Marin, Michel-Ange

MARIN, MICHEL-ANGE. - Writer and historian of the Minims, b. at Marseille on 23 Dec. 1697, d. there on 3 Apr. 1767. Having entered the Order at Avignon, he was for many years a professor of philosophy and theology there. A spiritual director, he instilled in the laity the practice of the spiritual exercises, and to assist young girls he founded the Soeurs de la Retraite, with rules informed by the spirit of Sts. Ignatius and Francis de Sales.

A man of letters of some merit, he published many ascetico-moral works in the form of a novel, so that Christian morality might be seen in the actions of the chosen hero.

Worthy of mention among others are: Conduite spirituelle de la soeur Violet (Avignon 1740); Virginie ou la vierge chrétienne (ibid. 1752); Theodule ou l'enfant de bénédiction (ibid. 1767; printed many times, also in Italian), etc. He left an excellent work of Catholic apologetics: Le baron de van Hesden, ou la République des incrédules (5 vols., Toulouse 1762). Important is his erudite collection Vies des pères des desertes d'Orient, avec leur doctrine spirituelle et leur discipline monastique (3 vols., Avignon 1761; 9 vols., ibid. 1764, Lyon 1824). This work received three briefs of praise from Clement XIII, who urged the author to gather into a single body all the acts of the martyrs; M. began the new work; he died, however, having completed only two volumes. His Lettres ascétiques et morales came out posthumously in 2 vols. (Avignon 1769).

Gennaro Moretti