Maassen, Friedrich Bernard Christian Professor of law (1823-1900)

Moral Theology - Limited to those doctrines which discuss the relations of man and his free actions to God and his supernatural end, and propose the means instituted by God for the attainment of that end

Morales, Ambrosio - Spanish historian, b. at Cordova, 1513; d. in 1591

Morales, Christóbal - Spanish composer (1512-1553)

Morales, Juan Bautista - Missionary, b. about 1597 at Ecija in Andalusia, Spain; d. Fu-ning, China, 17 Sept., 1664

Morales, Luis de - Spanish painter, b. at Badajoz in Estremadura about 1509; d. at Badajoz, 1586

Moralities - Moralities are a development or an offshoot of the Miracle Plays and together with these form the greater part of Medieval drama. They were popular in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and existed side by side with the Miracle Plays of that date

Morality - Morality is antecedent to ethics: it denotes those concrete activities of which ethics is the science. It may be defined as human conduct in so far as it is freely subordinated to the ideal of what is right and fitting

Moran, Francis Patrick - Third Archbishop of Sydney, b. at Leighlinbridge, Ireland, 16 Sept., 1830; d, at Manly, Sydney, 16 Aug., 1911

Moratín, Leandro Fernandez de - Spanish poet and playwright, b. at Madrid, 10 March, 1760; at Paris, 21 June, 1828

Moravia - Austrian crown land east of Bohemia

Moravian Brethren - 'Bohemian Brethren' and 'Moravian Brethren' are the current popular designation of the Unitas Fratrum founded in Bohemia in 1457, renewed by Count Zinzendorf in 1722

Morcelli, Stefano Antonio - Italian Jesuit and epigraphist (1737-1822)

More, Thomas, Saint - Biographical article on the Lord Chancellor of England, and martyr. Beheaded 1535

More, Helen - Nun and descendant of St. Thomas More (1606-1633)

More, Henry - Priest and descendant of St. Thomas More (1586-1661)

Morel, Gall - Poet, scholar, aesthete, and educationist, b. at St. Fiden, Switzerland, on 24 March, 1803; d. at the Abbey of Einsiedeln on 16 December, 1872

Morell, Juliana - Dominican nun, b. at Barcelona, Spain, 16 February, 1594; d. at the convent of the Dominican nuns at Avignon, France, 26 June, 1653

Morelos, José María - Mexican patriot, b. at Valladolid (now called Morelia in his honour), Mexico, on 30 September, 1765; shot at San Cristóbal Ecatepec on 22 December, 1815

Moréri, Louis - An encyclopaedist, b. at Bargemont in the Diocese of Frejus, France, 25 March, 1643, d. at Paris, 10 July, 1680

Moreto y Cabaña, Augustine - Spanish dramatist; b. at Madrid, 9 April, 1618, d. at Toledo, 28 Octoher, 1669

Morgagni, Giovanni Battista - Italian physician and investigator in medicine; b. 25 February, 1682; d. Bologna, 6 December, 1771

Morgan, Venerable Edward - Welsh priest, martyr, b. at Bettisfield, Hanmer, Flintshire, executed at Tyburn, London, 26 April, 1642

Morghen, Raffaello - Italian engraver, b. at Portici, 19 June, 1768 (1761?); d. at Florence, 8 April, 1833

Moriarty, David - Bishop and pulpit orator, b. in Ardfert, Co. Kerry, in 1812; d. 1 October, 1877

Morigi, Michaelangelo (Caravaggio) - Milanese painter, b. at Caravaggio in 1569, d. at Porto d' Ercole in 1609

Morimond, Abbey of - Founded in 1115 by Odelric d' Aigremont and his wife, Adeline de Choiseul

Morin, Jean - A French priest of the Oratory, b. at Blois, in 1591, d. at Paris, 28 Feb., 1659

Mormons - Also called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This religious body had its origin during the early part of the nineteenth century. Joseph Smith, the founder and first president of the sect, was the son of a Vermont farmer, and was born in Sharon township, Windsor County, in that state, on 23 December, 1805

Morocco - The country known as Morocco (from Marrakesh, the name of one of its chief cities) forms the northwest corner of the Continent of Africa

Morone, Giovanni - Cardinal, Bishop of Modena, b. at Milan 25 Jan., 1509; d. at Rome, 1 Dec., 1580

Moroni, Gaetano - The author of 'Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica', b. at Rome, 17 October, 1802; d. there, 3 November, 1883

Moroni, Giovanni Battista - A painter, b. at Bondo, near Albino, in the territory of Bergamo, between 1520 and 1525; d. at Bergamo, in 1578

