Auguste Joseph Alphonse Gratry (usually known as ''Joseph Gratry''; 10 March 1805 − 6 February 1872) was a

French Catholic , native_name_lang = fr , image = 060806-France-Paris-Notre Dame.jpg , imagewidth = 200px , alt = , caption = Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris , abbreviation = , type ...

priest, author and

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

Biography

Gratry was born at

Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...

and educated at the

École Polytechnique École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

of Paris. In 1828, he went on to study theology at

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

in Strasbourg under the tutelage of the abbé Bautain. After a period of mental struggle which he has described in ''Souvenirs de ma jeunesse'', he was ordained a priest in

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

in 1832. After a stay there as professor of the Petit Séminaire, he was appointed director of the Collège Stanislas in

Paris Paris () is the capital and 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), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in 1842 and, in 1847, chaplain of the

École Normale Supérieure École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

. He was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor in 1845. In 1852 he and Abbé Pierre Pététot revived

Bérulle Bérulle () is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France. History Berulle's history dates back to the 12th century when it was a part of a small chastelleny under the county of Champagne. Over time, Berulle's ownership changed ...

Congregation of the Oratory The Confederation of Oratories of Saint Philip Neri ( la, Confoederatio Oratorii Sancti Philippi Nerii) abbreviated CO and commonly known as the Oratorians is a Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men (priests and lay- ...

. Gratry was a brilliant academic, holding

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

s in both the humanities and

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

. He envisioned communities which could be schools of theological exploration, working with the scientific focus of modern society. He became vicar-general for the bishop of Orleans in 1861, professor of moral theology at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

in 1863, and, on the death of Barante, a member of the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

in 1867, where he occupied the seat formerly held by

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...

. Together with Abbé Philippe Pététot, pastor of

Saint Roch Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79 (traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327, also called Rock in English, is a Catholic saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he is especially invoked a ...

, and

Hyacinthe de Valroger Hyacinthe de Valroger, CO (6 January 1814, at Caen – 10 October 1876), was a French Catholic priest and Oratorian. Career As a young man, Valroger first studied medicine, but later entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1837, af ...

, Joseph Gratry reconstituted the

French Oratory The Congregation of the Oratory of Jesus and Mary Immaculate (french: Société de l'Oratoire de Jésus et de Marie Immaculée, la, Congregatio Oratorii Iesu et Mariæ), best known as the French Oratory, is a society of apostolic life of Cathol ...

, a society of priests mainly dedicated to education.

Death

Gratry developed throat cancer at the end of his life and went to

Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...

, Switzerland, for treatment, where he died. He was buried in

Montparnasse Cemetery Montparnasse Cemetery (french: link=no, Cimetière du Montparnasse) is a cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, in the city's 14th arrondissement. The cemetery is roughly 47 acres and is the second largest cemetery in Paris. The cemetery ...

in Paris by his sister.

Works

* ''De la connaissance de Dieu'', (The Knowledge of God) opposing

Positivism Positivism is an empiricist philosophical theory that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positive—meaning ''a posteriori'' facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience.John J. Macionis, Linda M. G ...

(1855) * ''La Logique'' (1856) * ''Les Sources, conseils pour la conduite de l'esprit'' (1861−1862) * ''La Philosophie du credo'' (1861) * ''Commentaire sur l'évangile de Saint Matthieu'' (1863) * ''Jésus-Christ: réponse à M. Renan'' (1864) * ''Les Sophistes et la critique'' (in controversy with E. Vacherot) (1864) * ''La Morale et la loi de l'histoire'', (Morality and the law of History), (1868) * ''Mgr. l'évêque d'Orléans et Mgr. l'archevêque de Malines'' (1869), containing a clear exposition of the historical arguments against the doctrine of papal infallibility.

References

Sources

* Marias, Julian. ''La filosofia del Padre Gratry''; 2nd ed. Buenos Aires: Editorial Sudamericana, 1948 (in Spanish)

External links