ULTERA
13
ULTERA
■evere intorior trials and temptations, whence docility
to her director brought her forth victorious. He al-
lowed her to make a yearly vow of virginity, and the
Blessed Sacrament became the central thought of her
life. According to her own narrative, towards the end
of 1839, when she was seventeen, she saw Christ on the
altar. On the Epiphany, 18^, this was repeated, and
for three whole years every time she assisted at Mass
this grace was granted her. Almost daily she received
from the lips of Jesus instructions forming a complete
spiritual and doctrinal education. He* explained in
smiple language the principal truths of faith; some-
times He showed her symbolical visions, or taught her
in parables. He sent His Mother and angels to her;
at times He reproached and humbled her. Her prog-
ress in virtue was rapid, her defects disappeared, and
she exercised a happy influence on those who ap-
proached her. She did not suspect at first that hers
was a singular privilege, yet she never mentioned it
except to her confessor.
In 1840 M. TAbb^ Pierre Darbins succeeded M. Farbos as cur^ of Mimbaste. By Divine command Marie revealed her soul to him. Much surprised, he tested his penitent by trying her obedience and humility; he found her wholly submissive. Then he asked the help of the director of the seminary of Dax. They agreed to order her to put in writing everything supernatural she had heard and seen in the past, and all she might hear and see in the future. In due time this was accomplished; but the true text has been so much interpolated by the editor that the "Works of Mario Lataste are not considered authentic. The Divine Master had made known to her His will, that she should embrace religious life, and in the Society of the Sacred Heart, recently founded and wholly un- known to her and ner director. After many objections and delays, she obtained permission and loft for Paris, 21 April, 1844, alone, under the guidance of Divine Providence. She was received at the H6tel Biron by Madame de Boisbaudry^ who had her examined by an experienced spiritualguide. She was admitted as lay- sister on 15 May. With great joy she entered upon this new life. Humility, charity, obedience, and fidel- ity to common life were ner chief characteristics. Her sisters* testimony was: " Sister Lataste does eveiy- thin£ like every one else, yet no one does anything like her. Still a novice she was sent to Rennes, in the hope that change of air would improve her health. An active life succeeded the quiet of the noviceship; she was infirmarian, refectonan, portress, but her humble virtues shone the more brilliantly; children, strangers, as well as her superiors and her sisters, felt her hidden sanctity. Marie's vows had been post-
goned in the hope of an improvement in her health. >ut on Sunday, 9 May, she became suddenly so very ill that the end seemed near. She was allowed to pronounce her vows, just before receiving the last sacraments. Then the pent-up ardours of her soul burst forth in ecstatic joy until her death on 10 Ma^, 1847, at the age of twentjr-five. Her memory lives in benediction. Her remains have been secured from desecration and now repose at Roehampton near London.
Vie de Marie LaUulepar une reUgieuse du S. C. (Paris. 1866); Dabbins, La Vie et let (Euvree de Marie LaUute (Paru, 1866).
AucB Power.
lAtera, Flaminius Annibau de, historian, b. at Latera, near Viterbo, 23 Nov., 1733; d. at Viterbo, 27 Feb., 1813. He received his first education from a priest, Paolo Ferranti, and at the age of sixteen entered the Order of Friars Minor Observants in the Roman Province, taking the habit at the convent ^ of St. Bemardine at Orte, 23 January, 1750; a y^ar later on the same day he made his solemn profession. Being in due time ordained priest, he passed his ex- aminations as lector generalia (protcssor), and 8uccea«
sively taught theology in various convents — ^Viterbo,
Fano, Velletri, and Rome. From 1790 to 1791 he
was definitor general of the order, and from 1794 to
1797 superior of the Roman Province. When the
convents in Italy were suppressed by Napoleon I in
1810, Annibali retired to Viterbo, and died there in a
private residence.
