RIBET, JÉRÔME

Mystical theologian and writer; b. Aspet, Haute-Garonne, France, Jan. 16, 1837; d. Algiers, May 29, 1909. After entering the seminary at Toulouse in 1859, he completed his studies at the College of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, where he entered the Sulpicians and was ordained in 1863. For 20 years he taught philosophy and then theology at Clermont, Lyons, Rodez, and Orléans. In 1885 he left the Sulpicians to act as secretary to the bishop of Châlons and then returned to his diocese, where he was curê at Saman for about ten years. He spent his last years in retirement and writing, residing at various places.

Ribet accepted without question, as did his contemporaries, the essential distinction between asceticism and mysticism and the particular vocation to mystical states. In his principal work, La mystique divine distinguée des contrefaçons diaboliques et des analogies humaines (3 v. Paris 1879–83), he treats mystical contemplation and its stages, mystical phenomena distinct from and external to contemplation, such as visions and revelations, and examines their causes. Although sometimes insufficiently critical, Ribet's discussion of the discernment of phenomena was an important contribution in his day. His other writings include L'ascétique chrétienne (Paris 1887).

Bibliography: e. levesque, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al. (Paris 1903–50) 13.2:2659–60. p. pourrat, Christian Spirituality, tr. w. h. mitchell et al., 4 v. (Westminster, Md. 1922–55) 4:506–507.

[j. c. willke]