Alphonsus Maria De' Liguori

Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, C.Ss.R. (27 September novice to the Oratory of St. Philip Neri with the intention 1696 – 1 August 1787), was an Italian Catholic bishop, of becoming a priest. His father strenuously opposed this spiritual writer, scholastic philosopher and theologian. plan, but after two months (and with his Oratorian con- Born into Neapolitan nobility, Ligouri had a successful fessor’s permission), he and his father compromised: he would study for the priesthood, but not as an Oratorian law career before becoming a priest. He founded the [2] Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemp- and while living at home. He was ordained on 21 De- torists) to work among the poor. In 1762 he was ap- cember 1726, at the age of 30. He lived his first years pointed Bishop of Sant'Agata dei Goti. He was a prolific as a priest with the homeless and marginalized youth of writer, publishing nine editions of his Moral Theology in Naples. He founded the Evening Chapels which were his lifetime, in addition to other devotional and ascetic managed by the young people themselves. These chapels works and letters. Among his best known works are The were centers of prayer and piety, preaching, community, Glories of Mary and The Way of the Cross, the latter still social activities, and education. At the time of his death, used in parishes during Lenten devotions. there were 72 of these chapels with over 10,000 active participants. His sermons were very effective at convert- He was canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI. Pope ing those who were alienated from their faith. Pius IX proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church in 1871. Liguori suffered from scruples much of his adult life, and One of the most widely read Catholic authors, Alphonsus [5] Ligouri is the patron saint of confessors. felt guilt about the most minor issues relating to sin. Moreover, the saint viewed scruples as a blessing at times, he wrote: “Scruples are useful in the beginning of conver- sion....they cleanse the soul, and at the same time make it 1 Biography careful”.[6] In 1729, Alphonsus left his family home and took up res- Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori was born in Marianella, near idence in the Chinese Institute in Naples.[3] It was there Naples, then part of the Kingdom of Naples. He was the that he began his missionary experience in the interior re- eldest of seven children. Two days after he was born he gions of the Kingdom of Naples where he found people was baptized at the Church of Our Lady the Virgin as who were much poorer and more abandoned than any of Alphonsus Mary Antony John Cosmas Damian Michael the street children in Naples. In 1731, while ministering Gaspard de' Liguori. The family was an old and no- to earthquake victims in the town of Foggia, Alphonsus ble one, though the branch to which the Saint belonged claimed to have had vision of the Virgin Mother under had become somewhat impoverished. Alphonsus’s fa- the appearance of a young girl of thirteen or fourteen, ther, Don Joseph de' Liguori was a naval officer and Cap- wearing a white veil.[3] tain of the Royal Galleys. The Saint’s mother was of Spanish descent. Alphonsus was educated by tutors. His father made him practice the harpsichord for three hours a day. He learned to ride and fence were his recreations, 2 Congregation of the Most Holy but he was never a good shot due to poor eyesight.[2] Redeemer Alphonsus Liguori earned his Doctor of Laws degree at age sixteen. He remarked later that he was so small at Main article: Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer the time as to be almost buried in his doctor’s gown and [2] that all the spectators laughed. He became a success- On 9 November 1732, Alphonsus founded the ful lawyer. He was thinking of leaving the profession, Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer,[7] when and wrote to someone: “My friend, our profession is too Sister Maria Celeste Crostarosa told him that it had been full of difficulties and dangers; we lead an unhappy life [3] revealed to her that he was the one God had chosen and run risk of dying an unhappy death.” At the age to found the congregation. Its goal was to teach and of twenty-seven, after having lost an important case—the preach in the slums of cities and other poor places. first he had lost in eight years of practicing law—he made [4] They also fought Jansenism, a doctrine that barred many a firm resolution to leave the profession of law. Catholics from receiving the Eucharist because of its In 1723, after a long process of discernment, and with his excessive moral rigor. He gave himself entirely to this legal career abandoned, he decided to offer himself as a new mission. A companion congregation of nuns was 1 2 7 WORKS founded simultaneously by Sister Maria Celeste. Alphonsus kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament in a 19th- century stained glass window of Carlow Cathedral. 