Moral Theology: Its Method and Masters
Claude La Croix
Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.
S.J. · Jesuit · 1652–1714
On this site:
In the Index: Lacroix
His Moral System
Probabilist ("weighty and probabilist", St. Alphonsus's judgment by Haringer's sign **)
- “Croix (Claudius La-Croix), Belgian, S.J., taught theology in the University of Cologne, born 1652, died 1714.” — Gury-Ballerini, Haringer's index of writers
Life
Born 7 April 1652, Dahlem, Luxembourg; died 1 or 2 June 1714, Cologne. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- Entered the Society of Jesus at Trier in 1673; ordained priest in 1684. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- Taught philosophy at Cologne for three years, then moral theology at Münster and at Cologne. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- His Theologia moralis (8 vols., Cologne, 1707–1714) is a commentary on Busembaum's Medulla theologiae moralis; the NCE counts it among the outstanding theological works of the eighteenth century, and it ran to twenty-five editions in fifty years. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- An edition of 1757 became a mark of the Jansenist campaign against the Jesuits: the Parlement of Paris condemned it, and it was publicly burned at Toulouse. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- Further reading named by the NCE: Sommervogel, Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, vol. 4, cols. 1347–1354; Hurter, Nomenclator literarius, vol. 4, col. 911; Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, vol. 8.2, col. 2424. [New Catholic Encyclopedia]
- Prümmer and Haringer call him a Belgian; the NCE gives his birthplace as Dahlem in Luxembourg. [Prümmer, Catalogue of authors; Haringer's index of writers, p. XVI]
Sources: New Catholic Encyclopedia (2nd ed., 2003), as published on Encyclopedia.com; Prümmer, Manuale theologiae moralis, Catalogue of authors (on this site); Haringer's index of writers, as printed in Gury-Ballerini (1884), on this site. Each fact names where it was read; the links go to the page or entry itself.
What Our Authors Say of Him
- “it is an excellent commentary on the Medulla of Busembaum” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
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 5 of our authors | Noldin, Summa I, n. 246; Marc, Institutiones I, n. 91; Konings, Compendium, n. 74; Marc, Institutiones I, n. 86; Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 397; Bucceroni, Institutiones, n. 119 |
| “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 |
| “This probabilistic doctrine being admitted, Christians can straightway abolish the greatest part of the natural, divine, and civil laws. Let them take up the books of Diana, of Zanardi, of Candidus, of Tamburini, of Escobar, of Gobat, of La-Croix, of Viva. Let them gather a most numerous catalogue of the opinions which are probably disputed on both sides concerning natural, divine, and human law.”Concina names his books as storehouses of opinions controverted on both sides, which probabilism would make laws no longer binding | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. VII, n. XII |
| “In the name of the Probabilists, Fr. La-Croix answers”Concina answers his account of the malice of acts done in culpable ignorance | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. VIII, n. XVI |
| “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 |
| “Croix (Claudius La-Croix), Belgian, S.J., taught theology in the University of Cologne, born 1652, died 1714.”Haringer marks him **, giving St. Alphonsus's judgment of him (weighty and probabilist) | Haringer's index, Index of writers, p. XVI |
| Charged with laxity | |
| “This opinion is most lax, since, besides the reasons already given, there is added the most frequent danger of blasphemies, oaths, and quarrels. And yet Fr. La Croix foists such monstrosities upon us as though they were certain rules of morals.”Concina rejects his distinctions on a vow not to gamble as manifest laxity | Concina, Theologia IV, diss. I, ch. VI, n. XLIX |
| “Chapter I — The condemned and lax propositions are recounted … VIII. "If you wished to redeem the loss of time, you comprehended even moderate play, and likewise play for another's sake: because you would truly be playing with a loss of time.”Concina's censuses of lax opinions list 13 of his opinions 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 I, bk. III, diss. IX, ch. I, n. VIII |
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.
