Jaime Luciano Balmes y Urpiá (Catalan: Jaume Llucià Antoni Balmes i Urpià; 28 August 1810 – 9 July 1848) was a Spanish philosopher, theologian, Catholic apologist, sociologist and political writer. Familiar with the doctrine of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Balmes was an original philosopher, who did not belong to any particular school or stream, and was called by Pope Pius XII the Prince of Modern Apologetics.
Biography
Jaime Luciano Balmes y Urpiá was born at Vic, in the region of Catalonia, Spain. He was baptized the same day in the city's cathedral by the name of Jaime Luciano Antonio.
In 1817, Balmes began his studies at the seminary in Vic: three years of Latin grammar, three of rhetoric and from 1822 three of philosophy. In 1825, in Solsona, he received the tonsure from the city's bishop, Manuel Benito Tabernero.
From 1825 to 1826, Balmes studied courses of Theology, also in Vic Seminary. He studied four courses of theology because of a scholarship, in the College of San Carlos at the University of Cervera.
For two years in 1830, because of the closure of the University of Cervera, Balmes continued studying in Vic on his own. On 8 June 1833, he received his degree in theology.
On 20 September 1834, in the chapel of the episcopal palace of Vic, Balmes was ordained a priest by bishop don Pablo de Jesús Corcuera. He continued his studies in theology and of Canons, again at the University of Cervera. Finally, in 1835, he received the title of Doctor of Theology and Bachelor of Canons.
Balmes then made several attempts to teach in an official way at the University of Barcelona and did not appointed for some time in Vic tutoring. Finally, the City Council appointed him, in 1837, Professor of Mathematics, a position that he held for four years. In 1839, his mother Teresa Urpiá, died. In 1841, he moved to Barcelona.
