Moral Theology: Its Method and Masters
Domenico Viva
Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.
Jesuit · 1648–1726
In the Index: Viva, Domenico
In Prümmer's Catalogue and Haringer's Index
- “Viva, Dominicus, S.J., Italian (1648-1726 [1710]), wrote a rather well-known work, Damnatae theses ab Alexandro VII, Innocentio XI..., 3 volumes in 4to, Naples 1708 and afterward often; all his theological-moral works with observations by Franciscus Zaccaria were published, 8 volumes in 8vo, Ferrara 1757.” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
- [**: weighty, probabilist] “Viva Dominicus, Italian, S.J., taught theology for 30 years at Naples. Benedict XIV mentions him with praise (Condemned Theses. Theologico-Moral Course), died around 1710.” — Haringer's index of writers (Gury-Ballerini) (p. XXXII, 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 | |
|---|---|
| “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 |
| “Viva Dominicus, Italian, S.J., taught theology for 30 years at Naples. Benedict XIV mentions him with praise (Condemned Theses. Theologico-Moral Course), died around 1710.”Haringer marks him **, giving St. Alphonsus's judgment of him (weighty and probabilist) | Haringer's index, Index of writers, p. XXXII |
| “These agree in substantial matters with the equiprobabilists, and can be called moderate probabilists. Such are Suarez, Vasquez, Lugo, Lessius, Laymann, Sylvius, Palaus, Viva, Abelly, Reuter, Voit, etc.”Moderate probabilist. Marc calls him a moderate probabilist, agreeing in substance with the equiprobabilists, and will not attack him | Marc, Institutiones I, n. 86 |
| Charged with laxity | |
| “Chapter II — The lax opinions of several Casuists … II. Fr. Dominic Viva, question 1, article 5, no. 2: “If from a probable opinion the penitent judges that here and now he is not bound, the confessor ought to accommodate himself to the penitent's opinion, provided that opinion be truly probable, even though he himself follow the contrary judgment.”Concina's censuses of lax opinions list 13 of his opinions (the first is quoted; every one is under 'Where Our Authors Discuss Him') | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. II |
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.
| “Viva, S.J. (1726)”Vermeersch names him among the distinguished theologians of the age before St. Alphonsus, an age he calls morbid | Vermeersch, Theologia moralis I, n. 20 |
| “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 |
| “a very useful and classic work: Theses Condemned by Alexander VII”Tanquerey on his work on the condemned theses | Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 51 |
| “Chapter II — The lax opinions of several Casuists … VII. Fr. Dominic Viva, Course of Theology, Vol. I, part 3, question 4, article 5, no. 12: “Thirdly, many teach with Lessius, chap. 19, doubt 5, Molina, Granados, and others, that he who ought to have a legacy under a testament less than solemn may retain it for himself, or make compensation, on the ground that it is a probable opinion that by the law of nature such a testament is valid, and that consequently in the forum of conscience the legacies made in it are owed — although the contrary opinion be common enough and probable.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on justice, restitution, occult compensation and usury) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. VII |
| “Chapter II — The lax opinions of several Casuists … XX. Fr. Dominic Viva, in his Tract on Theology, upon this proposition 57, no. 7: “What is proscribed in this thesis is that servants may secretly compensate themselves for what they judge to be owed them in justice by way of wages.”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on justice, restitution, occult compensation and usury) | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XX |
| “Fr. Dominic Viva, Vol. I, part 3, question 6, no. 9: It follows in the fourth place that a priest who has celebrated ten Masses for money lent, if he cannot” | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XXVI |
| “Fr. Dominic Viva, Vol. I, part 3, question 7, article 1, no. 2: He who is assaulted by an open enemy, whether with arms or with insults, and can flee and” | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XXXII |
| “Fr. Dominic Viva, Vol. I, part 4, question 1, article 1: Wherefore it is lawful to sell dice and knucklebones, although I observe that the buyers will make ill” | Concina, Compendium II, bk. IX, diss. I, ch. II, n. XXXIV |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … VIII. Fr. Dominic Viva in his Course of Theology, part 5, question 3, article 2, no. 6: “I answer with the common opinion in Diana … that it is not mortal to be unwilling to receive that sacrament of confirmation, contempt and scandal being cut off.”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. VIII |
| “Chapter II — The lax propositions of the casuists … XXIX. Fr. Dominic Viva in his Tract on proposition 9 of Alexander VII, no. 8: “Besides, if the collectors of alms for Masses be priests, and Masses to be celebrated are not delivered to them, but they bear themselves as laymen who take care of the celebration of the Masses, they will be able, from Navarrus, Córdoba, and Tamburini, probably against Pellizarius and Soto, Book 9 On Justice, question 3, to take a moderate wage for their labour out of what is given for the Masses, since this seems lawful by the law of nature.””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. XXIX |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XVIII. Fr. Viva, question 4, article 4, no. 6: “The blessing of nuptials does not seem to be a grave matter, nor greatly conducing to the progress of matrimony. For the nuptial blessing is not a sacrament, but a certain sacramental, nor of so great moment as the sacramentals which are sent before Baptism.”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. XVIII |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XXXII. Fr. Dominic Viva, On the Sacrament of Matrimony, question 7, article 3, no. 9, page 153 in my copy: “Lastly, if one party have a probable opinion concerning the nullity of the marriage, and at the same time have a probable opinion concerning its validity, he can lawfully ask and render; since he can embrace whichever probable opinion he prefers, even if one be more probable than the other.””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. XXXII |
