MONETA DA CREMONA. - Dominican theologian and writer, b. at Cremona, d. at Bologna c. 1260. He taught the liberal arts at the University of Bologna and was famous throughout tota Lombardia when he entered religious life (1219). He studied and taught theology at the Dominican Studium of Bologna.
In 1228 he founded for his Order the convent of S. Guglielmo at Cremona together with his fellow citizen and confrere Rolando. He preached against heresy in Lombardy, thereby incurring the hatred of the heretics, who made attempts on his life. Around 1240 he withdrew to Bologna, where he wrote the Summa adversus catharos et Valdenses (ed. T. A. Ricchini, Rome 1743), the most complete and most solid medieval treatise against the two great heretical sects; it embraces the whole of Catholic theology, with those particular references and developments required by the purpose of the work: the conversion of the Cathars and the Waldensians. It is therefore the theology in which the first Friars Preachers, destined to preach and conduct inquisitions against heretics, had most to be equipped. For each question, the position of the heretics and that of the Church are set forth in parallel.
Alfonso D'Amato