BAINVEL, VINCENT. — French Jesuit, theologian, and ascetical writer, born at Plougoumelen (Morbihan) on 4 August 1858, died in Paris on 29 January 1937. He entered religious life in 1877 and first taught rhetoric to his young confrères; then, having completed his theological studies, he taught fundamental theology and ethics at the College of Jersey. In 1900 he was called to the Catholic Institute of Paris to occupy the chair of fundamental theology,
which he held until 1925; for many years he was also dean of the faculty. Afflicted toward the end of his life by the loss of his memory, he spent his final ten years in the darkness of a pious retreat.
As a professor and writer he took part in the anti-Modernist struggle and founded the collection Bibliothèque de Théologie historique. He collaborated on the Dictionnaire d’Apologétique, the DDC, and the DThC. His literary output includes, above all, a series of manuals of fundamental theology: De magisterio vivo et traditione (Paris 1805); De Scriptura Sacra (there 1910); De vera religione et apologetica (there 1914); De Ecclesia Christi (there 1925). His studies intended for broad theological popularization include: La foi et l'acte de foi (there 1898: 2nd ed. there 1908); Nature et surnaturel; élévation, déchéance, état présent de l'humanité (there 1903); and the pamphlet Hors de l'Eglise, point de salut; dogme et théologie (there 1913). In Mariology, he was especially attached to the thesis of Mary as co-redemptrix and mediatrix: Marie, Mère de Dieu, intercession universelle (there 1919); and, with Fr. de la Broise: Marie, Mère de grâce (there 1922). Of a different kind is the well-known witty little work: Les contremens bibliques des prédicateurs (4th ed., there 1924; Italian version by A. Alfieri, Siena 1899).
B.’s principal qualities as a theologian—security of doctrine, richly nuanced judgment, and a certain restrained and unaffected unction—also secured his authority as an ascetical writer. The following went through several reprintings and translations: La dévotion au S. Coeur de Jésus - Doctrine et histoire (Paris 1906; Italian translation, Milan 1917); Le Saint Coeur de Marie - Vie intime de la S. te Vierge (Paris 1918; Italian translation, Vicenza 1921). He wrote a long and highly esteemed theological introduction for the 10th edition of Fr. A. Poulain’s work Les grâces d'oraison (Paris 1922). His love for his native land led him to become attached to another writer, Fr. V. Huby (died in 1693), whose Ecrits spirituels he edited for reprinting (2 vols., Paris 1931–32), following the reprinting of the biography written by Fr. P. Champion: Vie des Fondateurs des maisons de retraites, M. de Kerlivio, Le p. Vincent Huby, M. lle de Francheville (there 1929). Finally, there is the brief but substantial essay: La vie intime du catholique (4th ed., Paris 1916; Italian version by V. Bortolaso, Turin 1936).