French prelate and writer, b. in Besançon early in the seventeenth century; d. 29 April, 1677. He made his profession in the Benedictine monastery of Faverney, 29 December 1629, and spent some time at the monasteries of Charité-sur-Loire, Nevers, and Paris as prior and subsequently as abbot. He was consecrated Bishop of Belley, 14 February, 1666. His works, which were written in French, are: "Pierre philosophale" (Paris, 1653); "Talismans justifiés" (ibid., 1653); "Poudre de sympathie mystérieuse: (ibid., 1653); "Poudre de projection demontrée" (ibid., 1653); "Le voyage inconnu" (ibid., 1653); "Principes de ves convainquantes des vérités du christianisme" (ibid., 1666); "Preuves convainquantes des verites du christianisme" (ibid., 1666); "Emblèmes eucharistiques, ou octave du très S. Sacrement" (1647, 1660); "Les solides pensées de l'ame, pour la porter à son devoir" (Paris, 1668). He is probably identical with Alphonsus Belin, O.S.B., Prior of Charité-sur-Loire in the latter half of the seventeenth century, and author of "La vérité de la religion catholique et las fausseté de la religion prétendue réformée" (Nevers 1683).

The Catholic Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive resource on Catholic teaching, history, and information ever gathered in all of human history. This easy-to-search online version was originally printed in fifteen hardcopy volumes.

Designed to present its readers with the full body of Catholic teaching, the Encyclopedia contains not only precise statements of what the Church has defined, but also an impartial record of different views of acknowledged authority on all disputed questions, national, political or factional. In the determination of the truth the most recent and acknowledged scientific methods are employed, and the results of the latest research in theology, philosophy, history, apologetics, archaeology, and other sciences are given careful consideration.

No one who is interested in human history, past and present, can ignore the Catholic Church, either as an institution which has been the central figure in the civilized world for nearly two thousand years, decisively affecting its destinies, religious, literary, scientific, social and political, or as an existing power whose influence and activity extend to every part of the globe. In the past century the Church has grown both extensively and intensively among English-speaking peoples. Their living interests demand that they should have the means of informing themselves about this vast institution, which, whether they are Catholics or not, affects their fortunes and their destiny.

Copyright © Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company New York, NY. Volume 1: 1907; Volume 2: 1907; Volume 3: 1908; Volume 4: 1908; Volume 5: 1909; Volume 6: 1909; Volume 7: 1910; Volume 8: 1910; Volume 9: 1910; Volume 10: 1911; Volume 11: - 1911; Volume 12: - 1911; Volume 13: - 1912; Volume 14: 1912; Volume 15: 1912

Catholic Online Catholic Encyclopedia Digital version Compiled and Copyright © Catholic Online