Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/346

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Oaboon, Vicariate Apostolic of (Gabonensis), whom he and Barnabas had converted during the

in Central Africa, originally known as the Vicariate first missionary journey (c. 47-49). "With the

Apostolic of the Two Guineas. A part of the terri- immense majority of interpreters," he regards Gal.

tory comprised in this vicariate, the mission of the ii, 1-10, as St. Paul's account of the meeting at

Estuary of Mouni, founded in 1894, was ceded to Jerusalem related b> Acts xv, written several years

Germany by the Franco-German treaty of 4 Novem- after it took place. Dom Hopfl defends similar

ber, 1911. The mission, which at that time counted views in his Introduction to the New Testament.

600 Christians and 1000 Catechumens, had 2 priests, So does Father Prat in his recent revision of his

2 Brothers, and 1 school. Gaboon, which IS en- «Th6ologie de St. Paul." On the other hand,

tmsted to the Fathers of the Holy Ghost, has its Fathers I^vesque and Keogh, with Sir W. M.

official residence at Sainte Mane du Gabon. Rt. Ramsay, contend that the Epistle was addressed

Ji.ir"i° 2 ^^^^a^^u^"^' ""^ooJ"^ .'^P^^?*^^ ^"^ *o the Churches of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and

thw vicariate 16 February, 1897, retired 7 May, ^^^^e, in South Galatia, before th^ CouncU of

tagnes, France, 1876, entwed the Congregation of .^^^^^1,'^"?? r.uU.l' ♦w«,^°ff®'^' ^'^•?? the Holy Ghost 1 17 and made superior of the mis- (?^,^" ^ Galatian theory, but aprees with sion of Gaboon in 1909, was appointed titular Father Lagrange concermng the date of the Epirtle. Bishop of Corycus and coadjutor to the vicar 10 ^ the interpretation of the Epistle Fathers La- December, 1911, and succeeded as vicar apostolic grange and Levesque maintain that the opponent upon the resignation of Bishop Adam. ?[ St. Paul m Galatia advocated circumcision and

According to 1920 statistics this territory has a the observance of the Mosaic law as necessary

total population of 10,000,000, of which 14,939 are Jo' salvation, as did the Judaizers of whom St.

Catholics and 4200 heretics. The mission is served Luke tells us m Acts xv. Like the Pharisees, they

by 20 missionary priests, 26 Brothers, 68 catechists, would have counted on the works of the law as

6 stations, 16 chapels, 1 seminary, 26 schools, 12 a principle of justification, so attributing to human

hospitals, and 44 Sisters of the Immaculate Concep- efforts effecte which belonged exclusively to God s

tion of Castres mercy and the ments of Christ s death. It is,

indeed, hard to imdcrstand on any other supposi-

Gabriel, Bbothers of Saint. See Saint Gabriel, tion St. Paul's arguments, his emotions, his fear

Brothers of. for his converts, nis denunciation of those who

Gabriel Possenti, Saint (cf. C. E., VI-330a), ^i^turb them. The Judaistic teachers are accused

whose canonization, the first in the rei^ of Bene^ ^^ perverting the Gospel; those who accept cir-

diet XV, took place on 13 May, 1920. Present at ^^'P-cf °Qf p® 1^'"^ u """J* themselv«» off from

the ceremony was his brotherf Dr. Michele Pos- 5^*^"st. St Paiil would not so speak of the obser-

senti, of Camerino. His feast is celebrated on 27 ^f^^^ °^ the Mosaic law if it were not based on a

A -J subversive error. It is obvious that this view of

^ the Judaizers* error should incline one to think

Oaeta, Archdiocese of (Caietanensis), in the of the Epistle as written before the Council of

province of Caserta, Southern Italy, directly sub- Jerusalem. After it the Judaizers could not appeal

ject to the Holy See. By a pontifical Decree of to the authority of Pete.- and James; nor could

21 March, 1921, the boundaries of this diocese were they wield such dangerous authority over the

slightly changed, the town of Vallecorsa being in- Galatians, who were clearly desirous of persevering

corporated in the Diocese of Veroli. Most Rev. in the doctrine of the Apostles. Writing after the

Francesco Niola, promoted to this see 14 Decem- Council St. Paul woulcf, we should think, have

ber, 1891, died 14 August, 1920, and was succeeded simply told the Galatians that the thesis defended

by Rt. Rev. Pasquale Berardi, born in the diocese by the Judaizers had been submitted to the Apos-

of Trivento 1861, appointed Bishop of Ruvo 24 ties and Elders at Jerusalem and there condemned

March, 1898, and promoted 21 April, 1921. The promptly, solemnly, and decisively. Father Prat,

diocese comprises a Catholic population (1920 however, still holds as more likely that the Judai-

statistics) of 83,600, 42 parishes, 193 secular and zers only advocated circumcision as a means of

10 regular clergy, 30 seminarians, 4 Brothers, 60 becoming more perfect Christians; and so much

Sisters, and 97 churches or chapels. can be said in favor of this view and in favor of

^,.. _, /#i^T^Trr no/> \ bringing together in point of time the Epistle to

Oalatiaas. Epistle to the (cf. C. E., VI-336a).— the Galatians and the Epistle to the Romans that

The historical setting and the precise meaning of ^^ consensus of opinion may be expected among

St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians continue to be ^he doctors in the near future

the subject of interesting discussion. We give below ^,^,^„8^ ^f,^ Epistle of Paul the 'ApoBtle to the Otdatian»

only the principal works which have appeared since in Cambridge Bible for Schodi and CoUegea (Cambridge.

Father Aneme^s article in 1909. Father Lagrange, IJIO ; .^Rambet,^ The Datej>f i^^^P^f^^^Jf^}^ i5_,?l^*

whose commentary is the m

tion to the recent literature

the North Galatian theory

A. D. 53 to 57). He is sure tl

try" of Acts xvi, 6, and xvill, £6, can oniy oe me i Aur., 1921); Prat, La ThSologue de 8. PatU (1920); BinnoN,

ancient home of the Gauls of Asia, in the northern The Epistle to the Oalatiam in international Critical Com^

part of the Province Galatia; and that St. Paul ^^.t-y (N- y^Hc. .!«»); ^n. rAe «p-«^» gJjO^

could not designate as "Galatians the Fnrygians (is20); HfiPFL, Introductio Spedalis in Lihroa Novi Teeta-

and Lycaonians of the southern part of the province, rnenti (Subiaco, 1922).

330