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# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abraham-ben-Méir Aben-Ezra

From volume 1 of the work.
​Aben-Ezra (Or Ibn 'ezra), Abraham-ben-Méir, a celebrated Spanish Rabbi, born at Toledo in 1092; died on his journey from Rome, or Rodez, to his native land, 23 January, 1167. He excelled in philosophy, astronomy, medicine, poetry, linguistics, and exegesis. He was called the Wise, the Great, the Admirable Doctor. Having to leave his native city on account of the vexations inflicted on the Jews, he travelled through a great part of Europe, through Egypt and Palestine. Rome, London, Narbonne, Mantua, Verona, and Rodez are some of the places he visited. His chief work is his commentary on the Sacred Books, which is nearly complete, the Books of Paralipomenon being the only ones missing. His commentary on the Pentateuch appeared in several revisions. In his commentary Aben-Ezra adheres to the literal sense of the Sacred Books, avoiding Rabbinic allegories and Cabbalistic extravagances, though he remains faithful to the Jewish traditions. This does not prevent him from exercising an independent criticism, which, according to some writers, even borders on rationalism. But in his other works he follows the Cabbalistic views. "The Book of the Secrets of the Law", "The Mystery of the Form of the Letters", "The Enigma of the Quiescent Letters", "The Book of the Name", "The Book of the ​Balance of the Sacred Language", "The Book of Purity [of the Language]" are perhaps the most important of his works of this kind. They were written during his life of travel, and they reflect the unsteadiness of his outward circumstances. Taking Aben-Ezra's work as a whole, it consists rather in popularizing Rabbinic Andalusian ideas on Latin and Saxon soil than in producing original thought.
Levesque, in Vig., Dict. de la Bible (Paris 1895); Welte, in Kirchenlex, (Freiburg, 1882); Jewish Encyclopedia, VI, 520 sq. (New York, 1904).
A. J. Maas.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abraham Woodhead

From volume 15 of the work.
Born at Almonbury, Yorkshire, about March, 1609; died at Hoxton, Middlesex, 4 May, 1678. This voluminous controversial writer was educated at University College, Oxford, entering in 1624, becoming fellow in 1633, and proctor in 1641. While travelling abroad in 1645 he began to think of joining the Catholic Church, but the exact date of his reception is not known. Ejected from his fellowship in 1648, he became tutor to the young Duke of Buckingham, and then lived with the Earl of Essex and other friends till 1654, when he and some other Catholics purchased a house at Hoxton, where they lived a community life, occupying themselves in devotion and study. In 1660 his fellowship was restored, but after a brief residence in Oxford he returned to the more congenial surroundings at Hoxton, where, assured of the income of his fellowship, he lived till his death occupied in literary labours. His friend Hearne the antiquarian declared him to be "one of the greatest men that ever this nation produced". Among his numerous books the chief original works were "Ancient Church Government", 5 parts (1662-85); "Guide in Controversies" (1667), and a long appendix thereto (1675); four theological works against Stillingfleet; "Life of Christ" (1685); "Motives to Holy Living" (1688); "Discourse on the Eucharist" (1688); "On Images and Idolatry" (1689), and an incomplete treatise on Antichrist (1689). He also translated the "Life of St. Teresa" and St. Augustine's "Confessions", and paraphrased the Epistles of St. Paul (with Walker and Allestree) and the Apocalypse. A large collection of his unpublished manuscripts, with autograph letters and writings relating to him, which was formed in the eighteenth century by Cuthbert Constable, is now in the possession of Sir Thomas Brooke, F.S.A., of Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield.
BERINGTON, Life of Abraham Woodhead, prefixed to part III of his Ancient Church Government (1736); NICHOLSON, Few particulars relating to Mr. Woodhead's life and works, in MS., but used by COOPER in Dict. Nat. Biog., who also gives a complete list of the works: BROOKE, Catalogue of books and MSS. collected by Thomas Brooke (1891); DODD, Church History, III (Brussels vere Wolverhampton, 1742); WOOD, Athenae Oxonienses (London, 1813-20), Catholic Miscellany (1825); GILLOW in Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath., with complete list of works.
Edwin Burton.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Dulia

