SCARAMELLI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Ascetico-mystical theologian, Jesuit, b. in Rome on 23 Nov. 1687, d. in Macerata on 11 Jan. 1752. Having entered the Society of Jesus in Rome at the age of eighteen, he taught humanities at Loreto and was a repetitor of philosophy at the Collegio Germanico. After his ordination to the priesthood (1716) he distinguished himself as a preacher and spiritual director in the sacred ministry. The field of his apostolate was especially Umbria and the Marches; he resided now at Macerata, now at Monte Santo and at S. Sepolcro. There he wrote the majority of his works, which have given him an important place in the history of spirituality.
The only book published during his lifetime was the Vita di suor Maria Crocifissa Satellico, monaca francescana nel monastero di Monte Nuovo (Venice 1750). In the Discernimento degli Spiriti (ibid. 1753) he gives rules based on those of St. Ignatius of Loyola and on the analogous study of Alvarez de Paz, but enriched by new experiences. His best-known work is the Direttorio ascetico (ibid. 1754) in 2 vols., in which « he teaches the manner of leading souls along the ordinary ways of Grace to Christian perfection ». Besides these he wrote the Dottrina di s. Giovanni della Croce, in which he sets forth in three brief treatises the Salita del Monte (I), the Notti oscure (II), the Esercizio di amore and the Fiamma di amor vivo (III), and which was published only in 1860 at Lucca; the Vita della serva di Dio Angelina Cospari, fondatrice delle Maestre Pie in Borgo S. Sopofero (which remained in manuscript); the Direttorio mistico (Venice 1754) teaches the manner of guiding souls along the extraordinary ways.
The Direttorio ascetico is also the most widespread of his writings; it has had over 20 Italian editions, 8 English, 5 German, 21 French, 4 Spanish, 3 Latin, and also several abridged editions. The Direttorio mistico, despite Scaramelli's appeals to the General, was not approved by the general revisors of the Society, both because of certain intrinsic defects in the interpretation of biblical texts and in the use of expressions drawn from profane love, and above all because of a recent condemnation of a pamphlet by Fr. B. Benzi and because of the all-out campaign waged against the Order by the Jansenists. Its publication came about subsequently by pure chance, with such a consensus of praise and approvals as to demonstrate that those fears had been excessive and that the doctrine was sound.
Scaramelli remains among the most esteemed ascetico-mystical writers, who exercised a true influence on later generations. A characteristic of Scaramelli's treatises is their practicality. In both Direttori, numerous admonitions systematically follow the various theoretical discussions, in which practical references and facts are likewise not lacking. Scaramelli was persuaded « that the majority of men are moved more by examples than by reasons » (Dir. asc., Introd. n. 8). Scaramelli also brought to light more than others the decisive importance of the task of the spiritual director; from his own pastoral experience he drew the conviction of the necessity of spiritual direction for the ordinary and extraordinary ways of perfection (Dir. asc., I, n. 2; Dir. mist., I, n. 1). If a soul, being able to find confessors or directors, were to refuse to subject itself to a guide, this would be an act of great temerity (Dir. asc., I, n. 95). The director must have a well-defined plan, conforming to the laws that govern the arising and the development of a soul's perfection. In the love of God and in the union of conformity to the divine will Scaramelli establishes the precise point of orientation, toward which every soul must be directed from the very beginning. If the ways are diverse, the end remains single, namely « perfect charity » (ibid., IV, n. 388). Scaramelli is a master in the art of adaptation, that is, in suggesting the modes of direction according to « the temperament, the state of life, the degree of perfection and the powers of soul of the penitent », following the traditional classification of beginners, proficients and the perfect (ibid., I, chap. 3), and he recommends not demanding more than the powers of the spirit that God communicates to souls can bear (ibid., I, n. 80).
After having spent thirty years in the pastoral ministry and having traveled through various Italian provinces, Scaramelli affirms that « almost in every place » there are found souls whom God leads along extraordinary paths to a high perfection and that confessors experienced in this are « very rare ». He recommends avoiding extremes: that of not believing at all in the extraordinary works of Grace and that of believing too much without reasonable foundation (Dir. mist., I, n. 2). He admits acquired contemplation, in addition to infused (ibid., II, nn. 67-69); he does not consider them necessary for perfection, and he holds that very many saints were not contemplatives (ibid., II, nn. 9-14, n. 263). He teaches on the other hand that souls have the duty to desire contemplation and to procure that which is acquired (ibid., III, n. 284). In general he wishes that in this matter one should rather follow and not precede the work of Grace. In Scaramelli's style, one often hears the preacher who seeks to convince and to induce to good.