AERNOULDT (ARNOULT), PIERRE. – Belgian Jesuit and ascetical writer, born on 17 May 1818 at Moere (Western Flanders), died at Cincinnati on 28 July 1865. Having left for Missouri, he entered the Society of Jesus there (1835). A professor in various colleges, later spiritual director and preacher of retreats, he owes his fame to the vigorous and devout work (P. Arnoldi), De Imitatione SS. Cordis Iesu; written in 1848, it was published only in 1863 at Einsiedeln, but soon had very many editions and translations (Italian ones at Torino in 1872 and at Roma in 1940).
BIBL.: Sommervogel, I, 563-65; biographical information at the beginning of the various translations of Imitazione del S. Cuore; P. H. Kelly, s. V. in The Cath. Enc., I, pp. 720-31; G. J. Garraphan, The Jesuits of the Middle United States, II, Nuova York 1938, pp. 105-107.