Gregório Nunes Coronel

At an early age he entered the Order of St. Augustine. Soon after his ordination to the priesthood he became famous as a theologian and master of sacred eloquence.

When his fame was at its zenith, he left Portugal and was appointed by the Duke of Savoy as chaplain and preacher to his court. He came to Rome by order of his superiors, and there took the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Coronel taught theology for many years in Rome.

At this time the controversy, about the efficacy of divine grace and free will, between the Jesuits and Dominicans, was at its height. Pope Clement VIII established the Congregatio de Auxiliis to decide the points at issue, and Coronel was appointed by the pope to the position of secretary. He was continued in this office by Pope Clement's successor, Pope Paul V. As a reward for his services to the congregation, he was offered a bishopric, but he declined. He attended the general chapter of his order, held at Rome in 1620, as definitor of the Sardinian province.

Coronel's principal works are:

• "Libri decem de verâ Christi Ecclesiâ" (Rome, 1594);
• "Libri sex de optimo reipublicæ statu" (Rome, 1597);
• "De traditionibus apostolicis" (Rome, 1597).

A history of the Congregatio de Auxiliis, in manuscript, is preserved in the Angelica Library in Rome.

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Gregorio Nuñez Coronel". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites:
  • ELSSIUS, Encomiasticon Augustinianum (Brussels, 1654);
  • OSSINGER, Bibliotheca Augustiniana (Ingoldstadt, 1768);
  • LANTERI, Postrema sæcula sex religionis Augustinianæ (Rome, 1860);
  • BARBOSA AND NARDUCCI, Catalogus manuscriptorum Bibliothecæ Angelicæ (Rome, 1893);
  • BARDON, Monastici Augustiniani Crusenii continuatio (Valladolid, 1903)