Carlo Maria Curci
Encyclopedia
Carlo Maria Curci was an Italian
theologian from Naples
.
He joined the Society of Jesus
in 1826, and was devoted to the education and care of the poor and prisoners. Curci became one of the first editors of the Jesuit periodical, La Civiltà Cattolica
. He later wrote for Vincenzo Gioberti
, Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
and other advocates for reform; Cerci wrote a preface to Gioberti's Primato (1843), but dissented from his Prolegomena.
In the 1870s, Curci delivered a course on Christian philosophy in Florence and published several Scriptural works. In his edition of the New Testament
, Curci harshly criticized Italian clergy for neglecting to study Scripture.
In the meantime, he began to attack the Vatican
for its role in politics. In his work "The Modern Conflict between the Church and Italy" (Il Moderno Dissidio tra la Chiesa e l'Italia, published in 1878) he called for the separation of church and state in Italy. This was followed by "The New Italy and The Old Zealots" (La Nuova Italia ed i Vecchi Zelanti, published in 1881), another attack on the Vatican policy; and by his "Royal Vatican" (Vaticano Regio, published in 1883), in which he accuses the Vatican of selling sacred objects and declares that secularism came from the false principles accepted by the Curia.
Curci's work in Naples eventually drew him to Christian Socialism
. He was condemned in Rome, and in a letter to The Times
(September 10, 1884), he delivered an account of his disobedience to the decrees of the Roman Congregation, stating: "I am a dutiful son of the Church who hesitates to obey an order of his mother because he does not see the maternal authority in it."
Curci was expelled from the Society of Jesus
and suspended from the Church. During this time, Cardinal Henry Edward Manning put his purse at Curci's disposal. He eventually accepted the decrees against him and retracted all of his statements contrary to the ideology of the Church. Curci later retired and spent the remainder of his life in Florence. A few months before his death, he was readmitted to the Jesuit Society.
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Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
theologian from Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
He joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 1826, and was devoted to the education and care of the poor and prisoners. Curci became one of the first editors of the Jesuit periodical, La Civiltà Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica is a Rome based Italian biweekly magazine printed by the Jesuits. The bimonthly journal was founded in 1850 with papal funding by order of the Pope and readers have recognised it as representing contemporary Vatican opinion. It has been praised and highly regarded by readers...
. He later wrote for Vincenzo Gioberti
Vincenzo Gioberti
thumb|250px|Vincenzo Gioberti.Vincenzo Gioberti was an Italian philosopher, publicist and politician.-Biography:Gioberti was born in Turin....
, Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Blessed Antonio Rosmini-Serbati was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and philosopher. He founded the Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata.-Biography:...
and other advocates for reform; Cerci wrote a preface to Gioberti's Primato (1843), but dissented from his Prolegomena.
In the 1870s, Curci delivered a course on Christian philosophy in Florence and published several Scriptural works. In his edition of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, Curci harshly criticized Italian clergy for neglecting to study Scripture.
In the meantime, he began to attack the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
for its role in politics. In his work "The Modern Conflict between the Church and Italy" (Il Moderno Dissidio tra la Chiesa e l'Italia, published in 1878) he called for the separation of church and state in Italy. This was followed by "The New Italy and The Old Zealots" (La Nuova Italia ed i Vecchi Zelanti, published in 1881), another attack on the Vatican policy; and by his "Royal Vatican" (Vaticano Regio, published in 1883), in which he accuses the Vatican of selling sacred objects and declares that secularism came from the false principles accepted by the Curia.
Curci's work in Naples eventually drew him to Christian Socialism
Christian socialism
Christian socialism generally refers to those on the Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist and who see these two philosophies as being interrelated. This category can include Liberation theology and the doctrine of the social gospel...
. He was condemned in Rome, and in a letter to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
(September 10, 1884), he delivered an account of his disobedience to the decrees of the Roman Congregation, stating: "I am a dutiful son of the Church who hesitates to obey an order of his mother because he does not see the maternal authority in it."
Curci was expelled from the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
and suspended from the Church. During this time, Cardinal Henry Edward Manning put his purse at Curci's disposal. He eventually accepted the decrees against him and retracted all of his statements contrary to the ideology of the Church. Curci later retired and spent the remainder of his life in Florence. A few months before his death, he was readmitted to the Jesuit Society.
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