"It belongs to the perfection of a being to be itself the author of its own good."
This principle applies not to man alone, but to all things without exception; it follows from the intrinsic order of being, and is therefore one of those which we call ontological principles. It deserves to be attentively considered for this reason, that it gives rise to a new condition for the action of Divine Goodness. In fact, we can see from it that that goodness, to be supreme, must not limit itself to bestowing good on man, but must furthermore act in such a way as to enable man to become the author and cause of his own good; since if this were not so, he would be deficient in one of the highest excellences of human nature.
Bl. Antonio Rosmini, Theodicy, Volume 1, p. 351.