| “Lacroix, S.J. (1714)”Vermeersch names him among the distinguished theologians of the age before St. Alphonsus, an age he calls morbid | Vermeersch, Theologia moralis I, n. 20 |
| “I reject the opinion that it is licit to follow a known less probable opinion, as Busembaum, Lacroix, and almost all the Jesuits say”Prümmer quotes St. Alphonsus's letter of 1768 naming him among those who admit the less probable opinion | Prümmer, Manuale I, n. 347 |
| “For those heretics, deceitfully simulating great piety and a singular fervor for protecting moral science, brought it about that in France, Italy, and other provinces they drew many learned men to their side: among whom were also Peter Collet (the celebrated continuator of Honore Tournely), Louis Habert, and Natalis Alexander, who, although they rejected other errors of the Jansenists, nevertheless accommodated themselves in many things to their immoderate rigor. Indeed there were not lacking those who defended more benign opinions, such as Louis Abelly, Eusebius Amort, Castropalaus, Gobat, Roncaglia, Cardenas, Viva, Lacroix, Sporer, Reiffenstuel, Reuter, Voit, Holzmann, Elbel, Mazzotta, etc., without however being able wholly to repress the swelling rigor of doctrine.”Marc names him among those who defended more benign opinions against the rigor of the Jansenist age | Marc, Institutiones I, n. 6 |
| “Claudius Lacroix (+ 1714), a learned and moderate probabilist” | Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 51 |
| “Chapter II — A census of propositions which seem lax, culled from the Casuists … VIII. "Rustics, and other simpler men in Germany, who are held for heretics, and yet are not pertinacious, can be absolved by their Parish priests. The reason is that they are not formal heretics, and have the catholic faith received in baptism, which is not lost except by erring pertinaciously."”Concina names him in the same number as teaching or approving the lax opinion (on faith) | Concina, Compendium I, bk. III, diss. I, ch. II, n. VIII |
| “Fr. Claude La Croix, Book III, part 2, On Usury, no. 854: Sylvius, Serra, and others in Mendo, In the Balance, disputation 6, article 1, no. 54, have taught” | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XLI |
| “Fr. Claude La Croix, part 2, book 3, no. 861: If anyone dare not lay out the other money which he has, but even out of excessive solicitude reserves it for his” | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XLIX |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … I. Fr. La Croix, Book 6, part 1, no. 102: “It must be said … that he does not sin mortally who in mortal sin begins the form of a sacrament, provided that before the utterance of the last essential part he be in the state of grace; and whatever Aversa and others say to the contrary.””Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist and the Mass) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. X, diss. I, ch. II, n. I |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … IX. Fr. La Croix, Book 6, part 1, doubt 3, no. 395, question 71: “What besides is to be noted concerning the necessity of confirmation? ANSWER. That there was formerly an ecclesiastical precept that confirmation be received, Dicastillo here gathers, no. 105, from various councils and the sayings of the holy Fathers.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist and the Mass) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. X, diss. I, ch. II, n. IX |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … XIX. Fr. Claude La Croix, Book 6, part 1, On the Eucharist, no. 546, § 4: “Suárez, Vásquez, Sá, Marchant, Nuño, de Lugo, Diana, Dicastillo, Aversa, John Sánchez, Gobat, Pellizarius, Leander teach — on this almost all agree, says Moya, tract 4, question 6, § 1, citing very many — that a priest is not bound by this precept if, having opportunity of a confessor, he has not confessed out of malice: because although he sin more gravely, nevertheless in positive precepts the argument from the lesser to the greater, or to the like, does not hold, as de Lugo with the common opinion says in his Moral Answers, Book 4, doubt 47, no. 5.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist and the Mass) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. X, diss. I, ch. II, n. XIX |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … XXX. Fr. La Croix, Book 4, no. 1341: “The Pontiffs know that the opinion which denies an obligation of this kind (of interior attention) is defended; and yet, though they easily could, they do not contradict it.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist and the Mass) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. X, diss. I, ch. II, n. XXX |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … I. Fr. Claude La Croix, Book 3, part 2, no. 1000: “Gobat, no. 10, thinks that in Germany it is lawful in monasteries to sell wine and bread through servants: for this is not properly to keep a tavern or to trade, but to sell one's own to passers-by.””Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. I |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … IX. Fr. Nicholas Mazzotta, tract 3, disputation 5, chapter 3, page 253: “But if you give something to an intercessor, whether mediate or immediate, not indeed for the intercession, but for the labour, for ceasing gain, for emerging loss, for the expenditure of time, and so forth, in going and returning, it is not simony, because these are something temporal altogether extrinsic.””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. IX |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XXVIII. Fr. Claude La Croix with Gobat goes further, Book 6, part 3, no. 541: “Although it be foreseen that the admonition will profit, yet if it be conjoined with a most grave inconvenience of the other party — for example of the proximate one — the confessor is not bound to admonish, but can permit them in good faith.