VENTURA, van-too'rk G. D. Gioachino, jo-a-keno, Italian theologian: b. Palermo, 8 Dec. 1792. d. Versailles, 3 Aug 1861. At 15 he entered the Jesuit college of *his native city and subsequently was received as a novice by the Theatines. Having been admitted to holy orders as general secretary ot the order, he con tributed largely to its restoration, and published (La Causa dei Regolari al Tribunale del Buon Senso.' He then was made censor of the press and member of the royal council of public instruction for the kingdom of Naples. He be came distinguished for his funeral orations, one of which, on Pius VII, gained him the name of the citalian Bossuet." In 1824 he was ap pointed general of the order of the Theatines, fixed his residence at Rome and was presented to the chair of ecclesiastical law in the Uni versity of Rome. In 1828 he published his work 'De Methodo Philosophandi,' in defense of the Christian or scholastic philosophy. This was bitterly attacked by 'xis old friend, the Abbe Lamennais; and, wearied of controversies, Ventura quitted Rome and spent 10 years in retirement. During this period he preached his
finest sermons, including the funeral sermon of O'Connell, the liberal opinions advanced in which gave him great influence with the people. In 1848 the government of Sicily made him Minister Plenipotentiary to the court of Rome. On 4 May he left Rome and retired under the protection of the French to Civita Vecchia and afterward to Montpellier, in France. Here he wrote 'Letters to a Protestant Minister' (1849). Settling in Paris, he drew crowds to the churches of the Madeleine and Saint Louis d'Antin by the eloquence and originality of h's discourses. At Paris also he published (His toire de Virginie Bruni' (1850) ; (Les Femmes de l'Evangile' (1853); (La Raison Philoso phique et la Raison Catholique) (1852) ; (Essai sur l'Origine des Idees) (1853) ; (La Femme Catholique' (1854) ; (L'ecole des Miracles, ou les CE:uvres de la Puissance et de la Grandeur de Jesus Christ" (1854-55) and (Le Pouvoir Chretien' (1857).