From volume 5 of the work.
(Greek doulia; Lat. servitus), a theological term signifying the honour paid to the saints, while means worship given to God alone, and hyperdulia the veneration offered to the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Augustine (De Civ. Dei, X, ii, 1) distinguishes two kinds of servitus: "one which is due to men . . . which in Greek is called dulia; the other, latria, which is the service pertaining to the worship of God". St. Thomas (II-II:103:3) bases the distinction on the difference between God's supreme dominion and that which one man may exercise over another. Catholic theologians insist that the difference is one of kind and not merely of degree; dulia and latria being as far apart as are the creature and the Creator. Leibniz, though a Protestant, recognizes the "discrimen infinitum atque immensum between the honour which is due to God and that which is shown to the saints, the one being called by theologians, after Augustine's example, latria, the other dulia"; and he further declares that this difference should "not only be inculcated in the minds of hearers and learners, but should also be manifested as far as possible by outward signs" (Syst. theol., p. 184). A further distinction is made between dulia in the absolute sense, the honour paid to persons, and dulia in the relative sense, the honour paid to inanimate objects, such as images and relics. With regard to the saints, dulia includes veneration and invocation; the former being the honour paid directly to them, the latter having primarily in view the petitioner's advantage. More detailed explanation of dulia and the reasons for which it is shown to persons or things will be found in the articles IMAGES, RELICS, SAINTS. See also ADORATION and WORSHIP.
E. A. PACE
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Durand Ursin

From volume 5 of the work.
Name is actually Ursin Durand.
A Benedictine of the Maurist Congregation, b. 20 May, 1682, at Tours; d. 31 Aug., 1771, at Paris. He took vows in the monastery of Marmoutier at the age of nineteen and devoted hirnself especially to the study of diplomatics. In April, 1709, he joined his confrère Edmond Martène, who was making a literary tour through France with the purpose of collecting material for a new edition of a "Gallia Christiana". After searching the archives of more than eight hundred abbeys and one hundred cathedral churches, they returned in 1713 to the monastery of St-Germain-des-Prés, laden with all kinds of valuable historical documents, many of which were included in "Gallia Christiana", while the others were published in a separate work, entitled "Thesaurus novus Anecdotorum" (5 vols. folio, Paris, 1717). In 1718 the two Maurists started on a new literary tour through Germany and the Netherlands to collect material for Bouquet's "Rerum Gallicarum et Francicarum Scriptores". Besides collecting valuable material for Bouquet's work they gathered an immense mass of other historical documents which they publisbed in a large work entitled "Veterum scriptorum et monumentorum historicorum, dogmatiorum et moralium amplissima collectio" (9 vols. fol. Paris, 1724-33). They also jointly published in French a learned account of their journeys: "Voyage littéraire de deux Religieux Bénédictins de la Congrégation de St. Maur" (2 vols. Paris, 1717 and 1724). In addition to the works which Durand published jointly with Martène, he also collaborated with Dantine and Clémencet in a French work on diplomatics, entitled "L'Art de vérifier les dates", continued Constant's "Collection of Papal Letters", assisted Sabatier with the edition of the "Itala" and contributed to many other Maurist publications. In 1734 he was banished from the monastery of St-Germain-des-Prés as a Jansenist "Appellant", at the instance of Cardinal de Bissy. He was sent to the monastery of St. Eloi in Noyon. After two years he was permitted to repair to the monastery of Blancs-manteaux in Paris; where he spent the remainder of his life in literary pursuits.
MICHAEL OTT
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Dungal

