Coninck, GILES DE (also called REGIUS), Jesuit theologian, b. December 20, 1571, at Bailleul in French Flanders; d. May 31, 1633, at Louvain. At the age of twenty-one he entered the Society of Jesus. Duringhis course of studies at Louvain he had Lessius among his professors, and became the worthy successor of his illustrious teacher in the chair of scholastic theology, which he held for eighteen years. St. Alphonsus considers Coninck a moral theologian of distinction. Though de Lugo impugned his views on many questions, he is acknowledged to have rendered considerable services to moral theology. His style is concise, clear, and direct; on several points his writings are exhaustive. Coninck’s principal works are: “Commentariorum ac disputationum in universam doetrinam D. Thom”, etc. (Antwerp, 1616; enlarged and revised 1619, 1624; Lyons, 1619, 1624, 1625, 1643; Rouen, 1630. The last edition was among the Jesuit works condemned to be torn and burnt, by an act of the parliament of Rouen, February 12, 1762). “De Moralitate, natures et effectibus actuum supernaturalium”, etc. (Antwerp, 1623; Lyons, 1623; Paris, 1624. The author is said to have left very ample additions intended to appear in the subsequent editions of the work. Father Mullendorff assures his readers that this treatise may be recommended to the theologians even of today). “Responsio ad dissertationem impugnantem absolutionem moribundi sensibus destituti”, etc. (Antwerp, 1625); “Disputationes theologicae” (Antwerp, 1645, published posthumously, though finished twelve years before the author’s death).
A. J. MAAB