, Rome, at the age of twenty. He concluded his term there brilliantly by giving the "Grand Act"—a public defence of theses which cover the whole course of philosopy and theology—and was warmly congratulated by Cardinals Baronius and Tarugi, who presided. The account of his death describes him as "a reprover of sin, a good example to follow, of an ingenious and acute understanding, sharp and apprehensive in his conceits and answers, yet complete with modesty, full of courage and ready to suffer for Christ, that suffered for him." He was arrested in the year 1608, and again in 1612. In November of this year seven priests escaped from prison, and this may have sharpened the zeal of the persecutors, Dr. King, Protestant Bishop of London, being especially irritated against Almond. He displayed to the last great acuteness in argument, and died with the Holy Name upon his lips.

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Almond,, priest and writer, b. in the diocese of Oxford. He is believed by Foley to have been the brother of the martyr, the Ven. John Almond ; but Gillow has shown that this is probably a mistake. Oliver was educated at the English Colleges at Rome (1582–87) and Valladolid, and was a missionary in England. He presented the English College at Rome with a precious chalice. Some of his correspondence is preserved in the "Westminster Archives", and he is conjectured by Gillow to have been the writer of a work entitled, "The Uncasing of Heresies, or the Anatomie of Protestancie, written and composed by O. A." (Louvain?) 1623, 8vo.

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Almonry. See.

Alms and Almsgiving (Gr. (, "pity," "mercy"), any material favour done to assist the needy, and prompted by charity, is almsgiing. It is evident, then, that almsgiving implies much more than the transmission of some temporal commodity to the indigent. According to the creed of political economy, every material deed wrought by man to benefit his needy brother is almsgiving. According to the creed of Christianity, almsgiving implies a material service rendered to the poor for Christ's sake. Materially, there is scarcely any difference between these two views; formally, they are essentially different. This is why the inspired writer says: "Blessed is he that considereth the needy and the poor" (Ps. xl, 2)—not he that giveth to the needy and the poor. The obligation of almsgiving is complementary to the right of property "which is not only lawful, but absolutely necessary" (Encycl., Rerum Novarum, tr. Baltimore, 1891, 14). Ownership admitted, rich and poor must be found in society. Property enables its possessors to meet their needs. Though labour enables the poor to win their daily bread, accidents, illness, old age, labour difficulties, plagues, war, etc. frequently interrupt their labours and impoverish them. The responsibility of succouring, those thus rendered needy belongs to those who have plenty (St. Thomas, Summa Theol., II-II, Q. xxxii, art. 5, ad 2$am$), For "it is one thing to have a right to possess money, and another to have a right to use money as one pleases." How must one's possessions be used? The Church replies: Man should not consider his external possessions as his own but as common to all, so as to share them without difficulty when others are in need. Whence the Apostle says: Command the rich of this world to give with ease. This is a duty not of justice (except in extreme cases), but of Christian charity—a duty not enforced by human law. But the laws and judgments of men must yield to the laws and judgments of Christ the true God, who in many ways urges on His followers the practice of almsgiving (Encyclical, Rerum Novarum, 14, 15; cf. De Lugo, De Jure et Justitiâ, Disp. xvi, sect. 154). Scripture is rich in passages which directly or indirectly emphasize the necessity of contributing towards the welfare of the needy. The history of the Church in Apostolic times shows that the early Christians fully realized the importance of this 