January 1979 Print

THE SPIRIT of impiety which pervaded so much of the eighteenth century allowed for the interference of kings in the governing of the Church and a system of moral guidance which was either too rigorous or too lax. The French Revolution had taken its toll, even among those responsible for the spiritual welfare of Catholics. The world at large seemed at the point of a formal recognition of atheism as an alternative to the indecisiveness and artificiality of the times.

It was into this setting that Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori was born, at Marianella, near Naples, Italy, on September 27, 1696. He was the eldest of eight children. His father was a devout Catholic, and captain of the Royal Galleys; his mother was of Spanish descent and was especially devoted to the Faith.

From his earliest years Alphonsus displayed a strong, determined will. His father remarked, "I know his obstinancy, when he once makes up his mind he is inflexible." Later, as a spiritual director, Alphonsus advised a head-strong seminarian that this quality, when properly controlled, is capable of making a person a great saint, as "he who loves God much accomplishes much for Him."

Joseph de' Liguori doted on his first son and provided him with the finest of private educations available. The boy was exceptionally bright in his studies. His recreation included such games as cards as well as riding and fencing. He practiced the harpsichord three hours a day and, by the age of thirteen, played this instrument masterfully. His love of good music followed him throughout his life and in his later years he composed several religious pieces, among them the words of "O God of Loveliness". He was especially devoted to the Infant Jesus and composed several carols, of which one is still the most popular at Christmastime in Italy: "Tu Scendi dalle Stelle".

His keen mind won for him the degree of Doctor of Canon and Civil Laws at the age of sixteen. He remarked at the time he received his degree he was so small that he was almost buried in his doctor's gowns and that the spectators laughed. He soon passed the bar and was a practicing lawyer at nineteen years of age. In his eight years in this profession he never lost a case and became one of the leaders of the Neopolitan Bar.

DON JOSEPH was most pleased with his son's success. He always saw to it that Alphonsus accompanied him each year on a spiritual retreat. At about the age of twenty-six, Alphonsus was caught up in the social whirl of the day and gradually neglected the habitual practices of prayer and piety, which to this point had been an integral part of his life. The spirit of the world slowly crept into his life, although in later years his confessor stated that Alphonsus kept free from mortal sin to the end of his life.

In 1723, at the age of twenty-seven, a crisis occurred that proved to be the turning point of his career. In this year Alphonsus was the chief attorney for a Neopolitan nobleman who was engaged in a lawsuit with a wealthy Tuscan landowner, involving a sum of $500,000. The young attorney had studied the pertinent documentation for some time and was convinced that he had an air-tight case. Thoroughly assured of the justice of his side of the matter, he delivered a brilliant opening statement. The lawyer for the other party subsequently made his opening statement, in which he proved that Alphonsus had overlooked a point in his defense which would logically throw the case out of court.

Alphonsus, stung by his first defeat, admitted his error and conceded the case. His words as he left the courtroom were indicative of his humiliation: "World, I know you now. Courts, you shall never see me more." For three days he went into seclusion and refused all food. Then, little by little, he saw that this event was actually a favor of God, sent to him to break down his pride and wean him from the world. He continued in prayer, decided to abandon his profession and gave himself to acts of charity, especially visiting those who were incurably ill. On August 28, 1723, he understood from God that he should leave the world and dedicate his life completely to His service. He left the symbols of his nobility, his sword and buckle, before the statue of Our Lady at the Church of the Redemption of Captives and resolved to enter the religious state. For two months he endured strong opposition to these plans from his father. Finally, the elder de' Liguori agreed to Alphonsus's plans, provided he would reside at home. Alphonsus agreed, and he then progressed in his studies. From the time he was ordained a deacon in April of 1726, he was renowned for his preaching. His sermons were directed to the simple people and frequently dealt with the immense love of Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

IN APRIL OF 1729, Alphonsus moved to the missionary college of Naples, the Chinese College, where he met his life-long friend, Father Thomas Falcoia, of the Congregation of Pious Workers. Falcoia, who was twice the age of Alphonsus, took a liking to the young priest and disclosed to him a vision he had of a new religious congregation whose particular aim would be the perfect imitation of the virtues of Our Lord. Father Falcoia was instrumental in founding a convent of nuns in the city of Scala. Alphonsus later conducted a retreat for these cloistered nuns and was helpful in drawing up their rule of life. The Order was known as the Redemptoristines and their chief occupation was to pray and sacrifice for missionary priests, so that they would effectively reach souls. The superior of the convent, Sister Maria Celeste, later told Father Falcoia that she had seen Our Lord with St. Alphonsus and that a voice said, "This is he whom I have chosen to be the head of My institute, the Prefect General of a new Congregation of men who shall work for My glory."

