Villanova University
VU Links
Mission & Heritage Log on  
Villanova University


Biographical Notes on the Authors

Adam of Perseigne More Information

Aelred (1109 - 1167) was a member of the Cistercian Order who later became abbot of Rievaulx and was noted for his theological and spiritual writings. More Information

Alonso de Orozco (1500 - 1591), Augustinian friar and great preacher of the court of Spain under Charles V, was author of many spiritual treatises and prominent in the golden age of Spanish literature.

Ambrose (339 - 397), bishop of Milan, was a noted preacher and writer. He baptized Saint Augustine of Hippo.
More Information

Anastasius of Sinai (~599), patriarch of Antioch, was known for his theological writings. More Information

Andrew of Crete (660 - 720) was a Damascene monk in Jerusalem who represented his patriarch at the Third Council of Constantinople. He was a remarkable orator and one of the principal hymnographers of the Eastern Church. More Information

Angela of Foligno (1248 - 1309) was a married woman who dedicated her life, after the death of her husband and children, to following Christ and making known the God-man. More Information

Anonymous Syrian Writer

Anselm (1033 - 1109), archbishop of Canterbury, made an outstanding contribution to the speculative thought of his day. More Information

Anthony of Padua (1195 - 1231), born in Lisbon, a canon regular of Saint Augustine and later a Franciscan, preached in Italy and France with marvelous effect. More Information

Asterius, metropolitan of Amasea, was a preacher of considerable power. He lived in the fourth century. More Information

Athanasius (296 - 373), bishop of Alexandria, was the principal defender against the Arians regarding faith in the divinity of Christ. More Information

Augustine (354 - 430), bishop of Hippo, became the most influential person of the Western Church and left many writings to posterity. More Information

Baldwin (~1190), archbishop of Canterbury, was a member and later abbot of the Cistercian monasteryat Ford, England. His writings form a bridge between the monastic schools and scholasticism.

Basil the Great (330-379), bishop of Caesarea, organized Cappadocian monasticism and left many writings as his legacy. More Information

Basil (~459), archbishop of Seleucia, left thirty-nine homilies which show his concern to place the exegesis of his time within the reach of all.

Bede (673 - 735), called the Venerable, devoted his life to the study of scripture and left many commentaries on it. He is known also for his historical works. More Information

Bernard (1090 - 1153), abbot of Clairvaux, was a monk whose writings show an intimate knowledge of scripture and mysticism. More Information

Birgitta of Sweden (1302 - 1373), born into wealth and aristocracy, a happily married mother, a religious foundress, a mystical visionary, devoted her life to asceticism and preached peace to the rulers of Europe and strove to persuade the popes to return to Rome.

Bonaventure (1217 - 1274), cardinal bishop of Albano, played an important role in the events of the Council of Lyons in 1274. More Information

Bruno (~1123), bishop of Segni, was a great commentator on scripture and helped Gregory VII in his reform of the Church. More Information

Nicolas Cabasilas (1322 - 1387), a native of Thessalonica, was praised by the Council of Trent and by Bossuet for his treatment of deification by means of the sacraments.

Caesarius (470 - 543), archbishop of Arles, was very much influenced by Saint Augustine and combated semi-pelagianism at the Council of Orange in 529. More Information

Catherine of Genoa (1447 - 1510) after ten unhappy years of marriage was suddenly converted to ardent love of God as was her husband. Both cared for the sick in a hospital in Genoa. Her teachings were compiled by others. More Information

Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380) served the people of Siena with her good works and the Church at large with her peacemaking. More Information

Chromatius (355 - 407), bishop of Aquileia, was a zealous pastor whose teaching centered on the liturgical year, the mystery of Christ, and the Church. More Information

Clement (~101), bishop of Rome from 92 to 101. His letter to the Corinthians is the earliest Christian writing apart from the New Testament. More Information

Clement (150 - 215), director of the catechetical school of Alexandria for a time, may be considered the founder of speculative theology. More Information

Cyprian (~285), bishop of Carthage in Northern Africa, had a keen sense of the unity of the Church. More Information

Cyril (316 - 386), bishop of Jerusalem, has left us a precious legacy of twenty-four catechetical sermons. More Information

Cyril (~444), patriarch of Alexandria, was a brilliant theologian who combatted the Arian and Nestorian heresies. Cyril presided at the Council of Ephesus in 431 where Mary's title as Mother of God was solemnly recognized. More Information

Denis the Carthusian (1408 - 1471), greatly influenced by the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius, wrote precious biblical commentaries.

