Aloysius Bellecius

Jesuit ascetic author, born at Freiburg im Breisgau, 15 February, 1704; died at Augsburg, 27 April, 1757. He taught philosophy one year and theology seven, and spent four years as a missionary in South America among the Indians living along the Amazon. Recalled to Europe, he was charged with the spiritual care of his religious brethren and later with the direction of the seminary of Porrentruy in the Diocese of Basle. He is the author of a number of ascetical works in Latin, most of which have been translated into different languages and often reprinted. The most noteworthy of these are: "Christianis pie moriens" (1749); "Virtutis Solidae praecipua impedimenta, subsidia, et incitamenta" (1755); "Medula Asceseos seu exercitia S.P. Ignatii" (1757); "Triduum Sacrum praecipue Religiosorum usui accomodatum" (1757). English translations of the last three have been made and are still in print. The first, entitled "Solid Virtue," is translated from the French (London, 1887); the second appeared under the title "Spiritual Exercises according to the method of St. Ignatius," translated from the Italian version of Father Bresciani, S.J. by William Hutch, D.D. (London, 1876). In this translation Father Bresciani slightly modified some of the opinions of Bellecius which he considered too rigid. The third translation was made by Father John Holtzer, S.J., and was published in New York in 1882. It is entitled: "Solid Virtue : A Triduum and Spiritual Conferences." The Triduum is an abridgement of Bellecius's larger work on "Solid Virtue "--an abridgement made by himself. The three Spiritual Conferences show practically in what solid virtue consists.

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