Reginald of Piperno

Reginald of Piperno was an Italian Dominican, theologian and companion of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Biography

He was born at Piperno about 1230. He entered the Dominican Order at Naples. St. Thomas Aquinas chose him as his "socius" and confessor at Rome about 1260. From that time Reginald was the constant and intimate companion of the saint, and his testimony is continually cited in the process of Thomas' canonization. To this disciple Thomas dedicated several of his works. In 1272 Reginald began to teach with Thomas at Naples. He attended at Thomas' death-bed, received his general confession, and pronounced the funeral oration in 1274. He returned to Naples, and probably succeeded to the chair of his master. He died about 1290.

Writings

Reginald collected all the works of St. Thomas. Four of the "Opuscula" ('small works') are reports he made of lectures delivered by the Saint, either taken down during the lecture or afterwards written out from memory. These are: "Postilla super Joannem" (corrected by St. Thomas), "Postillae super Epistolas S. Pauli," "Postilla super Tres Nocturnos Psalterii" and "Lectura super Primum de Anima." Reginald is also considered by some as the compiler of the Supplement to the "Summa Theologiae". This supplement was meant to afford completion to the unfinished "Summa Theologiae", and it was composed out of book IV of Aquinas's "Commentary to the Sentences". The funeral discourse published at Bologna in 1529 under the name of Reginald is the work of the Italian humanist Flaminius.

ource

*CathEncy|title=Reginald of Piperno|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12719b.htm