O God, Who through blessed Alphonsus
didst raise up a new religious family
distinguished by its zeal for souls, grant we
beg Thee, that being taught by his words
and fortified by his example,
we may live and die in Thee. Amen.

In November of 1732, with the help of Falcoia, now Bishop of Castellamare, and the Bishop of Scala, Alphonsus gathered a few young priests together into the community known for seventeen years as the Congregation of the Most Holy Saviour, later changed to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Although Alphonsus was the head of the Institute, he allowed Bishop Falcoia to direct the affairs of the community. After Falcoia's death, Alphonsus was formally elected Superior General.

The new community was immediately besieged with dissension regarding their rule of life. On April 1, 1733, all the original companions of the Saint, except for one lay brother, abandoned him.

Alphonsus remained firm, however, and soon other young men arrived and placed themselves under the rule he had devised. By 1746, the new Congregation had four houses in the Kingdom of Naples. In 1750 the rules for the priests and nuns received Papal approval.

ALPHONSUS was lawyer, founder, religious superior, bishop, theologian and mystic, but above all his heart was in missionary work. He formulated a pattern whereby he and his priests were to travel two by two to each parish and give a two week mission, one week for the men and one week for the women. They were to preach on the four last things: death, judgment, Heaven, Hell. They were to exhort souls to make their peace with God and to prepare for their final end. On the last Saturday they were to give a sermon on the Blessed Virgin Mary. Alphonsus urged his priests to be "lions in the pulpit and lambs in the confessional." Many hours were spent counseling individual souls and restoring them to lives of grace. A special feature of this system was the return of the priests several months later for a renewal of the mission. From 1726 to 1752 Alphonsus spent the greater part of each year traveling the provinces of Naples, giving missions from village to village. In order to maintain a sense of equilibrium he found it necessary to return to his monastery after a series of two or three missions to store up more graces. He ordered his priests to do the same, so that they would have a period of rest and spiritual recuperation and thus be more able to give of themselves in the service of souls.

At the age of sixty-five, Alphonsus found his health an increasing source of frustration. He was unable to keep up the pace he had been accustomed to. Because he had made a vow that he would never waste a moment's time, he occupied himself by writing a vast number of devotional works, as well as those dealing with dogmatic and moral theology. His legal acumen and his fine sense of balance earned for him the title of Patron of Confessors and Moralists. Years later the Church was to proclaim that his opinions on moral problems could be followed in good conscience and without question.

It was at this point of his life that Alphonsus was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Sant' Agatha of the Goths. He made it a practice to visit regularly each parish of the diocese and he often assisted in preaching missions to the faithful. The people of this area had fallen from the practice of the Faith, and Alphonsus took it on his own shoulders to reinstill the spirit of poverty and zeal among priests, seminarians, and nuns. He loved to work with young people. Among those whom he directed was the lay brother St. Gerard Majella. He also continued his writing. He composed the "Visits to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary" for use by the Redemptorist novices. This little book has been translated into many languages and can still be found in religious houses today. Alphonsus wrote eloquently of the Mother of God; among his more important works is The Glories of Mary, which speaks beautifully of the virtues and perogatives of Mary and their bearing on our lives.

IN MAY, 1768, Alphonsus suffered a bad attack of rheumatic fever, which left him paralyzed for life. This affected his neck and kept his head bent so far down that a sore developed on his chest from the pressure of his chin. He could only drink at meals through a tube and had to say Mass, with proper dispensation, seated in a chair, which was tilted back when he drank the Precious Blood. Modern pictures of the Saint usually show him with head bent forward.

