SPORER, PATRITIUS. - Franciscan moral theologian, born at Passavia about the first decade of the 17th century, died there on 29 May 1683. Having entered the Order in 1637, he taught philosophy at Augusta (1644) and at Passavia (1649), theology at Dettelbach (1653-65) and then at Passavia; he was penitentiary at Augusta and Passavia (1645-53) and preacher at Passavia Cathedral (1652-53).
He was the author of distinguished works of moral theology: Tirocinium 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 (there 1662), a collaborative work and the outcome of public disputations on divine love; Tirocinium sacramentale practicum (Salisburgo 1681-82), in 4 volumes, published posthumously under the title Theologia moralis sacramentalis; Theologia moralis super decalogum (there 1685-87), in 6 volumes; the latter two works combined under the title Theologia moralis super decalogum et Sacramenta with two supplements (there 1721); recent and updated editions edited by I. Bierbaum (Paderborn 1899-1901; 1901-1905). His moral works, in which S. follows probabilism, achieved the greatest success on account of their depth, clarity, and erudition, and were repeatedly cited by St. Alfonso de' Liguori.