Didymus of Alexandria (318 - 398) was the head of the catechetical school at Alexandria. His teachings influenced Gregory of Nazianzen, Jerome, and Rufinus.

Eadmer of Canterbury (1060 - 1124), a Benedictine and follower of Saint Anselm, was a hagiographer and devotional writer. He wrote a treatise on Mary's conception which contains the first theological defense of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. More Information

Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1327), the Dominican master of theology, used daring paradox to make people aware of the limitations of the human mind. More Information

Ephrem (306 - 373), deacon of Edessa, was a great poet who used his talent to write about the Christian mysteries in poetic form. More Information

Epiphanius (5th - 6th century), the Latin, wrote commentary on the synoptic gospels.

Erasmus (1466 - 1536), canon regular of Saint Augustine, was a prolific writer during his time and had a great influence in all fields of knowledge.

John Scotus Erigena (810 - 877) received his early education in Ireland, the country of his birth. He wrote the first medieval theological synthesis which shows a strong influence of the Greek theological tradition.

John Eudes (1601 - 1860) joined the secular clergy and then the Oratory. He was a great preacher and also founded a religious congregation for the running of seminaries.

Eusebius (263 - 340), bishop of Caesarea, is chiefly known for his Ecclesiastical History. More Information

William Flete (1325 - 1390), an Augustinian friar, led the life of a hermit in Lecceto, near Siena, and was a friend and spiritual adviser to Saint Catherine of Siena of whom he wrote a moving testimony. More Information

Francis of Assisi (1193 - 1253) was converted from a frivolous life to one of renunciation. He embarked on the life of a poor, itinerant preacher proclaiming a message on penance and peace. Men joined him and the brotherhood and later the order began. More Information

Francis de Paola (1416 - 1507) followed the ideal of Saint Francis and typified that constant renewal in the Church in the spirit of the desert fathers. More Information

Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622), bishop of Geneva, worked zealously to bring the people of Chablais from Calvinism to Catholicism. Together with his friend Saint Jane Frances de Chantal he founded the Order of the Visitation. More Information

Fulbert of Chartres (960 - 1028) was born in Italy and was appointed chancellor of the cathedral school of Chartres where later he became the bishop. He contributed much to the spiritual renewal of his day. More Information

Fulgentius (468 - 533), bishop of Ruspe in northern Africa, was a faithful disciple of Augustine and the best theologian of his time. More Information

Gaudentius of Brescia (~410), a friend of Saint Ambrose and Saint John Chrysostom, was noted for his sermons on the Eucharist. More Information

Germanus (640 - 733), patriarch of Constantinople, was involved in heresies. His writings witness to the developing doctrine about our Lady. More Information

Gilbert of Hoyland (~1172), a Cistercian, wrote in the style of Saint Bernard, whose commentary on the Song of Songs he completed.

Giles of Rome (1243 - 1316), Augustinian friar and archbishop of Bourges, was an outstanding theologian who not only wrote theological treatises but left a magnificent series of homilies.

Giles of Viterbo (1469 - 1532), and Augustinian friar and later a cardinal, was a true renaissance person who worked for reform in his Augustinian Order and in the Church.

Godfrey (~1165) was abbot of Admont in Styria. He is best known for his Sunday and feast day sermons.

Gregory of Elvira (357 - 392) fought against Arianism and defended the Nicene Creed in action and in writing. He was an exegete who wrote principally on the Old Testament.

Gregory the Great (540 - 604), bishop of Rome from 590 to 604, left examples of his preaching to the Roman people. His Book of Pastoral Rule became the textbook of medieval bishops. More Information

Gregory Nazianzen (329 - 389) was one of the three great Cappadocian Fathers whose preaching helped to restore the Nicene faith and led to its final acceptance by the Council of Constantinople in 381. More Information

Gregory of Nyssa (330 - 395), younger brother of Basil the Great and bishop of Nyssa, was the greatest speculative theologian of the three great Cappadocian Fathers. More Information

Gregory Palamas (1296 - 1359), bishop of Thessalonica, stressed the biblical teaching that the human body and soul form a single united whole.

