GROU, JEAN-NICOLAS

GROU, JEAN-NICOLAS. – Jesuit, spiritual master, born on 24 November 1731 in Calais, died on 13 December 1803 at Lullworth in England. Having entered the Society in 1746, he initially devoted himself to literary activity, which resulted in the translations of Plato’s Republic, Laws, and Dialogues that he published. After the Jesuits were suppressed in France, G., at the invitation of Archbishop de Beaumont, went to Paris

The first fruit of this new orientation was the Morale tirée des Confessions de 11 Augustin (Paris 1786), followed by the celebrated work Caractères de la vraie dévotion (ibid. 1789); in addition, the Maximes spirituelles (ibid. 1789) and La science pratique du Crucifix dans l'usage des Sacrements de la Pénitence et d'Eucharistie (ibid. 1789), published at the time of the French Revolution. G. wished to remain in Paris in order to exercise the priestly ministry there, but in 1792 he was compelled to go into exile in England, where he was a guest of the family of Tomaso Weld, at Lullworth Castle. Dating from this period are the Méditations en forme de retraite sur l'amour de Dieu (London 1796; Italian translation, Turin 1919) and l'Intérieur de Jésus et Marie (2 vols., 1815; Italian translation, Milan 1861). The latter was published after his death from an imperfect manuscript that had not been revised by the author (1815); only in 1862 was it possible to print the authentic edition, prepared by the Jesuit Fr. Cadrès. Of the many other works written by G., the most valuable, compiled from various short treatises and instructions, is the Manuel des âmes intérieures (Paris 1833; Italian translation, Turin 1918).