Gatti, Vincenzo

GATTI, VINCENZO. - Dominican apologist and theologian, b. at Riva Ligure on 15 March 1811, d. there on 8 Nov. 1882. A religious at S. Sabina (Rome), in 1838 he was promoted lector at the College of St. Thomas de Urbe (Rome). He taught at Viterbo and at Lucca in the convent of S. Romano, of which he was also twice prior. At Lucca he also taught in the archiepiscopal Seminary. From 1857 he held honorary offices at Rome: associate of the master general of the Order, V. Jandel, in 1859 second librarian of the Casanatense and from 1866 prefect of the same. In 1870 he became secretary of the S. Congregation of the Index and in 1872 he was promoted master of the Apostolic Palace. He held that important office for 10 years. He took part in various Roman congregations.

In 1854 he published at Lucca a book in which he struck at resurgent Protestantism: Principio protestante e principio cattolico, 2 vols. More important are his: Institutiones apologetico-polonicae de veritate ac divinitate Religiosis et Ecclesiae catholicae, 3 vols., Rome 1866-67. In the first book he treats of the foundations of religion, both natural and revealed; in the second of natural and supernatural religion; in the third of the divinity of religion and of the Catholic Church. The work is of much erudition and solid Thomist doctrine. He also wrote in 1848 on the independence of Italy.

Abile Redigonda