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 PREACHERS

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PREACHERS

(op. cit., 104). CatharinuB (1553) is a famous polem- icist, but an um-eliable theologian (Schvveizer, "Ambrosius Catharinus Pol tus, 1484-1553, ein Theologe des Reformations-zeitalters", Mtinster, 1910). France likewise produced excellent theolo- gians — Jean Nicolai (d. 1673); Vincent de Contenson (d. 1674); Antoine Reginald (d. 1676); Jean-Baptiste Gonet (d. 1081); Antoine Gondin (d. 1695); Antonin Manouli^ (d. 1706); Noel Alexandre (Natalia Alexan- der) (d. 1724); Hyacinthe de Graveson (d. 1733); HyacintheSerrv(d. 1738) ("Script. O. P.", II; Hurter, " Nomenclator, IV; H. Serry, "Opera omnia", I, Lyons, 1770, p. 5). From the sixteenth century to the eighteenth the Thomistic School upheld by the author- ity of Dominican general chapters and theolo- gians, the official adhesion of new religious orders and various theological faculties, but above all by the Holy See, enjoyed an increasing and undisputed authority.

The disputes concerning moral theology which dis- turbed the Church during the seventeenth and eigh- teenth centuries, originated in the theory of probability advanced by the Spanish Dominican BartolomiS de Medina in 1577. Several theologians of the order adopted, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, the theory of moral probability; but in consideration of the abuses which resulted from these doctrines, the General Chapter of 1656 condemned them, and after that time there were no more Probabilists among the Dominicans. The condemnations of Alexander VII (1665, 1667), the famous Decree of Innocent XI, and various acts of the Roman Church combined to make the Preachers resolute opponents of Probabilism. The publication of Concina's "Storia del probabilismo" in 1743 renewed the con- troversy. He displayed enormous activity, and his friend and disciple, Giovanni Vicenzo Patuzzi (d. 1769), defended him in a series of vigorous writings. St. Alphonsus Liguori felt the consequences of these disputes, and, in consideration of the position taken by the Holy See, greatly modified his theoretical sys- tem of probability and ex])ressed his desire to adhere to the doctrine of St. Thomas Aquinas (Mandonnet, "Le decret d'lnnocent XI contre le probabilisme", in "Revue Thomiste" 1901-03; Ter Haar, "Das Decret des Papstes Innocenz XI iiber den Probabilis- mus", Paderborn, 1904; Concina, "Delia storia del Probabilismo e del Rigorismo", Lucca, 1743; Mon- dius, " Studio storico-criticosul sistema morale di S. Al- fonso M.de Liguori", Monza, 1911; Dollinger-Reusch, "Gesch. der Moralstreitigkeiten", Nordlingen, 1889).

(e) Scientific productions. — The literary activity of the Preachers of the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries was not confined to the theological move- ment noticed above, but shared in the general move- ment of erudition in the sacred sciences. Among the most noteworthy productions were the works of Pagnini (d. 1541) on the Hebrew text of Scripture; his lexicons and grammars were famous in their day, and exercised a lasting influence (Script. O. P., II, 114); Sixtus of Siena (d. 1569), a converted Jew, created the science of introduction to the Sacred Books with his "Bibliotheca Sancta" (Venice, 1566; op. cit., 206); Jacques Goar, liturgist and Orientalist, published the "Euchologium sive rituale Graecorum" (Paris, 1647), a work which, according to Renaudot, was unsurpassed by anything in its time (Hurter, "Nomenclat. litt.", Ill, 1211). Francois Combefis (d. 1679) issued editions of the Greek Fathers and writers (op. cit., IV, 161). Michel le Quien, Orien- talist, produced a monumental work in his "Oriens Christianus". Vansleb (d. 1679) was twice sent by Colbert to the Orient, whence he brought a large num- ber of MSS. for the Biblioth^que du Roi (Pougeois, "Vansleb", Paris, 1869). Thomas Mammachi (d. 1792) left a large unfinished work, "Origines et Antiquitates Christians" (Rome, 1753-57).

