Louis Abelly (1603–1691) was

Vicar-General A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...

of Bayonne, a parish priest in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, and subsequently Bishop of Rodez in 1664.

Biography

In 1666 Abelly abdicated and attached himself to St. Vincent de Paul in the House of St. Lazare, Paris (

Lazarists , logo = , image = Vincentians.png , abbreviation = CM , nickname = Vincentians, Paules, Lazarites, Lazarists, Lazarians , established = , founder = Vincent de Paul , fou ...

). His ascetical works reveal his deep and sincere piety. He was a bitter foe of the

Jansenists Jansenism was an Early modern period, early modern Christian theology, theological movement within Catholicism, primarily active in the Kingdom of France, that emphasized original sin, human Total depravity, depravity, the necessity of divine g ...

, chiefly of St. Cyran, against whom he directed his ''Life of St. Vincent de Paul'', a work which

Hurter The von Hurter family belonged to the Swiss nobility; in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries three of them were known for their conversions to Roman Catholicism, their ecclesiastical careers in Austria and their theological writings. Friedr ...

describes as "full of unction." His ''Medulla Theologica'' went through many editions, and is characterized by its "solidity, directness, and usefulness." According to St. Alphonsus, Abelly is "a classic in

probabilism In theology and philosophy, probabilism (from Latin ''probare'', to test, approve) is an ancient Greek doctrine of Academic skepticism. It holds that in the absence of certainty, plausibility or truth-likeness is the best criterion. The term can ...

." His ''Défense de la hiérarchie de l'Eglise'' was directed against an anonymous Gallican writer. He wrote also two

Enchiridion Enchiridion is a small manual or handbook. It can refer more specifically to: * '' Enchiridion of Epictetus'', a short manual of Stoic ethical advice * The ''Enchiridion de metris'' of Hephaestion, an ancient treatise on poetic meters * ''Enchiri ...

s, one for bishops, another for priests; a treatise entitled ''De l'obéissance et soumission due au Pape''; and another called ''Traité des Hérésies''. Replying to a Jansenist work known as ''Monita Salutaria'', he published his ''Sentiments des SS. Pères, touchant les excellences et les prérogatives de la T.S. Vierge''.

References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Abelly, Louis 17th-century French Roman Catholic bishops Bishops of Rodez 1603 births 1691 deaths

Biography

See also

References