CABRERA, ALONSO de. - Famous Spanish preacher, b. in Cordova in 1546 to a noble family. Having become a Dominican in Cordova, he developed his rare gifts of intellect and heart. After having been a missionary in America he devoted himself to the teaching of theology - according to J. Echard - at the University of Osuna. Nevertheless his name does not appear in the list of professors of theology of that University listed by Fr. V. Beltrán de Heredia (La Ciencia Tomista, 26th series, 49 [1934], pp. 145-73). He was prior in Seville and in Granada.
He distinguished himself by his apostolic zeal and by all the technical qualities of a great orator; he fascinated with his learned and singular eloquence, with the purity of his language, with his powerful and pleasant voice. With acclaim and profit he was heard in Seville, Cordova, Granada, Valencia, Toledo, Madrid and elsewhere. For four years court preacher to Philip II and Philip III, he remained a humble friar. He passes for the greatest Spanish preacher of his century. His sermon for the funeral of Philip II, delivered on 31 Oct. 1598 at S. Domingo el Real (printed in Madrid in 1598 and in Barcelona in 1606), entered the Catálogo de Autoridades de la Lengua. Having died prematurely, he was buried on 20 Nov. 1598 in the convent of S. Tomás in Madrid.
Among the various sermons and writings published under the care of his confreres, the following are cited: Tratado de los escrúpulos y sus remedios (Valencia 1599; Barcelona 1606; Italian trans., Palermo 1612; French trans., Paris 1622); Consideraciones sobre los Evangelios desde el domingo de Septuagésima hasta el domingo de la octava de Resurrección (2 parts, Cordova 1601; Barcelona 1602 and 1606) and Sobre los Evangelios del Adviento y dominicos hasta la Septuagésima con las festividades de Santos que ocurren en este tiempo (two parts, Cordova 1608; Barcelona 1609 and Saragossa 1610).
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Angelo Walz