Dominic Pace
Encyclopedia
Dominic Pace was a Maltese theologian and minor philosopher. In philosophy he mostly specialised in Aristotelico-Thomist Scholasticism
.
, and his theological ones with the Dominicans at Vittoriosa. Due to the colera
epidemic which hit the Maltese islands in those days, Pace was sent to Florence, Italy, at the convent of Saint Maximin, to pursue his theological studies there. In 1874 he acquired his colour in philosophy and theology.
Back in Malta
, Pace was ordained a priest, and chosen as the Master
of Dominican
Students at Rabat, Malta
. Here, from 1874 onwards, he also taught philosophy at the Dominican Studium Generale
. In recognition of his publication Difesa della Dottrina di S. Tommaso d’Aquino in 1877, Pace was made member of the Philosophical-Medical Academy of Bologna, Italy. Later, he was also awarded the title General Preacher by the Order of Preachers in Rome, Italy.
Pace died at Vittoriosa on June 29, 1907. Though his funeral was held at Vittoriosa, he was buried within the church of the Dominicans at Rabat, Malta
.
), published in 1877 (Tipografia E. Laferla, Malta
), was composed as a response to a book published by a priest, Francis Reale, in 1873 in which, while discussing the Bible
, he attributed to Aquinas certain theories considered erroneous by Pace. Reale went so far to suggest that Aquinas was a heretic
.
Since Reale also proposed that most Dominicans do not agree with Aquinas’ doctrine on humans’ natural disposition to know God
, Pace counters such a proposition. Accordingly, his pamphlet, which is made up of just 25 pages, deals mainly with humans’ natural knowledge of God
, and the natural disposition of pagans to believe in Jesus Christ. Of course, the source of Pace’s teachings is Aquinas himself. Nevertheless, many biblical references and citations are included too. Pace philosophically maintains that Aquinas is correct in what he teaches, and that all Dominicans subscribed to his point of view.
Understanably, the Difesa is a polemical work. Though Pace recognises that philosophy should have no authority except reason, he submits that Aquinas is a clear and authoritative reflection enough of natural reason.
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
.
Life
Pace was born at Vittoriosa, Malta, on December 17, 1851. He joined the Dominicans in 1867 at almost 16 years of age. He accomplished his institutional studies in philosophy with the Dominicans at Rabat, MaltaRabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
, and his theological ones with the Dominicans at Vittoriosa. Due to the colera
Cólera
Cólera is a Brazilian punk rock band formed in October 1979 in São Paulo, by Redson , Val and Pierre . They are currently one of the oldest punk bands in activity in Brazil, with a career that spans almost 30 years...
epidemic which hit the Maltese islands in those days, Pace was sent to Florence, Italy, at the convent of Saint Maximin, to pursue his theological studies there. In 1874 he acquired his colour in philosophy and theology.
Back in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Pace was ordained a priest, and chosen as the Master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
of Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Students at Rabat, Malta
Rabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
. Here, from 1874 onwards, he also taught philosophy at the Dominican Studium Generale
Studium Generale
Studium generale is the old customary name for a Medieval university.- Definition :There is no clear official definition of what constituted a Studium generale...
. In recognition of his publication Difesa della Dottrina di S. Tommaso d’Aquino in 1877, Pace was made member of the Philosophical-Medical Academy of Bologna, Italy. Later, he was also awarded the title General Preacher by the Order of Preachers in Rome, Italy.
Pace died at Vittoriosa on June 29, 1907. Though his funeral was held at Vittoriosa, he was buried within the church of the Dominicans at Rabat, Malta
Rabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
.
Work
Pace’s only extant work, Difesa della Dottrina di S. Tommaso d’Aquino (A Defence of the Doctrine of St. Thomas AquinasThomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
), published in 1877 (Tipografia E. Laferla, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
), was composed as a response to a book published by a priest, Francis Reale, in 1873 in which, while discussing the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, he attributed to Aquinas certain theories considered erroneous by Pace. Reale went so far to suggest that Aquinas was a heretic
Heretic
A heretic is a person who commits heresy.In literature:* Heretic, an autobiography of Peter Cameron* Heretic , the third volume in The Grail Quest series by Bernard CornwellIn music:...
.
Since Reale also proposed that most Dominicans do not agree with Aquinas’ doctrine on humans’ natural disposition to know God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, Pace counters such a proposition. Accordingly, his pamphlet, which is made up of just 25 pages, deals mainly with humans’ natural knowledge of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, and the natural disposition of pagans to believe in Jesus Christ. Of course, the source of Pace’s teachings is Aquinas himself. Nevertheless, many biblical references and citations are included too. Pace philosophically maintains that Aquinas is correct in what he teaches, and that all Dominicans subscribed to his point of view.
Understanably, the Difesa is a polemical work. Though Pace recognises that philosophy should have no authority except reason, he submits that Aquinas is a clear and authoritative reflection enough of natural reason.
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.