MERKELBACH, BENOÎT-HENRI

MERKELBACH, BENOÎT-HENRI. - Dominican moralist, born at Tongres (Belgium) on 6 Jan. 1871, died at Louvain on 25 July 1942. Ordained priest at Liège (1894), he took his degree at Louvain, and taught in the Seminary of Liège (1908-17). Religious at La Sarte (1917), he became professor of moral theology at Louvain, then at Rome in the Angelicum (1929-36), and finally again at Louvain. A distinguished moralist and contributor to various journals, a revered teacher, he upheld the scientific character of moral theology.

Among his various works may be mentioned: Summa theologiae moralis (Paris 1931-33, 5th ed., ibid. 1947); Tractatus de beatissima V. Maria Matre Dei etc. (ibid. 1939) and various pamphlets on moral questions: De castitate et luxuria (Liège 1926, etc.); De embryologia (ibid. 1927, etc.); De variis poenitentium categoriis (ibid. 1928, etc.); De poenitentiae ministro (ibid. 1928, etc.); De partibus poenitentiae etc. (ibid. 1928, etc.); De variis peccatis in sacramentali confessione medendis (ibid. 1935); De embryologia et de sterilizatione (ibid. 1937).