Merino, John Anton Diaz

Merino, John Anton Diaz, a Roman Catholic prelate, was born in 1771. In his twelfth year he had made such extraordinary progress in his studies that he was ready to enter the University of Alcala. Later he lectured as professor of theology at several universities in Spain and Cuba, then joined the Dominicans, and was shortly after promoted general of this order. On account of his great wisdom and sagacity, he was often consulted by the bishops in cases of an intricate character. In 1832 he was ordained, and in his position led a most exemplary and simple life, and greatly devoted himself to the sufferings of the poor. His firm and vivid faith was a bulwark against the evils of his time, and, for refusing to support irreligious edicts of his government, he was finally expelled from his see and had to leave Spain. He spent his last years in France in exile, and died at Marseilles in 1844. He published Coleccion Ecclesiastica and Biblioteca de la Religion, the first work containing all the acts of the Spanish bishops in defence of the system of the Church pursued during the constitutional epoch, and the latter comprising the translation of the works of Lamennais, Maistre, etc.