De Latera during fifty years developed immense activity as a writer. Unfortunately he lived at a time when Franciscan history had just passed through the
Seat and passionate Spader-Ringhieri and Lucci- arczic controversies, which circumstances had a not- able influence on his writings: instead of using his re- markable talents for constructive work, he wrote mostly with a polemical motive. Still his merits are
freat enough to secure him an honourable place in 'ranciscan literature. His chief works are (1) "Ad Bullarium Franciscanum a P. Hyacintho Sbaralea Ord. Min. Con v. . . . editum, Supplementum" (Rome, 1780), dedicated to Pope Pius Vl, by whose orders it was written to correct the Conventual interpreta- tions of Sbaralea [see Archiv f. Litt. u. Kirchenge- schichte, I (1885), 516-171. (2) '* Manuale de' Frati Minori . . . con un appenoice, o sia risposta all' au- tore (P. Sangallo, O.M. Con.) del Saggio compendi- oso della dottrina di Giustino Febbronio" (Home, 1776). This latter work occasioned great controver- sies, which partly took a violent and abusive form. (3) " Dissertationes critico-historicae in quarum una Ser. Patriarcha Franciscus Tertii Ordinis institutor, in altera Indulgentiae Portiunculae Veritas asseritur et vindicatur (Rome, 1784), (4) "Veritas impressionls Sacrorum Stignuttum in corporeSeraphici S. Francisci Assisiensis ..." (Rome, 1786). (5) "La storia della Indulgenza concessa da Gesu Cristo . . . nclla Chiesa della Portiuncula si dimostra vera ..." (Rome, 1796). The last three books were written against rationalistic attacks of the time, concerning which see Pezzana, "Memorie degli Scrittori e Letterati Parmi-
fiani", VI, pt. I, 127 (Parma, 1825). When the Benedictine Pujati had, by order of Scipio Ricci of unhappy memory, written against the traditional form of the Stations of the Cross, Annibali, with the Franciscans AfTo and Tommaso da Cireglio, was chareed to answer; he then wrote (6) "LaPraticadel pio Esercizio della Via Crucis . . . vendicata dalle obbiezioni di D. Giuseppe Ma Pujati, Monaco Casi- nese ..." (Viterbo, 1783; 2nd ed., Viterbo, 1785). (7^ '*La Difesa dell' antico metodo della Via Crucia e la Censura del nuovo ..." (against the "Annali ecclesiastici" of Florence) (Viterbo, 1783). An im- portant but little -known work is (8) "Compendio della Storia degli Ordini religiosi esistenti" (4 vols., Rome, 1790-91); 2nd ed. of the same with the title "Storia degli Ordini r^golari ..." (Naples, 1796). (9) A life of St. Collette, in Italian (Rome, 1805; 2nd ed., Rome, 1807). (10) Italian life of St. Hyacintha Mariscotti (Rome, 1805; 2nd ed., Rome, 1807). (11) New edition of "F. Francisci Horantii Hisp ao i (O.F.M.) . . . Locorum Catholicorum . . . libri VII" (2 vols., Rome, 1795-96). (12) Annibali worked at the reform of the Franciscan Breviary, 1784-85, and composed many new offices edited separately at Rome, 1785 (see "Archivum Franc. Hist.", I, Quar- acchi, 1908, 45-49). (13) An Italian hymn-book (Vit- erbo, 1772). After his death appeared (14) "Notizic storiche della Casa Famese della fu Citt^ di Castro . . . coir aggiunta di due Paesi Latera e Famese" (in 2 parts, Montefiascone, 1817-18). We omit some other works, as well as the anonymous and pseudony- mous pamphlets of the author.
The biographical notices have been taken from the archives of Ara Coeli, Rx>nie; the biblioeraohioal indications, from th« books themselves. Breve Compenaio della Vila di F. Flaminio Annibali da Latera (s. d., but probabty about 1770-80\ is noth- ing but a sad travesty of Aonibali, wntten by one of his literal^' advenaries.
LtYAiuns OuQxm.