| “Chapter I — Condemned and lax propositions are recounted which regard the remaining three sacraments of extreme unction, order, and matrimony … XXXIV. Fr. Dominic Viva, question 7, article 1, no. 3: “It is asked secondly, at what time the conjugal act is unlawful? I answer that it is not unlawful on feast days, or on fast days, nor on the day of communion, nor at the time when the wife is pregnant, or suckles offspring, or suffers menstruation, nor before the nuptial blessings — although it is a counsel to abstain at those times.””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. XXXIV |
| “Chapter IV — Lax, or improbable, propositions are reviewed, which not a few Casuists teach … XVI. "One, however, who has a habit both of swearing and of lying, but not of joining an oath to a lie, if, as often as he swears, he swears advertently, and takes care not to join a lie to the oath, is not bound, under mortal sin, to extirpate such a habit."”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the oath) | Concina, Theologia V, diss. I, ch. IV, n. XVI |
| “Chapter IV — Lax, or improbable, propositions are reviewed, which not a few Casuists teach … XXIII. Fr. Domenico Viva, in his Commentary on the proscribed proposition 27 of Innocent XI: "When, however, no convenient equivocation, or external restriction, occurs, if the cause is grave, rustics can, by the use of their double knowledge, easily conceal the truth from one questioning — not with the intention of deceiving, but merely by permitting the deception."”Concina lists among the lax opinions of the casuists (on the oath) | Concina, Theologia V, diss. I, ch. IV, n. XXIII |
| “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. Domenico Viva, in his commentaries on propositions 16 and 27”Concina: he ascribes the opinion of merely material words to Soto, Valentia, Sanchez and Pallavicino, and admits it probable because three or four teach it | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XII, n. XV |
| “If this crafty escape of the Jansenists is execrated by Fr. Viva, and by all of us truly disapproved — why does he have recourse to it, so that Sánchez, with the other Casuists, may be defended? Whoever denies that the condemned propositions concerning mental restrictions are found in Sánchez, in the very terms, down to a single syllable, denies that the sun shines at midday. What flows from this doctrine of Fr. Viva's? The greatest, and most extreme, evil.”Concina: his plea that Sanchez was not condemned is the Jansenists’ own escape over the five propositions | Concina, Theologia V, diss. III, ch. XIV, n. III |
Works Our Authors Used
- Dominicus Viva, S.J. - 1) Cursus Theologiae moralis; 4 vols. Padua, 1723. - 2) Damnatae Theses... ad theolog. trutinam revocatae. (Padua, 1737). — Marc's list
- Viva, Damnatae Theses ab Alexandro VII, Innocentio XI et Alexandro VIII, necnon Jansenii, 11th ed., Padua, 1727. — Tanquerey's list
- Viva, S.J., Damnatae theses ab Alex. VII, Innoc. XI et Alexandro VIII, Naples, 1708. — Tanquerey's list
- Viva, Dominicus, S.J., 1648-1710, Damnatae theses ab Alexandro VII, Innocentio IX et Alexandro VIII, Naples, 1708. — Tanquerey's list
In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
“Domenico Viva”, vol. 15, by Ramón Ruiz Amado. Public domain; transcription from Wikisource.
Writer, b. at Lecce, 19 Oct., 1648; d. 5 July, 1726. He entered the Society of Jesus 12 May, 1663. He taught he humanities and Greek, nine years' philosophy, eight years moral theology, eight years' Scholastic theology, was two years prefect of studies, was rector of the College of Naples in 1711, and provincial of Naples. Works: (1) "Enchiridion", a work relating to the jubilee, especially that of the Holy Year, and in general concerning indulgences; (2) a course of theology for schools, compiled from his lectures at the college of Naples; (3) "Opuscula theologico-moralia", for students; (4) a course of moral theology. These works are held in high esteem and are quoted by St. Alphonsus Liguori, La Croix, etc.; (5) "Trutina theologica damnatarum thesium" (1708), his most famous work, in four parts and two volumes. In the first volume are enumerated the propositions condemned by three popes: 45 by Alexander VII, 65 by Innocent XI, 39 by Alexander VIII, and the 5 condemned propositions of the "Augustinus" of Jansenius. The second volume is devoted to the study and refutation of the 101 propositions of Quesnel, condemned by the Bull "Unigenitus" of Clement XI in 1713. The first volume had been published in 1708 and by 1757 had reached sixteen editions, and in the same period vol. II had gone through six editions. To some editions were added the valuable comments of Father Antonio Zaccharia, librarian of the House of Este, in which pontifical documents are cited and the author defended against Daniel Concina, Giovanni Vincenzo Patuzzi, and others. The third edition (Benevento, 1717) contains a treatise in which appeal to a future council is declared illegal when the pope has spoken and the Church, spread over the entire world, has accepted his judgment; which is demonstrated by the testimony of the oecumenical councils and by the assemblies of the French clergy.
SOMMERVOGEL, Bibl. de la C. de J.; FELLER, Dict. hist. (Paris, 1838); VIVA, Opera (Ferrara, 1757); Menolog. S.J., 5 July.
RAMÓN RUIZ AMADO