BACUEZ, NICOLAS-LOUIS. – Sulpician exegete and ascetical writer, born at Loisan in Piccardia (France) on 3 February 1820, died in Paris, in the seminary of S. Sulpizio, on 31 August 1892. He studied at the seminary of Arras; in 1842 he entered the seminary and the Society of S. Sulpizio. Ordained a priest on 21 June 1844, he first taught philosophy and moral theology in the seminaries of Rodez and Lyon; subsequently he was superior of the philosophical seminaries of Angers and Nantes. From 1864 to 1892 he taught biblical exegesis in Paris, at the seminary of S. Sulpizio, where he also served as spiritual director. He was among the hostages of the « Commune » from 7 to 28 May 1871, escaping death in a remarkable manner.
In the biblical field he published: Questions d'Écriture Sainte, ou Programme détaillé pour servir de guide dans l'étude des Saints Livres, avec indication des difficultés à résoudre, des recherches à faire et des ouvrages à consulter, 2 vols., Paris 1874. He collaborated with F. Vigouroux, whose well-known Manuel biblique he supplied with vols. III and IV: Nouveau Testament, 2 vols., Paris 1878, which he improved through seven successive editions. This work, learned and devout, personal yet faithful to tradition, became a classic in French seminaries, and, translated into Italian (Sampierdarena 1902), also in Italian ones; but, beginning with the 12th ed. (1907 and 1909), B.’s work was entirely recast by A. Brassac, who departed from the original method; the entire Manuel biblique was placed on the Index on 12 December 1923 (for the editions subsequent to 1907).
No less substantial, and even more well known, are B.’s ascetical works, almost all translated into German and English, widely disseminated in many editions, and still in use: Manuel du séminariste en vacances, Paris 1855 (13th ed. 1930); Du Sacerdote et du saint ministère par les Pères de l'Église (Latin text and translation), Paris 1861; St François de Sales modèle et guide du prêtre et du pasteur, ibid. 1861 (new ed. by G. Letourneau, 1911); Du saint office au point de vue de la piété, ibid. 1867 (5th ed. by A. Vigourel, 1925, under the title: L'office divin et la vie de l'Église); Instructions et méditations à l'usage des ordinands, 3 vols., ibid. 1884–90;
Du divin sacrifice et du prêtre qui le célèbre, ibid. 1888; Du directeur de séminaire, ibid. 1892.