ARENDT, Wilhelm. - Jesuit, moralist, b. at Louvain on 31 March 1852, d. at Rome on 23 February 1937. He was rector of the Belgian College in Rome, where in 1889 he entered the Society of Jesus. After teaching moral theology for several years at the Gregorian University, in 1909 he was called to succeed Fr. Domenico Palmieri as theologian of the Sacred Penitentiary; he held this office until 1934. He was also, until his death, a consultor of the Holy Office. In both these positions he proved himself one of the most able and valuable collaborators, who combined vast learning with the humble spirit of a docile son of the Church.
Among his numerous works the principal ones are: Apologeticae de aequiprobabilismo Alphonsiano historico-criticae dissertationis r. p. I. de Caigny... crisi iuxta principia Angelici Doctoris instituta...; Accedit Dissertatio scholastico-moralis pro usu moderato opinionis probabilis in concursu probabilioris a s. Alphonso de Ligorio... (Freiburg in Br. 1897); De sacramentis (Rome 1900); Aequiprobabilismus ab ultimo fundamento discussus (ibid. 1909); Analysis theologico-canonica Decreti «Ne tenere» de sponsalibus et matrimonio (ibid. 1909); De impotentia feminae ad generandum (ibid. 1913); Circa controversam validitatem matrimonii feminae recisae. Diutriba pro sanctitate pacti coniugalis (ibid. 1923); De obsoleta habilitate sterilium ad matrimonium (ibid. 1925) (in these three works the author advanced a particular theory).