SPORER, PATRITIUS. - Franciscan moralist, born in Passau around the first decade of the 17th century, died there on 29 May 1683. He entered the Order in 1637, taught philosophy at Augsburg (1644) and at Passau (1649), theology at Dettelbach (1653–65) and then at Passau, served as penitentiary at Augsburg and Passau (1645–53), and preached at the cathedral of Passau (1652–53).
He is the author of notable works of moral theology: *Tiro-cinium theologiae moralis*, in three volumes with separate titles (Würzburg 1660–61), the fruit of his lectures at Dettelbach; *Seraphim moralis. Amor Dei super omnia theologico-practice explicatus* (ibid. 1662), a collaborative work arising from public disputations on divine love; *Tiro-cinium sacramentale practicum* (Salzburg 1681–82) in four volumes, published posthumously under the title *Theologia moralis sacramentalis*; *Theologia moralis super decalogum* (ibid. 1685–87), in six volumes; the two works were later combined under the title *Theologia moralis super decalogum et Sacramenta* with two supplements (ibid. 1721); recent and updated editions edited by I. Bierbaum (Paderborn 1899–1901; 1901–1905). In his moral writings, where S. follows probabilism, his depth, clarity, and erudition earned his works great success and they were repeatedly cited by St. Alphonsus Liguori.