3 Bishop St Alphonsus Liguori Alphonsus was consecrated Bishop of Sant'Agata dei Goti in 1762.[7] He tried to refuse the appointment, proposing his age and infirmities as arguments against his 7 Works consecration. During this time he wrote sermons, books, and articles to encourage devotion to the Blessed Sacra- 7.1 Overview ment and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Alphonsus was a prolific and popular author.[7] He was proficient in the arts, his parents having had him trained by various masters, and was a musician, painter, poet, and 4 Death author at the same time. Alphonsus wrote 111 works on spirituality and theology.[8] The 21,500 editions and the translations into 72 languages that his works have under- In 1775, he was allowed to retire from his office and went gone attest to the fact that he is one of the most widely to live in the Redemptorist community in Pagani, Italy, read Catholic authors. Among his best known works are where he died on August 1, 1787. The Great Means of Prayer, and The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ. Prayer and its power, love, his relationship with Christ and his first-hand experience of the pastoral needs of the 5 Veneration faithful made Alphonsus one of the great masters of the interior life. Alphonsus Liguori was beatified on September 15, 1816, His best known musical work is his Christmas hymn by Pope Pius VII and canonized on May 26, 1839, by Quanno Nascetti Ninno, later translated into Italian by Pope Gregory XVI. He was named patron of confes- Pope Pius IX as Tu scendi dalle stelle (“From Starry Skies sors and moralists by Pope Pius XII on April 26, 1950, Thou Comest”). who subsequently wrote of him in the encyclical Haurietis Aquas. 7.2 Moral theology Alphonsus’ greatest contribution to the Church was in the 6 Legacy area of moral theology. This was born of Alphonsus’ pastoral experience, his ability to respond to the practi- cal questions posed by the faithful and from his contact The Redemptorists founded the Alphonsian Academy for with their everyday problems. He opposed sterile legal- the advanced study of Catholic moral theology. ism and strict rigorism. According to Alphonsus, those 3 were paths closed to the Gospel because “such rigor has [5] Selected writings by Saint Alfonso Maria de' Liguori, 1999 never been taught nor practiced by the Church”. His sys- ISBN 0-8091-3771-2 p. 209 tem of moral theology is noted for its prudence, avoid- [6] The true spouse of Jesus Christ: The complete works of ing both laxism and excessive rigor. He is credited with Saint Alphonsus de Liguori 1929,Redemptorist Fathers the position of Aequiprobablism, which avoided Jansenist Press, ASIN B00085J4WM, p. 545 rigorism as well as laxism and simple probablism. [7] “Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori”, St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish, Peterborough, Ontario 7.3 Mariology [8] “Alphonsus Maria de Liguori”, Saint Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Parish, Makati City Philippines His Mariology, though mainly pastoral in nature, redis- covered, integrated and defended the Mariology of Saint [9] P Hitz, Alfons v. Liguori, Paterborn 1967, p. 130. Augustine and Saint Ambrose and other fathers and rep- [10] Liguori, Alphonsus, The Glories of Mary, P.J.Kenedy & resented an intellectual defence of Mariology in the 18th Sons, New York, 1888 century, the Age of Enlightenment, against the cold ra- tionalism of which his often flaming Marian enthusiasm [11] Liguori, Alphonsus. The True Spouse of Jesus Christ, Eu- contrasted.[9] gene Grimm, ed., Benziger Brothers, New York, 1888 [12] Liguori, Alphonsus. Great Means of Salvation and of • The Glories of Mary[10] Perfection, Eugene Grimm ed., Benziger Borthers, New York, 1886 • Marian Devotion [13] Liguori, Alphonsus. The Way of Salvation and of Perfec- • Prayers to the Divine Mother tion, Eugene Grimm ed., Benziger Brothers, New York, 1887 • Spiritual Songs [14] Liguori, Alphonsus. The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of • The True Spouse of Jesus Christ[11] Jesus Christ, Eugene Grimm ed., Benziger Brothers, New York, 1886 • Visitations to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Virgin Mary [15] Liguori, Alphonsus. The Holy Eucharist, Eugene Grimm ed., Benziger Brothers, New York, 1887 [16] Liguori, Alphonsus. Victories of the Martyrs, Eugene 7.4 Other works Grimm ed., Benziger Brothers, New York, 1887 • Great Means of Salvation and of Perfection[12] This article incorporates text from a publication now in • The Way of Salvation and of Perfection[13] the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed.

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