Alphonsus de Castro
Friar Minor and
theologian, b. in 1495 at
Zamora,
Leon,
Spain; d. 11 February 1558, at
Brussels. When fifteen years old he entered a little
convent of the
Franciscan Order near Salamanca in the province of St. James. He taught
theology at the
University of Salamanca, and for forty-three years was
confessor to
Charles V and
Philip II, and preacher at the Court of
Spain. In 1545 he accompanied Cardinal Grennis as
theologian to the
Council of Trent, and during the fourth session took an important part in the discussion concerning
Holy Scripture. As representative of the
cardinal he subscribed to the canons of this session, and suggested that the words "praeter hos sacros libros multa alia sunt tenenda quae scripta non sunt, sed observantur Ecclesiae auctoritate" be added to the
Decree "De Canonicis
Scriptures". In succeeding sessions he addressed the council on the advisability of vernacular versions of the
Sacred Scripture, and on
original sin. He accompanied
Philip II to
England, returned with that monarch to the Continent in 1557, and was appointed to the
archiepiscopal See of Compostella, made
vacant by the death of Cardinal John Tolenton. His untimely death, however, prevented his
consecration. Castro's best-known works include (1) "Adversus omnes haereses", first published at Cologne in 1539; (2) "De justa haereticorum punitione" (Salamanca, 1547). Both these works were published in one edition at
Paris (1571-78).
About this page
APA citation. Donovan, S. (1908). Alphonsus de Castro. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03415a.htm
MLA citation. Donovan, Stephen. "Alphonsus de Castro." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03415a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Gerald M. Knight.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
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