MUZZARELLI, ALFONSO. - Jesuit, theologian and writer, b. at Ferrara on 22 Aug. 1749, d. at Paris on 25 May 1813.
He entered the Society of Jesus in 1768 and, caught in 1773 by the suppression of the Order, completed his ecclesiastical studies at Reggio Emilia, where he was ordained a priest. Shortly afterwards he obtained a canonry at Ferrara; then the direction of the Collegio dei Nobili at Parma. Summoned to Rome by Pius VII, he received from him the office of theologian of the Sacred Penitentiary and of censor of the Catholic Academy. When Pius VII was exiled from Rome (1809), M. had to share his fortunes, for he was first imprisoned at Civitavecchia, then deported to Paris, where he spent the rest of his life in the convent of the Dames de St Michel.
His works on theology, philosophy and ascetics are numerous; the principal one: Il buon uso della logica in materia di religione (6 vols., Foligno 1787-89; enlarged edition in 10 vols., Rome 1807; 11 vols., Florence 1821-23 and various translations), in which the theological questions most debated in his day are addressed: abuses of the Church, temporal power, religious toleration, ecclesiastical immunities, infallibility, auricular confession, indulgences, etc. In addition: L'Emilio disingannato (4 vols., Siena 1782-83) and Confutazione del « Contratto sociale » di G. G. Rousseau (2 vols., Foligno 1794). The most popular work is: Il Mese di Maria ossia di Maggio (Ferrara 1783), which down to our own day numbers more than 150 editions, with variations and adaptations to the different states of life and numerous translations.