SORDI, DOMENICO and SERAFINO. — Two of the five Piacenzan S. brothers, all Jesuits, who distinguished themselves through their contribution to the renewal of scholastic philosophy in the 19th century, following the orientation received from Canon Vincenzo Buzzetti, their teacher at the Seminary of Piacenza.
DOMENICO (born at Centenaro di Piacenza on 30 April 1790, died at Piacenza on 10 December 1880), while teaching ethics and natural law in Naples (1829–30), was Taparelli’s (v.) principal collaborator in the reform of studies at the new Neapolitan scholastic institution; but, because of his imprudent attitude, he was removed from teaching and left no philosophical writings. SERAFINO, on the other hand (born at Centenaro di Piacenza on 3 February 1793, died at Verona on 17 May 1865), exercised a very considerable influence on the Thomistic revival through his teaching, writings, and contact with eminent men such as Taparelli, Curci, and Giuseppe Pecci. He taught at Ferrara, Modena, Forlì, and Spoleto; he was rector at Urbino, Modena, Piacenza, and Reggio; provincial in Rome; and a writer for La Civiltà Cattolica. He wrote several philosophical pamphlets examining and criticizing the philosophical ideas of Gioberti and Rosmini (Lettere intorno al Nuovo Saggio sull'origine delle idee dell'ob. A. Rosmini, Modena 1843; I primi elementi del sistema di V. Gioberti dialogizzati tra lui e un
lettore dell'opera sua, Bergamo 1849; I misteri di Demofilo per S. S. professore di filosofia, Torino 1850); other writings in which he expounded his philosophical thought remained unpublished, and some have recently been published (Ontologia, Theologia naturalis aliaque philosophica scripta, edited by P. Dezza, Milan 1941–44). Although his early studies had a non-scholastic orientation, upon coming into contact with Thomistic thought he was filled with admiration for it and thereafter had no further uncertainties or hesitations. Hence the profound conviction that shines through his writings, together with a penetration and acuteness of speculation, solid logic in the development of his own thought, a broad knowledge of modern authors and systems, and clarity of exposition. Modest and reserved by nature, to the point of publishing some works anonymously, he did not attain the renown that his work deserved.