A modern day example of a faith and piety, Saint Alphonsus led a life filled with troubles, but dedicated to his God. He fought through illness, political problems, reluctance from Church officials, and betrayal by friends to form one of the more well-known orders of the Church, the Redemptorist Congregation, also known as The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. His eventual sainthood and the bestowing of the title "Doctor of the Church" validated his many efforts, even after death.
Birth and Family Circumstances of Alphonsus
Saint Alphonsus was born Alphonsus Marie Anthony John Cosmas Damian Michael Gaspard de' Liguori to a noble, but impoverished, family in Naples. He was born the eldest of seven sons to Don Joseph de Liguori — a naval officer and Captain of the Royal Galleys — and a Spanish mother on September 27, 1696 at Marianella near Naples.
Alphonsus' early education took place at home as he was taught by tutors. He was known even at a young age for his learning. He was also a skilled musician and skilled at riding and fencing. He became a lawyer at age 16, despite the laws requiring an applicant to be age 20. He was practicing law by age 19, and famous throughout Naples by age 27 as a leading lawyer. His pride was crushed at age 27 by losing a particularly large and important case. He announced he would never return to the courtroom. His career as a lawyer was over.
Religious Calling and Early Life of Alphonsus
Following his refusal to practice law, he is reputed to have spent days refusing food and in prayer, asking God for guidance. While on a charitable visit to a hospital, he supposedly had a vision in which he heard "Leave the world and give thyself to me."
Following this instruction, Alphonsus joined the Oratorians on October 23, 1723. His father objected, but allowed it after Alphonsus- and the Order- agreed to let him live at home while still joining the Order. In September 1724, he received tonsure; shortly after, he joined an association of missionary secular priests. In December 1724, he received minor orders; September 1725, he received a subdiaconate; April 1726, he was ordained deacon; and on December 21, 1726, he became an ordained priest.
He spent years traveling and preaching, but in 1729, he moved to a missionary college in Naples which was founded by Matthew Ripa, the "Apostle of China." It was there he met Father Thomas Falcoia, who had spent years trying to establish and maintain an order, called the Congregation of the Pious Workers.
Alphonsus Succeeds in Founding the Redemptorist Congregation
Alphonsus' friend, Father Thomas Falcoia, had had a vision of a new order of people dedicated to following Christ's virtues. Sister Maria Celeste, a nun, was also having visions of a new order. In fact, she is credited as the individual who saw the vision of the complete Rule for the new order (a set of rules by which all members must live which also states the purpose, vision, and goals of the order).
To help his friend, Alphonsus agreed to give a retreat at the order of nuns, which was also attended by one of the strongest critics of the fledgling order. The priest was so impressed with Alphonsus that he withdrew all objections to the order.
The order received the approval of Pope Benedict XIV, the rule for the men being approved on February 25, 1749 and the rule for women in 1750. Despite the official Church approval, the order did not have state approval, which at the time was against new religious orders. Internal crises with members, political upheaval that refused to recognize the order, and a small amount of continued dissension within the Church continued to plague the order. in 1781, the Papal States took control of the order and cut Alphonsus off from it. Alphonsus died believing the order had been irreparably split up and destroyed.
Death, Sainthood, and Miracles of Saint Alphonsus
While he was alive, numerous miracles were reputed to have been associated with Alphonsus. His visions were only one. He was accredited with being in multiple locations at once, hearing confessions in one location and preaching in another. In the most famous case, he was said to be sitting in a chair in plain view of others for an entire day and also at the bedside of the dying pope Clement XIV. There are even claims of him levitating on multiple occasions.
Miracles aside, Alphonsus died peacefully on August 1, 1787 at Nocera di Pagani (near Naples). He was beatified in 1816 by Pope Pius VII and canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI. In 1793, the Naples government finally recognized the original rule of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, and the different chapters were again united under one head. Saint Alphonsus is the patron saint of the following: confessors, lay apostles, moral theologians, and vocations.
Saint Alphonsus is Validated After Death
Saint Alphonsus, without a doubt, lived a life full of discomfort, pain, and strife. He died believing that his order had failed. He left behind a total of 110 books and pamphlets, the most famous being "Visits to the Blessed Sacrament" and "Moral Theology." His real validation was not the official title of "Doctor of the Church" given by Pope Pius IX, or the announcement that he was canonized. His real validation is the fact that there are chapters of the Redemptorist Congregation all over the world today.
Sources:
Castle, Harold. (2007). Alphonsus Liguori, Saint. The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1914. Catholic Answers (2007), San Diego, CA.
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. (Unknown). Our History. Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Online.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Saints. Visionary Living, Inc. Checkmark Books, New York, NY.
Paul, Tessa. (2009). The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Saints. Lorenz Books, Anness Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
Join the Conversation