TAROZZI, VINCENZO
Humanist and ascetical writer, born at Castelfranco Bolognese on 11 June 1849, died in Rome on 17 December 1918.
Having entered the Seminary of Bologna on 17 October 1861, he obtained a degree in theology there and was ordained priest in 1871; after qualifying in Padua (1876) to teach literature, he served as professor of various disciplines and vice-rector in the Seminary of Bologna; in 1882 rector of the minor Seminary of SS. Apostoli; in 1885 professor in Rome at the Higher Institute of Literature at the Apollinare and for three years also spiritual director at the Pontifical Seminary Pio; in 1892 secretary to Leo XIII for Latin letters. He thus took part in drafting the encyclicals Providentissimus Deus (v.), Christi Domini on the restoration of the Coptic hierarchy, Amantissimae voluntatis on the return of the English to the Catholic Church, Apostolicae curae on Anglican ordinations, Divinum illud (v.), those on the Marian Rosary and on the Eucharist, and Mirae caritatis. From 1903 he devoted himself to the spiritual formation of young clergy at the Apostolic College Leoniano, and after its closure (1913) at the Vatican minor Seminary.
He was one of the foremost Latinists of the second half of the nineteenth century; in Italian too he was a writer of pure style. He wrote: *De Archiepiscopi Ecclesiae Bononiensis Commentarii*, from 1582 to 1877, continuing the work of Carlo Sigonio (Bologna 1885); and many ascetical booklets (reprinted by Cardinal E. Ruffini, 1939), including: *Industrie per la pace interiore*, *Psallite sapienter* on the duty of the Divine Office; *Avvisi pratici per la fruttuosa predicazione*; *Documenta vitae spiritualis*, for clergy, especially following the example of St John Berchmans (Italian ed., Modena 1911; 2nd ed., Turin 1930).
In poetry he composed a collection in honour of Leo XIII (with verses by L. Carloni) offered by the clergy of Forlì to the Pope on his episcopal jubilee (Forlì 1893). His extensive correspondence has not yet been collected. All his ascetical teaching is delicate and simple, clear and persuasive, the fruit of personal experience and inspired by the doctrine of the Church.