Guerric of Igny (1070 - 1157), abbot of the Cistercian abbey of Igny, lived a life of retired study and prayer and left a collection of Sunday and feast day homilies.

Haymo of Halberstadt (778 - 853) became abbot of Hersfeld and later bishop of Halberstadt. He wrote treatises on various subjects and commentaries on the books of the bible. More Information

Henry of Friemar (~1340), an Augustinian friar, was influenced by Giles of Rome. He passed on to the Augustinian Order valuable historical data as well as his many homilies, but he likewise wrote treatises on the spiritual life, especially on discernment.

Hesychius of Jerusalem (~451) was a monk who was highly esteemed as a priest and preacher of Jerusalem. He was a defender of orthodoxy and a gifted interpreter of scripture.

Hilary (315 - 367) of Poitiers, wrote a treatise on the Trinity and some exegetical works. More Information

Hildegard of Bingen (1098 - 1179), a German nun, mystic, prophet, and political moralist, was widely consulted as an oracle and wrote prolifically on doctrinal matters. More Information

Walter Hilton (~1396), an Augustinian canon and outstanding mystic, left a legacy of writings, especially The Scale of Perfection. More Information

Hippolytus (170 - 236), the first anti-pope, was reconciled with the pope and later both died as martyrs for the faith. More Information

Johannes Hoffmeister (~1547) was an extraordinary although frustrated defender of the faith who died before he reached thirty-eight years of age. He published commentaries on the synoptic gospels and on other books of the New Testament. He left many sermons. All his work was designed to forearm the faithful against Lutheran errors.

Hugh of Saint Victor (1096 - 1141), an Augustinian canon, became one of the most profound theologians of his time. He wrote many biblical commentaries and other works.

Ignatius of Antioch (~100) left seven letters written to various communities he visited on his way from Antioch to Rome. These letters offer us insights into the Church in that era and also a wealth of theological insights. More Information

Irenaeus (140 - 200), bishop of Lyons, wrote a monumental work Against the Heresies. At the heart of his theology is a vision of the unity and the the recapitulation of all things in Christ. More Information

Isaac of Stella (1105 - 1178), a Cistercian monk of English origin, was abbot of Stella and promoted monastic life.

Isidore of Sevilla (560 - 636), bishop of his native city, played a major role in Spanish synods. He wrote an encyclopedia of classical learning. More Information

Ivo of Chartres (1040 - 1116), an Augustinian canon and later bishop of Chartres, left many letters and some sermons. More Information

Jacob of Sarugh (451 - 521), a Syrian Orthodox poet, was made bishop of Batnae near Edessa. His writings include letters, sermons, biographies, and hymns.

Jean de Fécamp (990 - 1078), abbot, lived at the time of the monastic reform from Cluny and found a strong center in Fécamp. He based his work on the speculative mysticism of Saint Augustine.

Jerome (342 - 420) was a translator of the bible into Latin from the original languages. He commented on many books of sacred scripture. More Information

John Cassian (360 - 435) is renowned for having introduced knowledge of Eastern monasticism into the West, thus influencing the development of ascetic spirituality. More Information

John Chrysostom (347 - 407), patriarch of Constantinople, spent a life of preaching and earned the title of "the golden-mouthed." More Information

Julian of Norwich (1342 - 1423), an anchoress who lived in solitude in Norwich, England, received the sixteen "showings" or revelations of God's love in a series of experience visions. More Information

Julian of Vezelay (1080 - 1160) was a Benedictine monk noted for the sermons he gave in the chapterhouse of his monastery to stimulate monastic observance and asceticism.

John Justus Landsberg (1489 - 1539) was one of the best spiritual writers of his day, the chief characteristic of his spirituality being the contemplation of Christ, the man-God, in his life, passion, and death.