In the historical field mention must be made of Bartholomew de Las Casas (d. 1566) who left a valuable "Historia de las Indias" (Madrid, 1875). Noel Alexandre (d. 1724) left an ecclesiastical his- tory which was long held in esteem [Paris, 167(5-89; (Diet, de Th('-ol. Cath., I, 769)]. Joseph Augustin Orsi (d. 1761) wrote an "Historia eclcsiastica" which was continued by his confrere Filippo Angelo Bec- chetti (d. 1814). The last edition (Rome, 1838) numbers 50 volumes (Ku-chenlex., IX, 1087). Nico- las Coeffeteau was, according to Vaugelas, one of the two greatest masters of the French language at the beginning of the eighteenth century (Urbain, "Nico- las Coeffeteau, dominicain, ^veque de Marseille, un des fondateurs de la prose frangaise, 1574-1623", Paris, 1840). Thomas Campanella (d. 1639) won renown by his numerous writings on philosophy and sociology as well as by the boldness of his ideas and his eventful life (Diet, de theol. cath., II, 1443). Jacques Barelier (d. 1673) left one of the foremost botanical works of his time, which was edited by A. de Jussieu, "Icones plantarum per Galliam, His- paniam et Italiam observatarum ad vivum exhibi- tarum" [Paris, 1714; (Script. O. P., II, 645)].

(f) The Preachers and Christian Society. — During the modern period the order performed countless services for the Church. Their importance may be gathered from the fact that dui'ing this period it gave to the Chm-ch two popes, St. Pius V (1566-72) and Benedict XIII (1724-30), forty cardinals, and more than a thousand bishops and archbishops. From the foundation of the Roman Congregations in the sixteenth centiu-y a special place was reserved for the Preachers; thus the titulars of the Commissariat of the Holy Office and the secretary of the Index were always chosen from this order. The title of Con- suitor of the Holy Office also belonged by right to the master general and the Master of the Sacred Palace (Gams, "Series episcoporum ecclesiae catholicfc", Ratisbon, 1873; Falloux, "Histoire de Saint Pie V", Paris, 1858; Borgia, "Bcnedicti XIII vita", Rome, 1741; Catalano, "De secretario Indicis", Rome, 175 1 ). The influence of the Preachers on the political powers of Europe was unequally exercised during this period: they remained confessors of the kings of Spain until 1700; in France their credit decreased, especially under Louis XIV, from whom they had much to suffer ("Catalogo de los religiosos domini- canos confessores de Estado, 1700"; Chapotin, "La guerre de succession de Poissy, 1660-1707", Paris, 1892).

(g) The Preachers and the Missions. — The mis- sions of the Preachers reached their greatest develop- ment during the modern period. They were fostered, on the one hand, by the Portuguese conquests in Africa and the East Indies and, on the other, by the Spanish conquests in America and Western Asia. As early as the end of the fifteenth century Portuguese Dominicans reached the West Coast of Africa and, accompanying the explorers, rounded the Cape of Good Hope to settle on the coast of East Africa. They founded temporary or permanent missions in the Portuguese African settlements and went in succession to the Indies, Ceylon, Siam, and Malacca. They made Goa the centre of these missions which in 1548 were erected into a special mission of the Holy Cross, which had to suffer from the British conquest, but continued to flourish till the beginning of the nineteenth century. The order gave a great rnany bishops to these regions [Joao dos Santos, "Ethiopia oriental", Evora, 1609; re-edited Lisbon, 1891; Cacegas-de Sousa, " Historia de S. Domirigo partidor do reino e conquistas de Portugal", Lisbon, 1767 (Vol. IV by Lucas de Santa Catharina); Andr6 Marie, "Missions dominicaines dans I'extrgme Orient", Lyons-Paris, 1865]. The discovery of America soon brought Dominican evangelization in