Morris, John - Canon, afterwards Jesuit, F.S.A., b. in India, 4 July, 1826; d. at Wimbledon, 22 Oct., 1893

Morris, John Brande - Born at Brentford, Middlesex, 4 September, 1812; died at Hammersmith, London, 9 April, 1880; he studied at Baliol College, Oxford, graduating in 1834 (B.A. honours) and 1837 (M. A.), He was at once elected Petrean Fellow of Exeter College, and lectured on Hebrew

Morris, Martin Ferdinand - Lawyer and jurist, b. 3 December, 1834, at Washington, D.C.; d. 12 September, 1909, at Washington, D. C

Morse - The rectangular ornamented piece of material attached to the two front edges of the cope near the breast to prevent the vestment from slipping from the shoulders

Morse, Venerable Henry - English Jesuit who made his novitiate in prison. He was martyred at Tyburn in 1644

Mortification - One of the methods which Christian ascesticism employs in training the soul to virtuous and holy living

Mortmain - History and details of the laws

Morton, John - Cardinal, Archbishop of Canterbury, b. in Dorsetshire about 1420, d. at Knowle, Kent, 15 Sept., 1500

Morton, Robert - Brief biography of the English priest, martyred at London in 1588, along with a layman, Hugh Moor. Article also mentions others martyred on the same day elsewhere in England, including the Bl. William Dean

Mosaic Legislation - The body of juridical, moral, and ceremonial institutions, laws, and decisions comprised in the last four books of the Pentateuch, and ascribed by Christian and Hebrew tradition to Moses

Mosaics - Includes information on the history and techniques

Moschus, Johannes - A monk and ascetical writer, b. about 550 probably at Damascus; d. at Rome, 619

Moscow - The ancient capital of Russia and the chief city of the government (province) of Moscow, situated in almost the centre of European Russia

Moses - Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian, lived in the thirteenth and early part of the twelfth century, B. C

Moses Bar Cephas - A Syriac bishop and writer, b. at Balad about 813; d. 12 Feb., 903

Moses Maimonides, Teaching of - Article by William Turner discusses this Jewish thinker's life and doctrines

Moses of Chorene - Armenian called by his countrymen 'the father of history' and the 'father of scholars', and celebrated as a poet, or hymn writer, and a grammarian

Mossul - The seat of a Chaldean archdiocese, a Syrian diocese, and an Apostolic Mission

Mostar and Markana-Trebinje - History of the dioceses

Most Precious Blood, Feast of the - For many dioceses there are two days to which the Office of the Precious Blood has been assigned, the office being in both cases the same. . .

Most Precious Blood, Archconfraternity of the - Confraternities which make it their special object to venerate the Blood of Christ

Most Pure Heart of Mary, Feast of the - In its principal object this feast is identical with the feast of the 'Inner Life of Mary', celebrated by the Sulpitians on 19 October

Mosynoupolis - Titular see in Macedonia

Motet - A short piece of music set to Latin words, and sung instead of, or immediately after, the Offertorium, or as a detached number in extra-liturgical functions

Motolinia, Toribio de Benavente - Franciscan missionary to Mexico (d. 1568)

Motu Proprio - The name given to certain papal rescripts on account of the clause motu proprio (of his own accord) used in the document

Mouchy, Antoine de - Theologian and canonist (1494-1574)

Moufang, Franz Christoph Ignaz - Theologian, b. at Mainz, 17 Feb., 1817; d. there, 27 Feb., 1890

Moulins - Suffragan of Sens

Mount Athos - The mountain that the architect Dinocrates offered to turn into a statue of Alexander the Great with a city in one hand and in the other a perennially flowing spring

Mount Calvary, Congregations of - Two groups are detailed

Mount Carmel, Feast of Our Lady of - This feast was instituted by the Carmelites between 1376 and 1386

Mount Saint Mary's College - The second oldest among the Catholic collegiate institutions in the United States, is located near Emmitsburg, Maryland, within the limits of the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Movers, Franz Karl - Exegete and Orientalist, b. at Koesfeld, Westphalia, 17 July, 1806; d. at Breslau, 28 Sept., 1856

Moxos Indians - According to one authority, they are named from Musu, their Quichua name; according to others, from the Moxos word, muha, erroneously thought by the Spaniards to be the tribal name

Moy De Sons, Karl Ernst, Freiherr Von - A jurist, born 10 August, 1799, at Munich; died 1 August, 1867, at Innsbruck (Tyrol)

Moye, Ven. John Martin - Biography of the founder of the Sisters of Divine Providence, and missionary to China. He died in 1793