The Latin Chrysostomos

Lawerence of Brindisi (1559 - 1619), a Capuchin, preached throughout Europe before dying in Lisbon, Portugal. More Information

Leo the Great (400 - 461), bishop of Rome, left many letters and sermons to attest to his teaching and preaching. More Information

Luis de León (1527 - 1591), an Augustinian friar, was a poet, mystic, scriptural scholar, and theologian; above all he was a holy man who suffered much for his beliefs. He was the editor of the works of Saint Teresa of Jesus of Avila.

Macarius (4th - 5th century) was abbot of a community of cenobites and a monk of great spiritual stature and authority. The best known of his works are Fifty Spiritual Homilies. More Information

Marcellus of Ancyra (~374) worked with Saint Athanasius to support the faith against the Arians.

Maximus (~408 or 423), bishop of Turin, left us sermons to indicate that he must have been a zealous and effective pastor.

Maximus the Confessor (580 - 662), Greek theologian and ascetic, was a monk of the monastery of Chrysopolis and also a prolific writer who possessed an outstanding synthesizing faculty. More Information

Melito of Sardis (~190) was a highly respected bishop of that church in Lydia, and a prolific writer. More Information

Thomas More (1477-1535), Lord Chancellor of England, opted for death rather than uphold Henry VIII's divorce and remarriage. More Information

John Henry Newman (1801 - 1890) was a famous preacher in the Church of England and after his reception into the Catholic Church he continued preaching and writing and later was made a cardinal. More Information

Nicephorus of Constantinople (758 - 828) stood in the forefront of the battle against iconoclasm.
More Information

Nicetas of Paphlagonia (904 - 963) wrote much on the saints and the feasts of the Church.

Nilus (~430), a native of Ancyra, studied at Constantinople where he became a disciple of Saint John Chrysostom. His writings include treatises on the preeminence of monks, monastic observance, and voluntary poverty.

Odilo of Cluny (962 - 1049), abbot, left a lasting mark on the liturgy by introducing the commemoration of the dead on All Souls' Day. More Information

Ogerius (1205 - 1264), a disciple of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, was abbot of Locedio in Piedmont. He left his sermons to his monastic community.

Origen (185 - 253) became head of the catechetical school of Alexandria and devoted his life to the study of scripture. More Information

Paschasius Radbertus (785 - 860) was a prolific writer and is well noted for the part he played in establishing the Catholic doctrine on the eucharist.

Paul the Deacon (730 - 799), a monk of Monte Cassino, is noted for his history of the Lombards. While at Aix he wrote a collection of homilies for Charlemagne. More Information

Paulinus of Nola (353 - 431), bishop of Nola, was the foremost Christian Latin poet of his time and the friend of Martin of Tours, Ambrose, and Augustine. Many of his letters survive. More Information

Peter of Blois (1135 - 1212) served as secretary to Archbishops Richard and Baldwin of Canterbury.

Peter Chrysologous (400 - 450), bishop of Ravenna, was above all a pastor and preached many sermons to his people.

Peter Damian (1007 - 1072), bishop of Ostia, worked closely with eight popes as diplomat and legate. The number and range of his writings was considerable.

Peter Laodicea

Philoxenus (440 - 552), bishop of Mabbug, was an outstanding theologian and master of the spiritual life, who achieved a remarkable synthesis between the Syriac and Greek traditions. More Information

Proclus (~446), patriarch of Constantinople, was renowned as a preacher and wrote much on Mary, the Mother of God. More Information

Prosopius of Gaza (475 - 528) was the foremost member of the school of rhetoric that flourished in Gaza. His major achievement was in the field of scriptural interpretation, specifically the compilor of the catenae for a number of books of the Old Testament.

Rabanus Maurus (776 - 856), archbishop of Mainz, worked to further the evangelization of Germany.
More Information

Ralph the Fervent (~1101) was a conscientious, erudite curé in the diocese of Poiters, who earned the sobriquet "ardens" by the ardor of his parochial sermons.

Richard Rolle (1300 - 1349) was a hermit and a mystic in England who left us the fruits of his contemplation in writing. More Information

Richard of Saint Victor (~1173), an Augustinian canon, was one of the great mystical writers of the middle ages. He influenced Bonaventure and the Franciscan school.

Rupert of Deutz (1070 - 1129), abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Deutz, near Cologne, was the author of several commentaries and treatises on holy scripture.