From volume 5 of the work.
Irish monk, teacher, astronomer, and poet who flourished about 820. He is mentioned in 811 as an Irish priest and scholar at the monastery of St-Denis near Paris. In that year he wrote a letter to Charlemagne explaining the eclipse of the sun which was supposed to have taken place in 810. In one of Alcuin's letters (M. G., Epp., IV, 437) he is alluded to as a bishop. In 823 he is mentioned in a "capitulary" of Lothair, and in 825 in an imperial decree by which he was appointed "master" of the school at Pavia. This is the last mention of Dungal in the public records of the empire. In 827 or 828 he appeared against Claudius, Bishop of Turin, in a work defending the veneration of images. From the fact that he bequeathed his books to the library of St. Columbanus at Bobbio it is inferred that he spent his last days in the Irish monastery on the Trebbia. The date of his death is unknown. His books, many of them at least, were transferred by Cardinal Federigo Borromeo to the Ambrosian Library in Milan, where they now are.
Some historians doubt whether the Dungal of St-Denis and the adversary of Claudius are one person. The prevalent opinion, however, is that they are one and the same. In his letter to Charlemagne Dungal brings to bear on the question of eclipses a knowledge of astronomy far beyond the current ideas of the time. His "Reply" to Claudius is enriched with many citations from the Greek and Latin Fathers and from the liturgical hymns of the Church. The poems ascribed in most manuscripts to Exul Hibernicus are believed by Dümmler, editor of the "Poetæ Ævi Carolini", to have been written by Dungal, who like many of his fellow-exiles from Ireland styles himself peregrinus, exul, pauper et peregrinus. Only three of them bear the name Dungal. They are interesting from many points of view, especially from that of the historian who searches the records of Charlemagne's reign for the all too scanty references to the personal feelings and the attitude of mind of the Irish scholars who flocked to the Continent of Europe in the ninth century. Yet they do not enable us to determine when and where Dungal was born, though from the fact that among his books which he presented to the Library of Bobbio is the "Antiphonary of Bangor", it is inferred that he spent the ears of his student life in Ireland at the famous Bangor school. Mabillon published a ninth-century poem from which it appears that Dungal enjoyed among his contemporaries a reputation for more than ordinary learning.
Neues Arciv der Gesllsch. f. deutsche Geschichskunde, IV, 254; Poetæ ævi Carolini, (Berlin, 1881), I, 393; MURATORI, Antiq. Ital., III, dis. xliii; TIRABOSCHI, Storia della letter. italiana, III, 163; Catholic University Bulletin (Washington, 1907), XIII, 11 sqq.
WILLIAM TURNER
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Durandus of Troarn

From volume 5 of the work.
French Benedictine and ecclesiastical writer, b. about 1012, at Le Neubourg near Evreux; d. 1089, at Troarn near Caen. Affiliated from early childhood to the Benedictine community of Mont-Sainte-Cathérine and of Saint-Vandrille, he was made abbot of the newly founded Saint-Martin of Troarn by William, Duke of Normandy, in whose esteem he stood on a par with Lanfranc, Anselm, and Gerbert. Ordericus Vitalis calls him ecclesiastici cantus et dogmatis doctor peritissimus. Of his achievements in sacred music we know nothing beyond that mention, but we have his "Liber de Corpore et Sanguine Domini" (P.L., CXLIX, 1375) against Berengarius. The ninth and last part of it contains precious historical information about the heresiarch. In Durandus's mind Berengarius is a figurist pure and simple, after the manner of Scotus Eriugena, whose now lost book he is said to have possessed and used. In the rest of his book Durandus follows Paschasius, whom he somewhat emphatically styles Divini sacramenti scrutator diligentissimus discussorque catholicus, and from whom he borrows both his patristic apparatus and his theological views. Turmel, however, notes that Durandus quotes new texts of Bede, Amalarius, Fulbert de Chartres, and St. John Chrysostom. His presentation of the Eucharistic dogma is frankly Ambrosian, i.e. he maintains with Paschasius and Gerbert the conversion of the bread and wine into the identical body and blood of Christ, thus excluding the Augustinian theory of the Praesentia spiritalis still held by some of his contemporaries and contributing to prepare the definition of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). Durandus explains with skill the Augustinian texts, chiefly in the "De doctrinâ christianâ" and the "Letter to Boniface", misused by Berengarius; but in the last analysis he appeals to the argument of authority already used by Guitmond (P.L., CXLIX, 1415): "The saintly Doctor of Hippo, wearied by the labours of composition, fails at times to clearly bring out his thought. Hence he may appear obscure to the unlearned and even become a source of error. If perchance he should have erred in so great a mystery, we should then bethink ourselves of the Apostolic saying: 'But though an angel from heaven preach a gospel to you besides that which you have received, let him be anathema'" (loc. cit., 1415). Durandus wrote also against Berengarius a poem of 900 verses, of which twenty-five preface the above treatise and thirteen are quoted in Mabillon's "Annales" (LXIV, 119), the rest being unpublished. Migne (loc. cit.) appends to the "Liber" two epitaphs composed by Durandus, one for Abbot Ainard and the other for the Countess Mabile. (See BERENGARIUS OF TOURS.)
J. F. SOLLIER.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Duties of Relatives

