Jean Grou

Jean Nicolas Grou S. J. (* November 24, 1731 in Calais, France, † December 13, 1803 at Lulworth Castle, England) was a French Jesuit priest, mystic and theologian. He left a large number of ascetic and mystical writings, which experienced numerous editions until modern times. His Manual for inner souls is considered a classic of spiritual reading.

Life

Jean Nicolas Grou was born in 1731 in the northern French town of Calais and joined with fifteen years in the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, 1762, he was ordained a priest. After his humanistic studies Grou was from 1751-1755 professor at the College of La Flèche. P. Grou soon made ​​himself a name as a translator of the works of Plato. His famous translations have been reprinted repeatedly (eg in Plato's complete works, published by Émile Saisset, Paris in 1869, and in the output of the "state " and the " laws" of Victor Cousin, Paris 1822). From 1761 to 1765 Father Grou worked for the defense of his order against the Jansenists and the Enlightenment philosophers. After the dissolution of the Jesuit Order in France he taught Greek at the University of Pont-à- Mousson. The philological work Grous is extremely extensive: Corrections to the full text of Homer, Plato, Cicero, Horace, Livy and also the Vulgate. In 1770 he made a retreat, which he described as his "second conversion." His studies involved from then on just more with the spiritual life. There was a series of great ascetic - mystical works, soon to be transferred into many languages. They are characterized by clarity and depth of personal experience and a great observation and empathy. When the revolution broke out in Paris Grou wanted to go into hiding and do his service in the pastoral care and spiritual direction on. After all, he was but moved to go to England, where he was recording in Lulworth Castle with Sir Thomas Weld, the father of the late Cardinal Thomas Weld. There he continued his life of work, collection and rigor; every day he stood at four clock on, dedicated one hours the inner prayer, praying the breviary and prepared himself for the Holy Mass before. He lived an exemplary virtue of poverty, he had nothing of his own. He soon became the intellectual center of the soul and leader of a group of priests and religious. When Pope Pius VII restored the Society of Jesus for Russia, asked the old Jesuit in England immediately to the inclusion in the revived Order. On May 23, 1803 P. Jean Nicolas Grou could renew his vows. The last months of his life were marked by illness. . The last sacraments he received in full consciousness and died with the words. " Oh, my God, is to die in your arms is as sweet " It was at Castle Lulworth on December 13, 1803 ( quoted from: Jean Nicolas Grou, Handbook for inner souls, German edition, edited by William Schamoni )

Quotes

• " Total dedication: There is no word that the willingness of the soul, to do everything and suffer everything for the which it has dedicated itself to better termed this expression. Devotion to created can not be otherwise limited. The devotion to God has no boundaries and can not have. Once one makes the slightest reservation the smallest exception that devotion is no longer self-giving " (from: Handbook for inner souls, chap 1. ).
• "The path of faith is essentially a darker path, a path on which the soul knows nothing of the ordinary light of reason, a way where God above all intended to kill off one's own mind. So it is obvious that we must on such routes no longer be guided by our thought, but by the light of faith and of the Holy Spirit. So there is no question of looking at, because you can not; nor by the application of methods, because the Holy Spirit blows where He wills and when he wills; nor of an exercise of one's mind, for he must die; still thinking about what goes on in one, because you could not see, nor make a correct judgment about it. " (from:. handbook for inner souls, chapter 60)
• " ... Usually what happens is that they wonder about their mistakes. They are uneasy about them, a false shame they confused, and she left to discontent and despondency. These are just as many effects of self-love, which are more dangerous than the error itself One wonders to be restless and confused. This is very wrong and a sign that you hardly know each other. Conversely, it should also be amazed that you can not fall much more often and should thank God for the sins against which He saved us " (from: Handbook for inner souls, chap 17. ).
• " Love that counts, which expects, looks at her advantage, which will go with a word, only up to a certain point, is not perfect love. So it was really worthy of God, they may know no bounds, they must rise above human wisdom and reason, they must to folly, go up to the foolishness of the cross. So Christ has loved His Father, He has loved us. We are in eternity win it all, what we have lost in the temporality. And we will lose in eternity everything we have denied God in Time " (from: Handbook for inner souls, basic truths about the inner life ).
• " All obstacles that we encounter only, all inner sufferings we are going through, come only from self-love her. To the extent in each case, as it is weaker, as we our self - judging - want to renounce, as our will is bending under the God and His glorification and His good pleasure seeking, to the same extent to pave the difficulties hear the fights on, disappear the hardships, and peace and quiet draw a (from: Handbook for inner souls, basic truths about the inner life ) in the human heart. "
• " The purity of intention: Everyone knows that the intention of the moral quality of our actions decides that, if the intention is just and pure, the action God is enjoyable, and this the more comfortable the more straight and pure it is. The intention ... is just when God 's goal and almost without circumlocution and headed towards him. It 's not if, instead to conform to God 's creatures to a close. The intention is pure, if it has God for its own sake in the eye when she looks at his will and his pleasure above all. " (From: clergymen solitude in reflections on God's love )
• " The soul that is so busy, so restless by nature, is to be found when it is subjected to the operation of God, which attracted them to silence, in a state of rest. How can you ... afraid to dedicate himself solely to God? What is the goal of his intimate invitations, its so warm and urgent efforts other than our best, our true good, that he knows infinitely better than we ourselves, after which he demanded glowing and only he alone can give us? ? The Rest not our salvation incomparably safer in his hands than in our " (from: Maxime spiritual, second maxim; transmitted by Wilhelm Schamoni )

Ascetic and mystical writings

To ascetic Jean Nicolas Grou wrote numerous writings and mystical themes. Some of his writings are also influenced by the great French bishop and preacher Jacques Bénigne Bossuet, about his famous work " Manuel des âmes intérieures " ( "Handbook for inner souls " ), the 18 - even learned numerous translations 20th century. The enshrined in many of his books, teaching is also similar to that of Louis Lallemant, SJ. Furthermore Grou brought out many translations of classical philosophical works, especially his translations and commentaries of the works of Plato learned a wide distribution. In the German -speaking world the works of P. Grou were particularly appreciated by the Prince-Bishop John Zwerger of Graz- Seckau.

Some German editions of his writings (selection)

• John P. Grou: Manual for inner souls. German edition of Münster in 1910; For improved translation was provided by the Carmelite Maria Gabriela of the Blessed Sacrament ( Hedwig von Liszt, 1866-1941, cousin of the composer Franz Liszt. ) A further revised edition of the book was published by Wilhelm Schamoni 1953 from the publisher Schöningh.

• English edition of the " Handbook for inner souls " with a detailed biography of Jean Nicolas Grou

• Jean -Nicolas Grou S. J. The ordinary passive prayer. Translation of " Maximes spiritual " second maxim, in: Wilhelm Schamoni, prayer and devotion, Paderborn, 1954

• Jean Nicolas Grou: The School of Christ. German edition Münster 1931

• Johann Grou SJ: The mark of true piety. German edition Manz Regensburg in 1865 (also online)

• Johann Grou SJ: Spiritual solitude in reflections on God's love. German edition Manz Regensburg in 1865 (also online)

• Abbé Grou: The salvation of the world or the practical knowledge of the cross in the sacraments of penance and the altar. German edition Augsburg 1856 ( also online)

• Jean Nicolas Grou: The School of Christ German edition Münster 1931

• Jean Nicolas Grou: The inner life of Jesus and Mary. Munster 1868-69

• Johann Grou and Pierre Marin: " The Science of the Cross", German edition Manz Regensburg 1859 ( also online)

• John Grou: From the gift of himself to God. German edition Publisher fields. Smoke, Innsbruck 1904