Croiset, JEAN, ascetical writer, b. at Marseilles, 1656; d. at Avignon, 31 January, 1738. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1677, and was for a long time rector of the novitiate at Avignon, which he governed with great wisdom. He became famous as a director of consciences, and as a writer of many spiritual books which have been translated into several languages. His “ Devotion to the Sacred Heart” appears to have been the first of his publications. He wrote also: “Retreats for Each Day of the Month”; “The Lives of the Saints for Each Day of the Year”, in eighteen volumes, in the last of which is “The Life of Our Lord” and “The Life of the Blessed Virgin”; “The Model of Youth”; ‘Spiritual Illusions”; “ Dialogues on Worldly Dangers”; “Parallel of the Morals of Our Age, with the Morality of Christ”, etc. He also published collections of prayers. De Backer accuses Lamennais of having plagiarized from Croiset in his little work called “Guide du jeune Age”. Feller attributes a book of meditations also to Croiset. He is regarded as one of the great masters of the spiritual life.
De Backer, Bibl. de la c. de J. (Litge, 1853 and 1861); Freier, Biog. Univ. (Paris, 1813).
T. J. CAMPBELL.