DENS
733
DENVER
When Dcnonville left the country he was looked upon
as lacking in ability to deal with the savages, besides
being too much inclined to follow every one's advice;
nevertheless, he was a fine soldier, a good Christian,
and a governor admirably disposed towards the col-
ony, nvliich he was most eager to rescue from the
clutches of the Iroquois. On his return to France
the king gave him further proof of his confidence by
appointing him assistant tutor to the children of the
royal household.
Ferland. Couts d'hKloire du Canada. 2d ed. (Quebec. 1882) ; Parish Archives of Dcnonville (Eure-ef-Loir): Manuscript Docu- ments concerning New France and the Correspondence of the Governors of New France.
N. E. DiONNE.
Dens, Peter, theologian, b. at Boom, near Ant- werp, Belgium, 12 September. Iti90; d. at Meclilin, 15 February, 1775. He completed his earlier studies under the direction of the Fathers of the Oratorj- at Mechlin, and in 1711 became a master of arts of the University of Louvain, where he afterwards devoted himself to the study of theology. He lectured on this subject to the religious of the .\fflighem Abbey (1717- 172.3), and after receiving the licentiate in theology at the University of Louvain (5 October, 1723), he was successively professor of theologj^ at the seminary of Mechlin (until 1729), pastor of the metropolitan church there (1729-1737), president of the seminary (1735-1775), canon and Sclwlasticu,s (1737), then pen- itentiary (1751), and finally archpriest of the chap- ter (1754-1775). The work which he had undertaken of enlarging the seminary compelled him to relinquish the chair of theology which he had again occupied from 1741-1747. He was always distinguished by his simplicity, solid piety, and love for the poor, and above all by his zeal for the moral and scientific train- ing of the clergy. The organization of the concur- sus for the collation of the cures and the reform of theological instruction in the Diocese of Mechlin were in great measure his work. He is not the author of the complete course of theological lectures entitled "Theologia ad usum seminariorum " which was pub- lished under his name in 1777, and is still published, though greatly modified, by the professors of the sem- inary of Mechlin (Theologia ad usiun seminarii Mechli- niensis, olim sub nomine P. Dens edita) ; but he pub- lished a treatise on penance and on the virtue of relig- ion (Supplementum theologia Laur. Neesen. De vir- tute religionis; Dictata de sacramento Pcenitentiise. Mechlin, 1758), and several tracts against the Recollet John Tomson, in favour of the custom existing in some parishes of the Diocese of Mechlin, of asking and inscribing in a register the names of those who went to confession (Responsio P. Dens ad dissertationem et apologiara .Joannis Tomson. Mechlin, 1759), and against the Avigustinian monk Maugis, professor at the University of Louvain (C'oUectio scriptorum qua; separatim in luccni edita svmt circa quaestionein the- ologicam an sacerdos vel beneficiarius recitans horas canonicas in affectu peccati mortalis satisfaciat pnE- cepto seu obligation! recitandi horas canonicas. Louvain, 1765).
Biographtnal notice in the first volume of the oldest editions of the Theologia ad usum seminariorum; Journal historiquc et
lillcraire (Litge, 1839). VI, 24.3; DEWvLgOE in Biagraphi
tionale (Brussels, 1876), V, 599; Horter. Nomenclator literarius,
III. 41; Baeten. Naamrollen bclrekkelijk de kerkelijke geschic-
denis van hct aartsbisdom van Mechelen (Mechlin, 1881), I, 308.
A. Van Hove.
Denunciation (Lat. denunrinre) is making known the crime of another to one who is his superior. The emplojTnent of denunciation has its origin in the Scriptures. Christ ordains (Matt., xviii, 1.5-17), "If thy brother shall ofTend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may
stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church.
And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as
the heathen and publican". As the object of this
denunciation was the bettering of one's neighbour, by
admonition, not vindictive punishment, it has re-
ceived the name of charitable or evangelical denunci-
ation. The term paternal correction is also applied
to it.
After the Church had obtained an official status be- fore the world, it built up a process of criminal law, and judicial denunciation took the place of evangeli- cal. The difference consists in this, that the judicial declaration is made not merely for the reformation, but also for the punishment of the guilty person. By ordinary process of law, it is an accuser who evokes the dormant power of the judge. If the charge be false, such accuser is obliged to sustain the pimish- ment that would have been inflicted on the guilty party. In modern ecclesiastical law proceedings, however, this law of reprisals has gone into desuetude, and in diocesan courts the promotor fiscalis takes the place of the accuser. The difference between the ac- cuser and denouncer is that the latter does not assume the obligation of proving the charge which he brings, and so is not amenable to the law of reprisals or retaliation. To avoid, however, the multiplication of unfounded charges, a denouncer whose accusation can not be proved, is ordinarily suspended from his benefice and dignities until it is made manifest that his demmciation did not proceed from malice. If the person denounced be declared judicially innocent of the crime laid to him, then the denouncer must make oath that he acted in good faith in bringing the charges. It is allowed to the denouncer to appear also as a witness in the trial. The person denounced is, by that very fact, considered to have suffered in his good name and as a consequence he becomes incapable for a year of recei\'ing any sacred order or benefice, unless he be found innocent. It is to be remarked that denunciation is not supposed to take place until private admonitions have been tried fruitlessly. De- nunciation in the .strict sense of the law has practically gone into desuetude, and its place is taken by a simple statement to a superior who has the right of proceed- ing canonically against delinquents, without subject- ing the informer to the obligations incumbent on de- nouncers.
There is a special obligation imposed by a decree of the Holy Office to denounce heretics, magicians, those who have abused the Sacrament of Penance (see Solicitation) and others guilty of similar crimes to the Inquisition (see Inquisition). Where Catholics, however, live in places where they are mixed with heretics, they are not bound to denounce the latter. The term denunciation is also applied to matters con- nected with the Sacrament of Matrimony (see Banns). Finally, as to the obligation of denouncing transgres- sors, every person is bound to do so, when he can fulfil the duty without grave detriment to himself and with corresponding utility to society or indi- viduals. In certain cases only, is denunciation strictly prescribed, as in those relating to matrimonial im- pediments, to abuse of the confessional, and to the names of leaders of secret societies.
Lacrentius, Instituliones Jur. Can. (Freihure. 1903); Fer- raris, Bibl. Canon. (Rome. 1886), III; Reiffenstuel, Jus Canonicum (Paris, 1865), VI.
William H. W. Fanning.
Denver, Diocese of (Denveriensis), a suffragan of the .\rchdiocese of Santa F^, erected in 1887 and comprising the entire State of Colorado, an area of 103, ()15 square miles. The first permanent civilized settlement within its borders w.as made in 18.52, when a Spanish colony from New Mexico settled in what is now the .southern part of Colorado on the Conejos River, where they built the first church in 1858.
