Moral Theology: Its Method and Masters
Vincenzo Filliucci
Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.
Jesuit · 1566–1622
In the Index: Filliucci
Dates differ: Prümmer 1566–1622; Haringer 1556–1622.
In Prümmer's Catalogue and Haringer's Index
- “Filliucci, Vinc., S.J., Italian (1566-1622), wrote Quaestiones morales, 2 folio volumes, Lyons 1622 and often edited afterward.” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
- [**: weighty, probabilist] “Filliuccius Vincentius, Italian, S.J., was professor of theology in the Roman College, then respondent for questions of conscience and penitentiary of the Pope (Moral Questions. Course, etc.), born 1556, died 1622.” — Haringer's index of writers (Gury-Ballerini) (p. XVII, sign read on the page)
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 one of our authors | Bucceroni, Commentarii, n. 108 |
| “Filliuccius Vincentius, Italian, S.J., was professor of theology in the Roman College, then respondent for questions of conscience and penitentiary of the Pope (Moral Questions. Course, etc.), born 1556, died 1622.”Haringer marks him **, giving St. Alphonsus's judgment of him (weighty and probabilist) | Haringer's index, Index of writers, p. XVII |
| Charged with laxity | |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XII. Fr. Filliucci, tract 41, in the Appendix, chapter 4, no. 18: “I say fifthly that the opinion which reckons it enough to elect the worthy to benefices which are not given in competition is probable from Trent, session 7, chapter 5 On Reformation, saying: Let them be conferred upon the worthy; and from the universal estimation in the creation of beneficiaries, cardinals, bishops, abbots, and so forth, who, if they be held among the worthy, the elector is praised and the election is not blamed: but it would not commonly be praised, if it were evil and a mortal sin.””Concina's censuses of lax opinions list 1 of his opinion and names him in 3 more as teaching or approving one (the first is quoted; every one is under 'Where Our Authors Discuss Him') | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XII |
| Too benign in his opinions | |
| “he leans toward the more benign opinions”Tanquerey on his Moral Questions and their synopsis | Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 47 |
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.
| “Chapter I — The condemned and lax propositions are recounted … V. "A vow made in thanksgiving for a shameful act already done is valid." Leander, treatise 2 on the vow, disputation 4, question 31, page 341, from Filliucci, treatise 26 on the vow, chapter 2, question 6, number 54.”Concina names him in the same number as teaching or approving the lax opinion (on vows) | Concina, Compendium I, bk. III, diss. IX, ch. I, n. V |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XLI. The same Salmanticenses in the same place, no. 54: “We know moreover that Diana and Filliucci, tract 29, chapter 5, no. 133, assert that if flight were in any way ignominious to a cleric or a religious, he could defend himself, nor would he incur irregularity if he killed the invader.”Concina names him in the same number as teaching or approving the lax opinion (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XLI |
| “Chapter II — A review of condemned opinions, and of the laxer views of certain recent authors … V. "A vow to perform an act of thanksgiving for a shameful deed already done is valid." Leander (tract. 2, on vows, disp. 4, q. 31, p. 341), from Filliucci (tract. 26, on vows, ch. 2, q. 6, n. 54).”Concina names him in the same number as teaching or approving the lax opinion (on vows) | Concina, Theologia IV, diss. I, ch. II, n. V |
| “during which there is an obligation to make from time to time acts of the love of God”Daniel quotes him among the Jesuit theologians who taught the strict precept of loving God | Daniel, Apology, ¶ 70 |
| “They have set themselves to leafing through everything that Escobar wrote in Spain, Bauny in France, Laymann in Germany, Filliucius in Italy” | Daniel, Apology, ¶ 149 |
| “Thus Filliucci (tract. 25, ch. 11, n. 78)”Concina quotes his rule that the unlearned may deny in some true sense they cannot name | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XV, n. VI |
| “Vincent Filliucci (+ 1622)”Koch-Preuss name him among the best-known moralists from the close of the sixteenth century | Koch-Preuss, Handbook I, history of moral theology |
In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
“Vincenzo Filliucci”, vol. 6, by John F.X Murphy. Public domain; transcription at New Advent (which expands some of the print's abbreviations).
Jesuit moralist; b. at Sienna, Italy, 1566; d. at Rome 5 April, 1622. Having entered the Society of Jesus at the age of eighteen and made the usual course in classics, science, philosophy, and theology, he professed philosophy and mathematics for some years, and later became rector of the Jesuit college in his native city. Being summoned to Rome to fill the chair in moral theology in the Roman College, he taught there for ten years with great distinction. Paul V appointed him penitentiary of St. Peter's, a post he filled until his death in the following pontificate. Fillucci's greatest work, "Moralium Quæstionem de Christianis Officiis et Causibus Conscientiæ Tomi Duo", appeared in 1622, together with a posthumous "Appendix, de Statu Clericorum", forming a third volume, has frequently been reprinted in several counties of Europe. A "Synopsis Theologiæ Moralis", which likewise appeared posthumously in 1626, went through numerous editions. Fillucci is also known for his excellent "Brevis Instructio pro Confessionibus Excipiendis" (Ravensburg, 1626); this work is generally published as an appendix in all subsequent editions of his "Synopsis." Besides these published works, there is a manuscript, "Tractisde Censuris", preserved in the archives of the Roman College. As an authority in moral theology, Fr. Fillucci has ever been accorded high rank, though this did not save him from the attacks of the Jansenists. The "Provincial Letters" of Pascal, and Les Extraits des Assertions" makes much capital out of their garbled quotations from his writings; while, in the anti-Jesuit tumult of 1762, the "parlement" of Bordeaux forbade his works, and the "parlement" of Rouen burnt them, together with twenty-eight other works by Jesuit authors.
Sources: Sommervogel, Bibl. de la C. de J., III, 735; IX, 340; de Backer, Bibl des Ecrevains de la Comp. de Jesu, I, 308; Hurter, Nomenclator Literarius, I, 364.