CHARLES OF ASSUMPTION. - Carmelite theologian, in the world C. de Bryse, son of Giovanni, governor of Marienburg, b. at St-Ghislain (Hainaut), in 1625, d. at Lille on 23 February 1686. Destined for a military career, he took part as an officer in the battle against the French near Lens (1648), in which he was taken prisoner and brought to Paris. Freed, he returned to his homeland, and entered, perhaps moved by the almost sudden death of his uncle, the Marquis of Molenghien, the Order of Discalced Carmelites, at Douai (1653), where he made his profession the following year. Ordained a priest (1659), he devoted himself to a most rigorous observance of the rule. He also taught theology in the convent of Douai, of which he was several times prior and definitor. He was also twice superior of the Gallo-Belgian province.
The first works, in which he upheld the "scientia media" against "praedeterminatio physica", namely Auctoritas contra praedeterminationem physicum pro scientia media (Douai 1660), Scientia media ad examen revocata (ibid. 1670), were published by him under the pseudonym "Germanus Philalethes Eupistinus". This doctrine was opposed by Fr. Henneguer, with his treatise Vanitas triumphorum (Douai 1670). After this, Fr. C. changed his position, adhering to that of the Thomists, and wrote Thomistarum triumphus, i.e. ss. Augustini et Thomae summa concordia circa scientiam mediam, naturam puram, aut duplicem Dei amorem, libertatem, contritionem et probabilitatem (I, Douai 1670, 2nd ed. ibid. 1672; II, ibid. 1673). In this work, which contains the four treatises De natura pura seu de duplici Dei amore, de libertate, de contritione, de probabilitate, he refuted the objections of the Molinists. He was answered again by the Jesuit Franc. Fourmestraux, in reply to whom Fr. C. added to the two volumes of the aforementioned work a third volume, with the title Thomistarum triumphus in perpetuum firmatus (Douai 1674), and subsequently Funiculus triplex, quo necessitas angelici luminis D. Thomae ad veram s. Augustini intelligentiam insolubiliter stringitur, adversus Buium, Molinam et Jansenium (Cambrai 1675).
During his provincialate Fr. C. published, without his name and without the approval of his major superiors, the work Pentalogus diaphoricus, sive quinque differentiarum rationes, ex quibus verum judicatur de allatione absolutionis (s. l. 1678), in which he taught that a penitent who confesses the same grave sins every week must be absolved. This work was, by the general of the Order, by decree of 3 January 1679, condemned to be publicly burned, and by decree of 5 September 1684 condemned and placed on the Index, "donec corrigatur". With the general's permission the book was corrected by him and published, in French, under the title Éclairissement touchant l'usage de l'absolution des consubsidiaires et récidives, selon s. Thomas avec trois règles pour la fréquente communion (Lille 1682). When the bishop of Tournai published a second pastoral letter against this new edition, Fr. C. defended his position with the treatise Vindiciorum postulatio a Jesu Christo (Liège 1683).
Bibliography4 works
Ambrogio di Santa Teresa