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Giovanni Battista Scaramelli
Ascetical writer, b. at Rome, 24
Nov., 1687; d. at Macerata, 11 Jan., 1752. He entered the Society
of Jesus 21 Sept., 1706. He devoted himself to preaching for
fifteen years, and long fulfilled the duties of the sacred
ministry. He wrote the following works:
"Vita di Suor Maria
Crocifissa Satellico Monaca francescana nel monastero di monte
Nuovo", Venice, 1750; 5th ed., revised and corrected, Rome,
1819;
"Discernimento de' spiriti
per il retto regolamento delle azione proprie ed altrui. Operetta
utile specialemente ai Direttori delle anime", Venice, 1753;
7th ed., Rome, 1866; Sp. tr., Madrid, 1804; Ger. tr., Mainz,
1861;
Direttorio ascetico in cui s'
insegna il modo di condurre l'Anime per vie ordinarie della
grazia alla perfezione christiana, indirizzato ai direttori della
Anime", Naples, 1752, still reprinted; tr. and ed. Eyre,
"The Directorium Asceticum", with preface by Cardinal
Manning, Dublin and London, 1870-71; now revised ed., London,
1879-81; Lt. tr., Brixen, 1770; Louvain, 1848; Ger. tr.,
Augsburg, 1778; Sp., Madrid, 1806; Fr., Paris, 1854; still
reprinted. In this work the author devotes four treatises to the
study of (a) the means and helps necessary to attain Christian
perfection; (b) the obstacles which hinder us and the way to
surmount them; (c) the virtues to be acquired (cardinal virtues,
virtues of religion, those opposed to the capital sins); (d) the
theological virtues and especially charity, which is the essence
of Christian perfection. His manner of dividing his subject and
his method are frankly traditional and intellectualist; his
unoriginal, but, as it were classic doctrines are proved by
reason and authority, while the study of scruples at the end of
the second treatise retains all its value after the researches of
modern psychologists.
"Il direttorio mistico
indrizato a' direttori di quelle anime che Iddio conduce per la
via della contemplazione" (Venice, 1754; Lat. tr., Brixen,
1764; Louvain, 1857; Sp., Madria, 1817; Ger., Ratisbon and Mainz,
1855-56; Fr., Paris, 1865; Polish, Warsaw, 1888; Italian
abridgement in the form of dialogues by Santoni, Rome, 1776; new
abridgement, Rome, 1895). This work completes the method of
spiritual direction the first part of which is set forth in the
preceding work. Here likewise the doctrine is intellectualist and
strongly opposed to the purely sentimental forms of mysticism
such as Quietism.
"Dottrina di S. Giovanni
della Croce compresa quali si contiene la 'Salita del Monte', nel
secondo le 'Notti oscue', nel terzo 'l'Esercizio di Amore' e la
'Fiamma di Amor vivo'" (Lucca, 1860)
HENRY OLLION
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