Moylan, Francis - Bishop of Cork, born at Cork, 1739; died in 1815

Moylan, Stephen - An American patriot and merchant, born in Ireland in 1734; died at Philadelphia, 11 April, 1811

Mozambique - The former official name given to the Portuguese possessions on the eastern coast of Africa opposite the island of Madagascar

Mozarabic Rite - The name 'Mozarabic Rite' is given to the rite used generally in Spain and in what afterwards became Portugal from the earliest times of which we have any information down to the latter part of the eleventh century, and still surviving in the Capilla Muzárabe in Toledo cathedral and in the chapel of San Salvador or Talavera, in the old cathedral of Salamanca

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Biography of the composer (1756-1791)

Mozetena Indians - A group of some half dozen tribes constituting a distinct linguistic stock upon the headwaters of the Beni river, Department of Beni, in northwestern Bolivia

Mozzetta - A short, cape-shaped garment, covering the shoulders and reaching only to the elbow, with an open front, which may be fastened by means of a row of small buttons; at the neck it has a very small and purely ornamental hood

Mozzi, Luigi - Controversialist, born at Bergamo, 26 May, 1746; died near Milan, 24 June, 1813

Mrak, Ignatius - The second Bishop of Marquette, U. S. A., born 16 October, 1818, in Hotovle, in the Diocese of Laibach (Carinthia), Austria; died at Marquette, 2 Jan., 1901

Muchar, Albert Anton Von - An historian, born at Linez, Tyrol, 22 Nov., 1781; died at Graz, Styria, 6 June, 1849

Mühlbacher, Engelbert - Historian, born at Gresten, Austria, 4 Oct., 1843; died at Vienna, 17 July, 1903

Mulhall, Michael George - Statistician, b. in Dublin, 29 September, 1829; d. there 13 Dec., 1900

Mulholland, St. Clair Augustine - Born at Lisburn, Co. Antrium, Ireland, 1 April 1839; died at Philadelphia, 17 Feb., 1910

Mullanphy, John - Merchant, philanthropist, b. near Enniskillen, Co. Fremanagh, Ireland, 1758; d. at St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., 29 August, 1833

Müller, Adam Heinrich - Publicist and political economist, convert, b. at Berlin, 30 June, 1779; d. at Vienna, 17 Jan., 1829

Müller, Johann - Physiologist and comparative anatomist, b. at Coblenz, 14 July, 1801; d. at Berlin, 28 April, 1858

Müller, Johann - German astronomer, b. 6 June, 1436; d. in Rome, 6 July, 1476

Müller, Karl - Professor at Düsseldorf, b. at Darmstadt, 29 Oct., 1818; d. at Neuenahr, 15 Aug., 1893, belongs to the more recent members of a school of German religious painters known as the 'Nazarenes.'

Mullock, John T. - Bishop of St. John's, Newfoundland, born in 1807 at Limerick, Ireland; died at St. John's, Newfoundland, 26 March, 1869

Münch-Bellinghausen, Baron Eligius Franz Joseph von - An Austrian dramatist, born at Cracow, 2 April, 1806; died at Vienna, 22 May, 1871

Mundwiler, Fintan - Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Meinrad, Indiana, born at Dietikon in Switzerland, 12 July, 1835; died at St. Meinrad's Abbey, 14 February, 1898

Munich-Freising - An archdiocese in Bavaria

Munkács - Diocese in Hungary, of Greek Catholic Rite, suffragan of Gran

Münster - Diocese in the Prussian Province of Westphalia, suffragan of Cologne

Münster, University of - The town of Münster in Westphalia obtained its university in 1771 through the initiative of the prince-bishop's vicar general, Freiherr von Fürstenberg

Müntz, Eugène - French savant and historian; b. 11 June, 1845; d. at Paris, 2 November, 1902

Mura, Saint - Irishman, appointed Abbot of Fahan by St. Columba. Patron saint of the O'Neills. Died in about 645

Muratori, Luigi Antonio - Librarian in Modena, one of the greatest scholars of his time, b. 21 Oct., 1672; d. 23 Jan., 1750

Muratorian Canon - Also called the Muratorian Fragment, after the name of the discoverer and first editor, L. A. Muratori (in the 'Antiquitates italicae', III, Milan, 1740, 851 sq.), the oldest known canon or list of books of the New Testament

Murder - Signifies, in general, the killing of a human being. In practice, however, the word has come to mean the unjust taking away of human life, perpetrated by one distinct from the victim and acting in a private capacity