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XXVIII |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XXXI. Fr. Claude La Croix, Book 6, part 3, no. 299: “He who probably thinks a marriage to be valid lawfully asks the debt: both because there is possession for it, and also because someone can here use a probable opinion. … Aversa adds that this holds even if the opinion for invalidity were MORE PROBABLE; and this is conformable to what is said in Book 1, no. 268, concerning the lawful use of a probable opinion.””Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XXXI |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XXXIII. Fr. Claude La Croix, Book 3, part 3, no. 302: “If a doubt concerning the validity supervene upon a marriage contracted in good faith, and after inquiry nothing be discovered, nor can the doubt be laid aside, the first opinion, which St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure, St. Antoninus, Soto, Ledesma, Valentia, Vásquez, Azor, Rebello, Pontius, Hurtado, Turrianus, Arriaga, Aversa, and 17 others with Schildius hold, says that one can indeed render the debt but not ask it, because this seems to be decided in the chapter Inquisitioni, under the title On Sentences of Excommunication.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XXXIII |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XLII. Fr. Hermann Busembaum, Book 3, chapter 3, doubt 5, in Fr. Claude La Croix, no. 193, page 43: “Hence it is probable what Navarrus, Toletus, and others teach, and Layman does not gainsay, scandal and other things being excluded, that it is only venial to fill oneself with food and drink even to vomiting; and this also IF A MAN VOMIT, THAT HE MAY BE ABLE TO DRINK AGAIN.””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. XLII |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XLIII. Fr. Claude La Croix, Book 3, no. 213: “That for the curing or the guarding against of a grave disease, even one not deadly, inebriation is lawful, many teach with Gobat, no. 15, if it cannot otherwise be cured or guarded against.””Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on simony, benefices, marriage, chastity and temperance) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. XII, diss. I, ch. I, n. XLIII |
| “Chapter II — A review of condemned opinions, and of the laxer views of certain recent authors … VIII. "If you vowed to redeem lost time, you included even moderate play, and likewise playing on behalf of another — since you would truly be playing away time. You may not, however, play through another, though by watching you lose time...”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on vows) | Concina, Theologia IV, diss. I, ch. II, n. VIII |
| “Terillus is followed by La-Croix, Viva, Segneri in his epistles”Concina: he followed Terillus in saying that God suffers no harm from a merely material violation of his law | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. V, n. VII |
| “Fr. La-Croix errs shamefully, and imposes a falsehood upon his readers”Concina: he misreports a condemnation of 1685 as touching invincible ignorance of the natural law | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. VIII, n. XII |
| “Fr. Claude La-Croix, book I, number 169, writes that nearly all the authors of the Society of Jesus defend Probabilism”Concina cites his statement that nearly all the authors of the Society of Jesus defend probabilism | Concina, Compendium II, diss. II, ch. IX, n. X |
| “Fr. La Croix speaks more cautiously”Concina: more cautious than Cattaneo, he too admits that in the gravest cases such a locution is not a lie | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XII, n. II |
| “Thus commonly teach Fr. Antoine, Fr. Cárdenas, Fr. La Croix, Fr. Sporer”Concina: he teaches that the condemned propositions are condemned as they lie, not as they stand in their authors | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XIV, n. II |
| “Fr. La Croix, who among more recent Collectors of moral Casuistry does not hold the last place”Concina: not the least of the recent collectors of cases; he warns that Cárdenas must be read cautiously | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XV, n. XII |
| “His Theologia Moralis (9 vols., Cologne 1707-14) is based on Busembaum and was attacked in Germany, France, and Italy”Koch-Preuss: his Theologia moralis, based on Busembaum, was attacked in Germany, France and Italy, and defended by Zaccaria | Koch-Preuss, Handbook I, history of moral theology |
Named in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
The Encyclopedia gives him no article of his own; these are the places where its articles speak of him. Public domain; transcription from Wikisource.
- “One other work must also be mentioned, viz., the so-called "Medulla theologiæ moralis" of Hermann Busenbaum (d. 1688), which has become famous on account of its very extensive use (forty editions in less than twenty years during the lifetime of the author) and the number of its commentators. Among these are included Claude Lacroix, whose moral theology is considered as one of the most valuable of the eighteenth century, and St. Alphonsus Liguori, with whom, however, an entirely new epoch of moral theology commences.” — “Moral Theology”, vol. 14, by Augustinus Lehmkuhl
- “During this period, dating from the middle of the seventeenth to the middle of the eighteenth century, the following were amongst the notable theologians who remained true to Probabilism: Lugo (d. 1660), Lupus (d. 1681), Cardenas (d. 1684), Deschamps (d. 1701), Lacroix (d. 1714), Sporer (d. 1714), Salmanticenses (1717-1724), Mazzotta (d. 1748).” — “Probabilism”, vol. 12, by John M. Harty
- “Three of the greatest moralists of their respective periods, La Croix, St. Alphonsus Ligouri, and, in our own days, Ballerini, took the "Medulla" as their text and commented on it in their masterly volumes.” — “Hermann Busembaum”, vol. 3, by Timothy B. Barrett
- “These works are held in high esteem and are quoted by St. Alphonsus Liguori, La Croix, etc.” — “Domenico Viva”, vol. 15, by Ramón Ruiz Amado