Charles Joseph Tricassin

Charles Joseph Tricassin (Tricassinus) (b. at Troyes; d. in 1681) was a French Capuchin theologian. There is little information about his life.

Works

He expounded Augustine of Hippo's doctrine of grace against the Jansenists. Thesee writings were violently attacked; they treat exhaustively both the Augustinian doctrine and that of Bonaventure. They comprise in the main:

• (Paris, 1669 and 1673), to which was added (1673), the work being intended to prove predestination for foreknown merits;
• (Paris, 1673), a thorough explanation of Augustinian tenets;
• (Paris, 1673), proof of the sufficient grace for every individual, with special emphasis on difficult passages in Augustine's writings;
• (Paris, 1677);
• (Paris, 1679), a proof of the virtue of the hope of eternal life and of the fear of hell; a (Paris, 1679) shows that attrition in connection with the Sacrament of Penance is sufficient according to Augustine and the Council of Trent.

Tricassin also published a commentary to several of Augustine's works to prove that Augustine calls the Pelagians heretical teachers, because they do not concede any necessity of grace for the will. He published at Paris in 1678 a French translation with explanations and applications of Augustine's books, , , as well as a treatise arguing that the Cartesian philosophy was contrary to the Catholic faith.

References