Muret, Marc-Antoine - Sixteenth-century French humanist. Article by Paul Lejay

Muri - An abbey of monks of the Order of S. Benedict, which flourished for over eight centuries at Muri near Basle in Switzerland, and which is now established under Austrian rule at Gries near Bozen in Tyrol

Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban - Spanish painter, d. 1682. Artist's biography with bibliography

Murner, Thomas - German satirist of the sixteenth century, b. at Oberehnheim, Alsace, 24 Dec., 1475; d. there, 1537

Muro-Lucano - Located in the province of Potenza, in Basilicata, southern Italy

Murray, John O'Kane - Irish-American physician and historian (1847-1885)

Murray, Daniel - An Archbishop of Dublin, b. 1768, at Sheepwalk, near Arklow, Ireland; d. at Dublin

Murray, Patrick - Theologian, b. Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland, 18 November, 1811; d. 15 Nov., 1882, in Maynooth College

Museums, Christian - Though applicable to collections composed of Christian objects representative of all epochs, this term is usually reserved to those museums which abound chiefly in Christian objects antedating the Middle Ages, namely, Sarcophagi, inscriptions and products of the minor arts

Mush - An Armenian Catholic see, comprising the sanjaks of Mush and Seert, in the vilayet of Bitlis

Mush, John - An English priest, also known as John Ratcliffe (1551-1612)

Music, Ecclesiastical - By this term is meant the music which, by order or with the approbation of ecclesiastical authority, is employed in connexion with Divine service to promote the glorification of God and the edification of the faithful

Music of the Mass - Article covers exclusively the texts of the Mass (not seasonal) which receive a musical treatment

Musical Instruments in Church Services - History of their use, starting with the organ

Musso, Cornelius - Franciscan bishop (1511-1574)

Musti - A titular see of Proconsular Africa, suffragan of Carthage

Musuros, Markos - A learned Greek humanist, born 1470 at Retimo, Crete; died 1517 at Rome

Mutis, José Celestino - Eminent naturalist and scientist in South America, b. at Cadiz, Spain, 6 April, 1732; d. at Bogotá, Colombia, 2 Sept., 1808

Muzzarelli, Alfonso - A learned Italian Jesuit, b. 22 August, 1749, at Ferrara; d. 25 May, 1813, at Paris

Mylasa - A titular see of Asia Minor, suffragan of Aphrodisias, or Stauropolis, in Caria

Myndus - A titular see of Caria, suffragan of Stauropolis

Myra - A titular see of Lycia in Asia Minor

Myrina - A titular see of Asia Minor, suffragan of Ephesus

Myriophytum - A titular see of Thracia Prima and suffragan of Heraclea

Mysore - Diocese in India, suffragan to Pondicherry

Mysteries and Miracle Plays - These two names are used to designate the religious drama which developed among Christian nations at the end of the Middle Ages

Mystery - This term signifies in general that which is unknowable, or valuable knowledge that is kept secret

Mystical Body of the Church - The members of the Church are bound together by a supernatural life communicated to them by Christ through the sacraments

Mystical Marriage - In the Old and the New Testament, the love of God for man, and, in particular His relations with His chosen people (whether of the Synagogue or of the Church), are frequently typified under the form of the relations between bridegroom and bride. In like manner, Christian virginity been considered from the earliest centuries as a special offering made by the soul to its spouse, Christ

Mystical Theology - Mysticism and mystical prayer or contemplation considered from a Catholic perspective, along with a bibliography of famous Christian mystics

Mysticism - Mysticism as direct union of the human soul with the Divinity primarily from a Catholic perspective, but does mention other mystical traditions

Nabo - A town mentioned in several passages of the Old Testament

Nabor and Felix, Saints - Martyrs in the Diocletian persecution

Nabuchodonosor - Commentary on the two Babylonian kings of that name, especially the second, who is mentioned in Scripture

Nacchiante, Giacomo - Dominican theologian from Florence (d. 1569)

Nacolia - Titular metropolitan see in Phrygia Salutaris

Nagasaki - History of Catholicism in this Japanese city

Nagpur - Diocese in India, suffragan to Madras

Nahanes - American Indian tribe

Nahum - Essay on the Old Testament prophet and the book which bears his name

Nails, Holy - The question has long been debated whether Christ was crucified with three or with four nails. . .

Naim - The city where Christ raised to life the widow's son

Name of Jesus, Religious Communities of the - Includes Swedish knights, French sisters and a Portuguese confraternity

Name of Mary, Feast of the Holy - Feast commemorating all the privileges given to Mary by God and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation.