John Ruusbroec (1293 - 13810 lived as a monnk in the duchy of Brabant and produced a corpus of works on the spiritual life that has made him the most important Flemish mystic in his age.

Sedatus of Béziers was present in 589 at the council of Toledo and Narbonne. The few sermons of his that are extant shed light upon the religious culture of southeast Gaul in the sixth century.

Severian (~400), bishop of Gabala in Syria, was a strong opponent of Saint John Chrysostom and an exegete of the strict Antiochene school.

Simon Fidati of Cascia (1285 - 1348), an Augustinian friar, one of the greatest preachers during his era, wrote a commentary on the gospel. His writings are steeped in scripture and rich in feeling.

Sophronius (560 - 638), patriarch of Jerusalem, promoted the teaching of the Council of Chalcedon and wrote lives of the saints as well as meditations in verse. Nine of his sermons survive.

Symeon the New Theologian (949 - 1022), from the famous monastery of Studios and the greatest of Byzantine mystical writers, combined the contemplative tradition of Mount Sinai with the coenobitic tradition of Saint Basil and Saint Theodore of Studios.

John Tauler (1300 - 1361), a Dominican friar, preached to contemplative Dominican nuns. His style is down to earth, and above all he advocated humility and simplicity.

Teresa of Jesus (1515 - 1582), born in Avila, Spain, a Carmelite nun, advanced in prayer and left her Order and the Church a legacy of her spiritual growth in writings. Luis de León, O.S.A., was the editor of her writings and thus saved them for posterity. More Information

Tertullian (160 - 225), a native of Carthage, has been called the creator of ecclesiastical Latin, because many of the new terms he coined found a permanent place in theological vocabulary. After Augustine he was considered the most important and original early Latin theologian.

Theodore of Studios (759 - 826) refounded the monastery of Studios at Constantinople and made it a center of monastic life in the East. He has left a number of letters and treatises.

Theodoret of Cyrus (393 - 466) was the last great theologian of Antioch whose exegetical works are among the finest of the Antiochene school, and he made a contribution to almost every field of sacred science.

Theodatus (~446), bishop of Ancyra (modern Ankara), supported Cyril of Alexandria at the Council of Ephesus.

Theophanes Cerameus (12th century), bishop of Rossano in southern Italy, left outstanding sermons, written in Greek, noted for their simplicity and oratorical skill. More Information

Theophylact (1050 - 1109), archbishop of Ochrida, theologian and language scholar, taught rhethoric and was tutor to the imperial heir presumptive. He wrote commentaries on many books of the bible.

Thérèse of Lisieux (1873 - 1897) pioneered in the Church of the nineteenth century the "little way" -- fidelity in small things, trust, and complete self-surrender to God.

Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274), a Dominican friar, wrote the monumental work Summa Theologiae. Although his philosophy took its shape from Aristotle, at a deeper level Saint Thomas continued to uphold many fundamental Platonist doctrines which he received from Saint Augustine and Dionysius of Areopagite.
More Information

Thomas of Jesus (1529 - 1582), an Augustinian friar, while in prision in Africa and ministering to his fellow prisoners, wrote the book The Sufferings of Jesus, a work which has guided many people on the path to holiness, particularly Saint Elizabeth Ann Seaton of the United States who was greatly influenced by the work.
More Information

Thomas of Villanova (1486 - 1555), an Augustinian friar and archbishop of Valencia, became known as the Beggar Bishop and father of the poor for his devotion to the poor. His many sermons had an influence on Spanish spiritual literature. More Information

Dionisio Vazquez (1479 - 1529), an Augustinian friar, who preached both at the papal court in Rome and at the imperial court in Spain, was the forerunner of several great Spanish preachers of the sixteenth century.

Vincent de Paul (~1660) worked with prisoners and peasants. He founded the Congregation of the Mission and the Society of Saint Vincent as well as the Daughters of Charity with Saint Louise de Marillac.
More Information

John Waldeby (1315 - 1372), an Augustinian friar, was a famous preacher and writer in England.

William of Saint Thierry (1085 - 1148), abbot, wrote a number of ascetical and didactic treatises.
More Information

Contact Webmaster
Last Modified: Thu May 22 11:57:13 GMT-05:00 2003
Privacy Statement
© Copyright 2005 Villanova University