Maunoury, AUGUSTE-FRANCIS, Hellenist and exegete, b. at Champsecret, Orne, France, October 30, 1811;. at Seez, Orne, November 17, 1898. He made brilliant classical studies at the preparatory seminary at Seez, to which institution he returned after his theological course, and where he spent the whole of his long priestly career. Until 1852, he taught the classics with great success, and then became professor of rhetoric, a position which he occupied for twenty-two years. During this period, keeping abreast of the progress of Hellenistic studies in France and Germany, he composed, published, and revised those of his works (“Grammaire de la Langue Grecque” “Chrestomathie” etc.) which proved him to be one of the best Greek scholars of his day. Towards 1866, Maunoury began his work as a commentator of Holy Writ, by treating some sections of the Gospel in the “Semaine Catholique” of his native diocese; but it was only after 1875, that he gave himself fully to the pursuit of Biblical studies. In 1877, he became canon of the cathedral of Seez; and the following year, he began to publish his commentaries on all the Epistles of the New Testament.
These commentaries appeared in five volumes, as follows: (I) “Corn. sur L’Epftre aux Rornains” (Paris, 1878); (2) “Cora. sur les deux Epitres aux Corinthiens” (Paris, 1879); (3) “Cora. sur les Epitres aux Galates, aux Ephesiens, aux Phillippiens, aux Colossiens, et aux Thessaloniciens” (Paris, 1880); (4) “Corn. sur les Epitres a Timothee, a Tite, Philemon, aux Hebreux” (Paris, 1882); (5) “Corn. sur les Epitres Catholiques de St. Jacques, St. Pierre, St. Jean et St. Jude” (Paris, 1888). In explaining the Sacred Text he made an excellent use of his great familiarity with Greek grammar and authors, availed himself chiefly of the commentaries of St. John Chrysostom and Theodoret, and always remained an enlightened and safe theologian. In 1894, he published his “Corn. in Psalmos” (2 vols., Paris), a Latin work, written with elegance, almost exclusively on the basis of the Vulgate and the Septuagint. His only contribution to apologetics is a volume entitled “Soirees d’Automne, ou la Religion prouvee aux gens du monde” (Paris, 1887).
FRANCIS E. GIGOT