From volume 12 of the work.
The general precept of charity obliging us to love our neighbour as ourselves is of course applicable to our relatives. The tie of kinship, particularly in the nearer degrees, confers upon the command a special emphasis. Thus, there is established an order of preference in favour of relatives in the observance of the law. St. Thomas teaches that the strength of the affection we have for another is contingent upon the intimacy of the bonds that unite us. No set of relations antedates that of the family, nor is there any more lasting. Ordinarily, therefore, we are to love those of our own kindred more than mere friends, and that notwithstanding whatever excellences these latter may happen to possess. This is true not only of natural affection, but also of the supernatural act of charity. Theologians have endeavoured to determine what is the respective rank enjoyed by relatives as claimants for our attachment. They seem to be pretty well agreed that husband or wife hold the first place; then follow children, next parents, brothers, and sisters. It is obvious however that; the succession here indicated, valid as it may be in the abstract, is often for good reasons subject to change. In any case its inversion would not be a grievous sin. There is no doubt but that we are bound to succour relatives in distress. All that is usually laid down in general about the duty of almsgiving both corporal and spiritual, holds good with added force when our kinsfolk are to be the recipients. Other things being equal, they are to be aided if need be to the exclusion of any one else. A disposition to set no store by this obligation would seem to deserve the condemnation of St. Paul in the First Epistle of Timothy (v, 8): "It any man have not care of his own, and especially those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel."
SLATER, Manual of Moral Theology (New York, 1908); RICKABY, Moral Teaching of St. Thomas (London, 1896); D'ANNIBALE, Summula Theologiæ Moralis (Rome, 1908).
JOSEPH F. DELANY.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Durandus of Saint-Pourçain

From volume 5 of the work.
Philosopher and theologian, b. at Saint-Pourçain, Auvergne France; d. 13 September, 1332, at Meaux. He entered the Dominican Order at Clermont and obtained the doctor's degree at Paris in 1313. John XXII called him to Avignon as Master of the Sacred Palace, where he expounded the Scriptures. In 1318 he was consecrated Bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay and was transferred to Meaux in 1326. He is known as Doctor Resolutissimus owing to his strenuous advocacy of certain opinions novel to the Schoolmen of his day. His writings include commentaries on the "Sentences" (Paris, 1508); "De origine jurisdictionum" (Paris, 1506); and a treatise on the condition of holy souls after their separation from the body. His nominalism was so much opposed to the contemporary philosophic realism that the third period of Scholasticism is made to begin with him. He rejects both the sensible and the intelligible species, introduced, he says, to explain sense-perception, as also the active intellect. He denies the principle of individuation as distinct from the specific nature of the individual. In theology he argues for a separation of natural knowledge from that obtained through faith and revelation. Certain dogmas, as that of the Trinity, cannot be shown not to contain impossibilities, but to believe them, withal increases the merit of faith. Because the miracles of Christ do not prove His Divinity, His acceptance by the faithful enhances the merit of believing. After all, he says, theology is not strictly a science, since it rests on faith, not on the first principles of knowledge. In theology it is sufficient to know the idea of him who, being inspired, cannot err. He teaches, besides, that all actions proceed from God Who gives the power to act, but this is no immediate influx of the Creator upon the actions of the creature. The sacraments are only causes without which grace is not conferred. Marriage is not strictly a sacrament. He also insinuates that Christ could be present in the Eucharist with the substances of bread and wine remaining. Throughout, Durandus shows admirable submission to the corrective prerogative of the Church, the exercise of which was not unnecessary. By order of John XXII the treatise "De statu animarum" was examined and was found to contain eleven errors.
QUÉTIF-ECHARD, Scriptores O. P., I, 586; STÖCKL, Geschichte der Philosophie im M. A., II, 976; HAURÉAU, De la philosophie scolastique, Pt. II (Paris, 1880), II 3446; MORTIER, Histoire de mâitres géneraux de l'Ordre da Frères Prêcheurs (Paris, 1907) III, 69-86; La faculté de théologie de Paris et ses docteurs la plus célèbres, III, 401-408.
THOS. M. SCHWERTNER
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Diocese of Malacca

