LORENZO della RESURREZIONE. – Mystic and discalced Carmelite, in the world Nicola Herman, born in Hériménil (Lorraine) in 1614 and died in Paris in 1691. A lay brother in the Carmelite convent of Paris from 1640, he spent the rest of his life there in the humblest domestic occupations.
His doctrine is nothing other than the revelation of his mystical experience. This is set forth in three very brief collections: Massime spirituali, Trattenimenti, Lettere. The characteristic feature of the doctrine of Brother L. is its extreme simplicity. He reduces everything to the continual loving presence of God and to the avoidance of all disturbance. Nevertheless, he is in no way shown to be an enemy of ascetic practices; on the contrary, he makes great purity of heart and a total detachment from creatures the foundation of everything. His complete abandonment to God led him to somewhat hyperbolic expressions, for example when he said that he would have wished to hide his good actions from God, so that he might serve Him without reward. Because of these characteristics, Brother L. was highly esteemed also in circles sympathetic to Quietism (Fénelon) and among Protestants.
Editions: The three collections mentioned above were published in two installments by the abbé de Beaufort in 1692 and 1694, with two eulogies that constitute their necessary complement. In 1699 and 1710 they were included in collections of a Quietist tendency. From then on, editions in English multiplied, and they still enjoy wide circulation among Protestants. L. Van de Bossche edited an edition of the French text (Bruges 1934), which served to restore L. della R. to esteem among Catholics. This was followed by a new edition (Paris 1947), edited by S. M. Boucheraux, with a preface by Francesco de S. Maria.