BACUEZ, NICOLAS-LOUIS. - Sulpician exegete and ascetical writer, b. at Loisan in Picardy (France) on 3 Feb. 1820, d. at Paris, in the seminary of St. Sulpice, on 31 Aug. 1892. He studied in the seminary of Arras; in 1842 he entered the seminary and the company of St. Sulpice. A priest on 21 June 1844, he first taught philosophy and moral theology in the seminaries of Rodez and Lyons; then he was superior of the philosophical seminaries of Angers and Nantes. From 1864 to 1892 he taught biblical exegesis at Paris, in the seminary of St. Sulpice, 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 surprising 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, to whose well-known Manuel biblique he contributed vols. III and IV: Nouveau Testament, 2 vols., Paris 1878, which he improved through seven successive editions. This work, erudite and pious, personal yet faithful to tradition, became a classic in the French seminaries, and, translated into Italian (Sampierdarena 1902), in the Italian ones as well; but, from the 12th ed. (1907 and 1909) onward, B.'s work was entirely recast by A. Brassac, who departed from the original method; the whole Manuel biblique was placed on the Index on 12 Dec. 1923 (for the editions later than 1907).
No less substantial, and even better known, are B.'s ascetical works, almost all translated into German and English, circulated in many editions, 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.
Bibliography3 works
Antonino Romeo