St. Alphonsus Liguori (27 Sep 1696 - 1 Aug 1797) was a Bishop, the founder of the Redemptorists, a Church Doctor, the Moral Theologian par excellence of the Church, and a great devote of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is a patron saint of confessors.
BIRTH AND VOCATION
St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori was born of a noble family at Naples, and from his early youth gave clear proofs of sanctity. While he was still a child, his parents once presented him to St. Francis Giralomo of the Society of Jesus. The Saint blessed him, and prophesied that he would reach his ninetieth year, that he would be raised to the Episcopal dignity, and that he would do much good for the Church. Even as a boy he shrank from games, and both by his words and example incited noble youth to Christian modesty. When he reached early manhood he enrolled himself in pious associations, and made it his delight to serve the sick in the public hospital, to spend much time in prayer and in the church, and frequently to receive the Sacred Mysteries. He joined study to piety with such success that, when scarcely sixteen years of age, he took the degree of Doctor, both in Canon and Civil Law, in the University of his native city. In obedience to his father's wishes, he practiced law; but while winning himself a name in the discharge of this office, he learned by experience what dangers beset a lawyer's life, and, of his own accord, abandoned the profession. Then he refused a brilliant marriage proposed to him by his father, renounced his right of inheritance as eldest son, and, hanging up his sword at the altar of the Virgin of Mercy, he devoted himself to the divine ministry. Having been made a priest, he attacked vice with such great zeal that, in the exercise of his apostolic ministry, he hastened from place to place, working wonderful conversions. He had a special compassion for the poor, and particularly for country people, and founded a Congregation for priests, called "of the Holy Redeemer," (The Redemptorists) who were to follow the Redeemer through the fields, hamlets and villages, preaching to the poor.
[column size="2-3" last="0"]HIS SPIRITUALITY
In order that nothing might turn him from his purpose, he bound himself by a perpetual vow never to waste any time. On fire with love of souls, he strove to win them to Christ and to make them lead more perfect lives, both by preaching the Divine Word and by writings full of sacred learning and piety. Marvelous was the number of hatreds he stilled and of wanderers he brought back to the path of salvation. He had the greatest devotion to the Mother of God, and published a book on the "Glories of Mary." More than once, when he was speaking of Her with great earnestness during his sermons, a wonderful brightness came upon him from Our Lady's image, and he was seen by all the people to be rapt in ecstasy. The Passion of Our Lord and the Holy Eucharist were the objects of his unceasing contemplation, and he spread devotion to them in a wonderful degree. When he was praying before the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, or celebrating Holy Mass, which he never failed to do, through the violence of his love he shed burning tears, was inflamed in an extraordinary manner, and at times was carried out of his senses. He joined a wonderful innocence, which he had never stained by mortal sin, with an equally wonderful spirit of penance, and chastised his body by fasting, iron chains, hair-shirts, and scourging even unto blood. At the same time he was remarkable for the gifts of prophecy, reading of hearts, bilocation, and many other miracles.
He wrote, "Whoever has devotion to Mary will save his soul; whoever has a great devotion to Mary will become a great saint."
A GREAT BISHOP AND DOCTOR
He firmly refused the ecclesiastical dignities which were offered to him, but he was compelled by the authority of Pope Clement XIII to accept the government of the church of St. Agatha of the Goths. As Bishop, though he changed his outward dress, yet he made no alteration in the severity of his life. He observed the same moderation; his zeal for Christian discipline was most ardent, and he displayed the greatest devotedness in rooting out vice, in guarding against false doctrine, and in discharging the other duties of the pastoral charge. He was most generous towards the poor, distributing to them all the revenues of his See, and in a time of scarcity of grain he sold even the furniture of his house to feed his starving people. He was all things to all men. He brought religious women to lead a more perfect life, and took care to erect a monastery for nuns of his Congregation. Severe and continual sickness forced him to resign his bishopric, and he returned to his children as poor as when he had left them. Though worn out in body by old age, labors, chronic gout, and other painful maladies, his mind was fresh and clear, and he never ceased speaking or writing of heavenly things till at length, on the first day of August, he most peacefully expired, at Nocera dei Pagani, amidst his weeping children.
VENERATION
It was in the year 1787, the ninetieth of his age. His virtues and miracles made him famous, and on this account, in 1816, Pope Pius VII enrolled him amongst the Blessed. God still glorified him with new signs and wonders, and, on the Feast of the Most Blessed Trinity, in the year 1839, Pope Gregory XVI solemnly inscribed his name on the list of Saints. Pope Pius IX, having consulted the Congregation of Sacred Rites, declared him a Doctor of the Universal Church. Finally Pope Pius XII established him the Heavenly Patron of all confessors and moralists.
VARIOUS ANECDOTES
-- In his youth, Alphonsus had enjoyed going to stage shows - but only for the music. To make sure he would not sin, he would take off his glasses once the show began. He was near-sighted and so could see nothing of the bad shows, but only enjoyed the music.
-- As a lawyer, he had a perfect undefeated record. He had never lost. On one occasion, however, he made a terrible mistake. He thought he had an iron clad case but had overlooked one important detail. His opponent pointed out this fact which was contained within Alphonsus' own legal documentation. This terrible defeat served as the instrument of grace by which Alphonsus knew God was calling him away from the legal profession and into the priesthood.
-- St. Alphonsus wrote more than sixty books! This was only possible because of the personal vow he had made to never waste any time.
-- He also suffered from headaches. At times the pain was so severe that he would hold a cold piece of marble against his head and still keep on writing.
-- As a bishop, St. Alphonsus told his priests to preach simple sermons. Much catechesis was needed in his dilapidated diocese. He famously said: "I never preached a sermon that the simplest old woman in the church could not understand." [/column] [column size="1-3" last="1"]
TREMENDOUS BETRAYALS AND SUFFERINGS
After living a life in complete service to Christ and the Church, St. Alphonsus suffered much in his final seven years. The details are complex and intricate, but he was attacked by the secular authorities, calumniated by priests, and betrayed by some of his closest friends (both lay and religious). The final outcome was that a papal decree removed him from the Order he founded. The Rule which had been established was completely changed to the great detriment of his priests' holiness. He lived in seclusion and suffered terribly for what appeared to be the destruction of his life's work by those within the Church! However, he also used these final years of his life as a time to write many of his works. [Indeed, God's grace works in mysterious ways!] He died exiled from his own order. However, after his death, as he had prophesied the correct Rule was restored and his beloved Redemptorist Congregation was once again united under only one head.
Three years before his death he then underwent terrible spiritual sufferings - a Dark Night of the Soul. Horrific temptations attacked him constantly. Diabolical apparitions and illusions added to his torment. He suffered horribly from terrible scruples and impulses towards despairs which made his life a kind of 'living hell.' Peace only came to him on 1 August 1787, as the midday Angelus was ringing. Pius VI, the same pope who had exiled him from his Order, then promptly declared him Venerable!
A SAINT FOR OUR TIMES
Given the terrible crisis which exists in the Church today, especially how many GOOD priests are suffering at the hands of those who wield authority in the Church, it seems St. Alphonsus Liguori is an excellent patron saint for our times. In addition, our times are terribly lax in morals, and we should therefore rely even more on this great moral doctor. Finally, it is clear that the only solution for our days will be the Reign of the Immaculate Heart (which will not begin until after Russia is properly consecrated). St. Alphonsus' devotion to Our Lady is something we must all learn from and emulate. Let us implore St. Alphonsus to intercede for us and gain for us many graces -- to endure the terrible persecutions within the Church, to recover our traditional Catholic morals, and to grow in our devotion to Our Lady.