Moral Theology: Its Method and Masters
Antonio Ballerini
Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.
S.J. · Jesuit · 1805–1881
On this site: Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.
In the Index: Ballerini, A. (S. J.)
His Moral System
Probabilism
- “This principle the more recent authors now commonly hold, such as Gury, Ballerini” — Noldin, n. 233
- “Thus Lacroix and other Probabilist authors of the eighteenth century almost commonly, and also Gury in the later editions of his Compendium, and Ballerini” — Konings, Article IV: Various Systems Concerning the Use of Probable Opinion
Lineage
- “published a valuable compendium of Gury, which was adapted for the seminaries of the United States by Sabetti and later by Barrett” — Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), Antonio Ballerini
What Our Authors Say of Him
- “These notes indeed show singular sagacity of judgment” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
- “Therefore they were attacked by a work entitled Vindiciae Alphonsianae” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
- “the Moral Theological Work of Ballerini approached the classic works of the golden age” — Vermeersch, n. 21
His Moral System, as Our Authors Report It
Every report quoted in the author's own words and linked to its place; point at a name to see his words. Haringer's signs give St. Alphonsus's judgment as Haringer found it in St. Alphonsus's works (his notice, Gury-Ballerini, 1884, p. XI); a sign on a writer the 1884 editor added to the list is the editor's own, and is said to be his.
| Probabilist | |
|---|---|
| Counted among them by 3 of our authors | Noldin, Summa I, n. 233; Marc, Institutiones I, n. 86; Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 397 |
| “Most probabilists, with Ballerini leading the way, themselves judge that the holy doctor never changed his opinion concerning the moral system, but always adhered to simple probabilism”Noldin: with most probabilists he holds that St. Alphonsus always held simple probabilism, only proposing it later in an equiprobabilistic formula | Noldin, Summa I, n. 250 |
| “even probabilists, like BALLERINI and LEHMKUHL, of whom the former for the first time made a thorough application of probabilism”The Casuist (Runggaldier): even this probabilist does not always give as certain the milder practical conclusion where the doubt is only whether a sin is grave | The Casuist, The Casuist II, case LXV |
| “Almost all theologians of the Society of Jesus adhere to Probabilism”Prümmer: almost all the theologians of the Society of Jesus adhere to probabilism, he among them | Prümmer, Manuale I, n. 342 |
| “Thus Lacroix and other Probabilist authors of the eighteenth century almost commonly, and also Gury in the later editions of his Compendium, and Ballerini”Konings: a simple probabilist, he allowed the less probable opinion for liberty even against an evidently more probable one | Konings, Compendium, n. 62 |
Where Our Authors Discuss Him
Each read in its full passage; the words quoted are the author's own. Where several authors say the same thing, one is quoted and the others follow “in nearly the same words”; point at a name to see his words.
| “to speak only of the dead, Gury-Ballerini, S.J., Bishop Simar, Cardinal d'Annibale, Aertnys, C.SS.R., Cl. Marc, C.SS.R., Lehmkuhl, S.J., and Genicot, S.J., rightly excel”Among the excellent manuals and scholastic moralists of the nineteenth century | Vermeersch, Theologia moralis I, n. 21In nearly the same words: Koch-Preuss, Handbook I, history of moral theology |
| “the Moral Theological Work of Ballerini approached the classic works of the golden age; after the death of the illustrious professor, the very learned Palmieri, S.J., edited and completed it”His Opus theologicum morale, completed by Palmieri | Vermeersch, Theologia moralis I, n. 21In nearly the same words: Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 51 |
| “Liguori was generally regarded as an Equiprobabilist until in the year 1863 A. Ballerini, S.J., first attempted to prove that the Saint had been a simple Probabilist”His dissertation of 1863 on the system of St. Alphonsus, and the dispute it began | Prümmer, Manuale I, n. 347In nearly the same words: Marc, Institutiones I, n. 87; Marc, Institutiones I, on the moral systems |
| “one is that I transcribed very many annotations from those which the distinguished Anthony Ballerini, S.J., added to the Compendium of Father Gury”His notes to Gury, which Konings used | Konings, Compendium, Apologetic Preface (4th ed.)In nearly the same words: Konings, Compendium, Apologetic Preface (4th ed.) |
| “among recent authors, Carriere, Lehmkuhl, Muller, Bouquillon, Ballerini, and Noldin”Tanquerey names him among the recent authors he often kept before his eyes | Tanquerey, Synopsis, Preface (1902) |
In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
“Antonio Ballerini”, vol. 16, by John Joseph Wynne. Public domain; transcription from Wikisource.
Born at Medicina, near Bologna, 10 October, 1805; died in Rome, 27 November, 1881. He entered the Society of Jesus, 13 October, 1826. He was professor of philosophy at Ferentino, of ecclesiastical history at Rome and at Fermo, of moral theology at the Roman College. He took a prominent part in the controversies on the writings of Rosmini, on the moral system of St. Alphonsus Liguori, and on the relations between the hierarchy and the religious orders, especially in England. He contributed valuable treatises to the discussion of the subject of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He assisted Boero in the compilation of the "Menology" of the Society, and published a valuable compendium of Gury, which was adapted for the seminaries of the United States by Sabetti and later by Barrett. His chief work, the commentary on Busenbaum's "Medulla", was completed and published by Palmieri (q.v.). His brother Francis, also a Jesuit (b. 5 April, 1805; d. in Rome 18 Aug., 1874), composed several devotional works.
SOMMERVOGEL, Bibl. de la C. de Jesus, I (Brussels, 1890).
JOHN J. WYNNE