Names, Christian - Strictly speaking, this is not merely the first name of a person, but the name given to him at his baptism

Names, Hebrew - To the philosopher a name is an artificial sign consisting in a certain combination of articulate sounds, whereby a particular class of people are wont to designate one thing and distinguish it from all others. . .

Names of Jesus and Mary, Sisters of the Holy - Religious congregation founded 1844 in Quebec

Namur - Constituted by the Bull of 12 May, 1559, from territory previously belonging to the Diocese of Liege

Nancy - Diocese in France and heir to the celebrated See of Toul

Nantes - French diocese re-established by the Concordat of 1802

Nanteuil, Robert - French engraver and crayonist (1623-1678)

Naples - The capital of a province in Campania, southern Italy, and formerly capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Napoleon I (Bonaparte) - Emperor of the French (1769-1821)

Napoleon III - Emperor of the French (1808-1873)

Napper, Venerable George - Or George Napier. Expelled from university for being Catholic, imprisoned for nearly 9 years for merely visiting the English College at Reims, finally martyred for being a priest. He died in 1610

Nardi, Jacopo - Italian historian; born at Florence (1476-1563)

Nardò - Diocese in southern Italy

Narni and Terni - United dioceses located in central Italy

Narthex - In early Christian architecture a portion of the church separated from the nave and reserved for those who were not admitted amongst the congregation.

Nashville - Comprises the entire territory of the State of Tennessee.

Nasoræans - Pagan Gnostics who once flourished in Mesopotamia and Babylonia

Natal - Vicariate apostolic in South Africa

Natal Day - The anniversary of a person's death

Natalis, Alexander - A French historian and theologian, of the Order of St. Dominic (1639-1724)

Natchez - Diocese located in Mississippi

Natchitoches - Former title of the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana

Nathan - Identifies six men of that name mentioned in the Old Testament

Nathanael - One of the first disciples of Jesus, to Whom he was brought by his friend Philip

Nathinites - An inferior class of Temple servants

National Union, Catholic Young Men's - Its objects are the furtherance of practical unity, the spiritual, intellectual, moral, and physical advanced of Catholic youth, and the development of better citizens and Catholics.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of the - The earliest document commemorating this feast comes from the sixth century. . .

Natural Law - In English this term is frequently employed as equivalent to the laws of nature, meaning the order which governs the activities of the material universe. Among the Roman jurists natural law designated those instincts and emotions common to man and the lower animals, such as the instinct of self-preservation and love of offspring

Naturalism - Philosophical tendency that consists essentially in looking upon nature as the one original and fundamental source of all that exists, and in attempting to explain everything in terms of nature.

Nature - Has reference to the production of things, and hence generally includes in its connotation the ideas of energy and activity.

Naturism - The term proposed by Reville to designate the worship of nature.

Nausea, Frederic - Bishop of Vienna (1480-1552)

Navajo Indians - The largest group of Indians belonging to the Athapaskan, or Dene stock

Navarre - Territory in the Pyrenees

Navarrete, Domingo Fernández - Dominican missionary and archbishop (1610-1689)

Navarrete, Juan Fernández - (catholic Encyclopedia)

Navarrete, Martín Fernández - Spanish navigator and writer (1765-1844)

Nave - Architecturally the central, open space of a church, west of the choir or chancel, and separated therefrom by a low wall or screen.

Nazarene - A name applied to Our Lord in the New Testament

Nazareth, Sisters of Charity of - Founded in 1812 by Father David

Nazareth - The town of Galilee where the Blessed Virgin dwelt when the Archangel announced to her the Incarnation of the Word, and where Christ lived until the age of thirty years

Nazarite - The name given by the Hebrews to a person set apart and especially consecrated to the Lord.

Nazarius, Saint - Fourteenth abbot of Lérins

Nazarius, John Paul - Dominican theologian (1556-1645)

Nazarius and Celsus, Saints - St. Ambrose discovered the bodies of these martyrs

Nazarius and Companions, Saint - Roman martyrs of the Diocletian persecution

Nazianzus - Titular metropolitan see of Cappadocia Tertia.

Neale, Leonard - Second Archbishop of Baltimore (1746-1817)

Nebo - A town mentioned in several passages of the Old Testament

Nebo, Mount - A mountain of the Abarim range east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, from which Moses surveyed the Promised Land

Nebraska - One of the United States of America, originally included in the Louisiana Purchase.

Necessity - A strict connection between different beings, or the different elements of a being, or between a being and its existence.

Neckam, Alexander of - English scholar (1157-1217)

Necrologies - The registers in which religious communities were accustomed to enter the names of the dead -- notably their own deceased members, their associates, and their principal benefactors -- with a view to the offering of prayers for their souls.