Matthieu Ory

Matthieu Ory

Inquisitor and theologian, b. at La Caune, 1492; d. at Paris, 1557. Entering the Dominican Order at the age of eighteen, he studied, he studied in the convent of St-Jacques, Paris, and at the Sorbonne, obtaining the licentiate in theology, 6 February, 1527. His reputation for learning and eloquence led to his appointment as grand inquisitor for France (1534), an office which he held until his death. Compelled to pronounce upon false accusations made against Saint Ignatius Loyola and "The Spiritual Exercises", he detected the fraud of the calumniators. Instead of condemning the saint, he praised and assisted him, and kept for himself a copy of the Exercises. He was indefatigable in preaching the Word of God, held several offices in his order, and combated false doctrines and evil-doing. Some writers erroneously call Ory a Spaniard and write his name Ortiz. The only fully authenticated printed work of Ory is his "Alexipharmacum" (Paris, 1544; Venice, 1551-58). In the second part he uses against the heretics five words of St. Paul, viz. grace, justification, sin, liberty, law (no exclusive reference to I Cor., xiv, 19). Other works attributed to him are: "Opusculum de imaginibus", and "Septem scholae contra haereticos", but Echard does not assign the places or dates of their publication.

Quetif and Echard, Sciptores Ord. Proed., II (Paris, 1721), 162; Sixtus Senensis, Bibliotheca Sancta (Venice, 1566; Lyons, 1591); Orlandini, Historioe Societatis Jesu pars prima, sive Ignatius (Rome, 1615); Thompson, Saint Ignatius Loyola (London, 1910), 65; in the alphabetical index to this work Ory is called Ortiz. See Ignatius Loyola.

D.J. KENNEDY