Alphonsus never wrote of his own special favors in the mystical realm. However, witnesses have corroborated that he was seen at times lifted off the earth while preaching of the love of God. On Sept. 21, 1774, he seemed to be in a trance which lasted for twenty-four hours. On awakening he said to those around him, "I have been assisting the Pope, who has just died." A few days later word arrived that it was on the morning of September 22nd that Pope Clement XIV passed away.

In 1775, the new Pope, Pius VI, at Alphonsus's request, relieved the Saint of his episcopal duties, and Alphonsus returned to the Redemptorist house to prepare for his death. It was his wish that he die surrounded by his congregation. Little did he know that at the age of eighty he still had a dozen years to live and that some of his worst trials were still to come. He was now in constant pain, nevertheless he continued his writings and his visits to the novices of the Congregation. St. Alphonsus encouraged his confreres to observe the spirit and rule of poverty. He himself sold most of his belongings and gave the proceeds from his writings to help the poor.

THE GREAT TRIAL of his life came, when in the wake of the Jesuit suppression, Alphonsus was cajoled by one of his own priests to sign a paper which he could not read due to near blindness. This document so modified the Redemptorist rule in the houses of Naples, due to government recommendation, that the priests technically became seculars living a common life without vows. When Pope Benedict XIV learned of this he declared all priests living in the Neopolitan houses to be no longer Redemptorists. This caused great grief to Alphonsus, since he himself was excluded from the very Order he had worked so hard to build. It was only after the Saint's death that the Neopolitan government intervened and allowed the original Redemptorist rule to be observed.

Alphonsus still had one final storm to meet, and then the end. About three years before his death he went through a "night of the soul". Strong temptations against every virtue crowded about him, and terrible scruples and impulses to despair took hold of him. Finally, on August 1, 1787, as the Angelus was ringing at twelve noon, peace came to his soul and he passed to his eternal reward. He had nearly completed his ninety-first year. He was declared Venerable on May 4, 1796, beatified in 1816 and canonized in 1839. In 1871 he was declared a Doctor of the Church.

He was praised by all who knew him as having an ardent disposition, a pleasant smile and engaging conversation; he was always known by his great dignity of manner. He was a natural leader of men. His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to Our Lady was extraordinary. He had a tender charity towards all who were in trouble; he would go to any length to try to save a vocation; he would expose himself to death to prevent sin. He had a love for the lower animals, and wild creatures who fled from all else would come to him as to a friend. The driving power of his life was expended in generous self-sacrifice and love of God. His perseverance in hard work was indomitable. He often remarked to his Eucharistic Lord, "O, Jesus, would that I could die with the satisfaction of knowing that I have worn myself out serving Thee." Alphonsus had a great devotion to St. Teresa of Avila, who lived two hundred years earlier. They were both kindred souls in their no-nonsense approach to the spiritual life and in their all consuming love of God. Alphonsus made St. Teresa the patron of the Redemptorists and often quoted her in his sermons and writings.

His love for the Infant Jesus influenced him to legislate that the members of his Congregation were to recite the beautiful litany "O, Jesu Infans" on the twenty-fifth of each month immediately after morning meditation.

At Christmastime he instructed his novices to look from the Crib to the Cross, for it was only the Cross which gave the Crib its full meaning. This is reflected in his famous carol, mentioned earlier in this article:

"Thou descendest from a
star, O King of Heaven,
And comest into this grotto
amid bitter cold.
O, my Divine Babe, I see
Thee shivering.
O, how much it hast cost
Thee to have loved me."

The Redemptorist Congregation soon spread from Italy to Austria and Western Europe, primarily through the efforts of St. Alphonsus's contemporary, St. Clement Mary Hofbauer. From there it grew until the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is known in every major country in the world today. There have been many men who have influenced the lives of others by their great deeds and conquests, but few in modern times have influenced souls as has this Saint, who traveled no further than the confines of the Province of Naples. Let us pray that the Congregation which he founded will be renewed in its original fervor and will be a means by which today's Catholics will return to the Church.

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DONALD R. FANTZ, a former seminarian with the Redemptorist Fathers, is one of the founders of the Holy Innocents School in California. He is a member of the Society of Saint Pius X parish in Concord, California.