From volume 9 of the work.
(Malacensis)
The Diocese of Malacca comprises the southern portions of the Malay Peninsula, otherwise known as the Straits Settlements. It includes Singapore Island, the Malacca territory proper, Province Wellesley and Penang Island, the Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Pahang, Kelantan, and Trengganu districts — an area of about 400 miles north to south, and 200 east to west. Although outside India proper, the See of Malacca is suffragan to Pondicherry. The Chatolic population is reckoned at about 28,000, out of a total of about 1,800,000. Both bishop and clergy, as in all the other dioceses of the Pondicherry province, belong to the Paris Society of Foreign Missions. The priests number forty-two, having charge of fifty-seven churches and chapels. Besides these there are five religious communities for men (Brothers of the Christian Schools), and seven for women (Dames de St-Maur). The cathedral is at Singapore (Cathedral of the Good Shepherd). There is a college for the education of native clergy at Penang. The mission possesses 49 schools, in which 6660 children are educated.
History
Malacca was erected by Paul IV into a diocese under the Portuguese Patronage in 1557, and so continued till 1838, when, by the Brief "Multa Praeclare" jurisdiction was withdrawn from the see and transferred to the Vicariate Apostolic of Ava and Pegu (Burma). But the clergy of this vicariate being insufficient to cope with the work, the whole Malay Peninsula was in 1840 placed under the jurisdiction of the Vicar Apostolic of Siam, with a view to its erection into a separate vicariate. This was effected by the Brief "Universi Dominici Gregis" of 10 September, 1841. First called Western Siam, and then the Vicariate Apostolic of the Malay Peninsula, it was on 10 August, 1888, elevated into a diocese, the old See of Malacca being revived by Leo XIII, and by a subsequent decree made suffragan to Pondicherry. Rt. Rev. Edouard Gasnier, who had been vicar Apostolic from 1878, was appointed the first bishop. He was succeeded in 1896 by Rt. Rev. Rene Fee (1896-1904). The present bishop is Rt. Rev. Emil Barrilon.
Madras Catholic Directory (1909); Launay, Hist. generale de la Soc. des Missions-Etrangeres (3 vol., Paris, 1894); Idem, Atlas des Missions (Paris).
Ernest R. Hull.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Diocese of Lugos

From volume 9 of the work.
Lugos, Diocese of, in Hungary, suffragan of Fogaras and Alba Julia of the Uniat-Rumanian Rite, was erected in November, 1853, with that of Armenopolis, or Szamos-Ujvár, out of parishes taken away from Fogaras and Grosswardein (Nagy-Várad); it had then 90 parishes and about 47,000 faithful. Its first bishop, Mgr Dobra, 1854-70, was also the first of all the Austro-Hungarian clergy of the Byzantine Rite to obtain the title of Doctor; in spite of countless difficulties, he contributed by his learning and holy life to bring several thousand Orthodox back to Catholicism. As his diocese had no foundation, Mgr Dobra established the Rudolph foundation for poor students and another for aged priests or widowers. After him the diocese was administered by Mgr John Olteanu, transferred to Grosswardein in 1873; Mgr Victor Mihályi de Apsia, 1874-96, subsequently transferred to the archiepiscopal See of Fogaras, and during whose episcopacy a diocesan synod was held in November, 1882; Mgr Demetrias Radu, 1896-1903, to-day occupying the See of Grosswardein; finally, Mgr Basil Hosszu the present bishop. This very extensive diocese comprises the Counties of Krassó-Szörény, Torontal, Temes, Hunyad, and a part of Arad; it contains about 98,000 Uniat-Rumanians, 552,000 Catholics of the Latin Rite, 1,002,000 Orthodox Rumanians, several thousand Protestants and Jews. There are 15 unmarried priests, 139 married, and 29 widowers; 163 parishes, 149 churches with resident priest, 14 without priest, 85 primary schools with an attendance of 6730. The diocese has no seminary, but twenty-two ecclesiastical students are being trained elsewhere. The city of Lugos itself has 16,000 inhabitants, 1030 Uniat-Rumanians, 7440 Latins, 4760 Orthodox Rumanians; the remainder Protestants or Jews. Situated on the right bank of the Temes, a tributary of the Danube, in Krasso-Szörény county, it has a church built by Etienne Bathory, a Franciscan monastery, and several other objects of interest. It was the last place of resort of the Hungarian Government of 1849. Its trade is fairly important; in the suburbs are fine vineyards.
S. VAILHÉ