Alphonsus Liguori
| St. Alphonsus Liguori | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth | September 27, 1696 Naples |
| Deaths | 1 August 1787 (91 years) Nocera Pagani |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Revered | Doctor of the Church since 1871 |
| Beatification | 1816 Rome by Pius VII |
| Canonization | 1839 Rome by Gregory XVI |
| Revered by | Catholic Church |
| Day | August 1 |
| Attributes | Crucifix in his right hand he indicates in his left hand |
| Patron saint | confessors, moralists and theologians |
| Servant of God Venerable Happy St. | |
Alphonse Marie Jean Antoine Como Damien Michel Gaspard de Liguori was born in the mansion of his father, Marianella , a district of Naples on Tuesday September 27 1696 and died at Nocera Pagani, on 1 August 1787. He embraced the ecclesiastical state at 27 years and evangelized the rural poor. from high society Neapolitan gifted orator, he nevertheless always preached unadorned oratory to be understood by everyone including the least educated. He founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, whose members are called Redemptorists. Feast on August 1.
Summary |
Origins and youth
A young man of good family
His family was ancient and noble, though the branch to which he belonged was no longer so rich past. The father of Alfonso, Don Joseph Liguori, was a naval officer and captain of the royal galleons. His mother was of Spanish ancestry and, in so far as the race explains the individual, we can see in the Spanish blood of Alfonso an explanation of the incredible tenacity to achieve his goal which distinguished him from his earliest years. " I know his stubbornness, his father said of him as a young man. Once his decision, he is adamant. " We have little information on children of Alfonso. He was the eldest of seven children and the hope of his house.
An aristocratic education
The boy soon showed bright and fast and made great progress in all sorts of study. Besides, his father made him practice the harpsichord and three hours per day, at the age of thirteen, he played with the ease of a master. Travel and practice fencing were his major distractions, with a card game in the evening, he told us that his poor eyesight prevented him from being a good shooter. In his early age young man, he became infatuated opera, but he only wanted to listen to music as soon as the curtain rose, he took off his glasses, so you do not see the actors clearly. Neapolitan theater at the time was brilliant, but the young Alfonso had felt from the earliest age an ascetic repugnance toward theaters, repugnance he never lost. Child's fault that he reproached himself throughout his life, is having too strenuously resisted his father asked him to participate in a play performed in a salon.
Obviously, Alphonse was not sent to school but was educated by private tutors under the watchful eye of his father. At the age of sixteen, 21 January 1713 , he began to study law, although the legal age was set at twenty years. He told himself he was so small it almost disappeared into her dress doctor, which made everyone laugh. He began his studies and, at the age of nineteen years, exercised his profession in the courts.
A brilliant lawyer
During the eight years he was a lawyer in charge of many causes, he said they had never lost one. Even making allowances for exaggeration (for which lawyer was able to win always?), Tradition attests that his skills were extraordinary and he was often successful. In fact it seems that despite his youth, he has counted at the age of twenty-seven years among the tenors of the Naples Bar.
Alphonse, as so many saints had a great father and a saintly mother. Don Joseph Liguori had his faults, he was somewhat attached to worldly and ambitious, at least for his son, and he came into anger when we opposed him. But he was a man of faith and piety evident and led a blameless life, he wanted his son like him. Even when he tried to push him into the world by arranging for him a good marriage, he should think that Alfonso wanted first to God, and each year the father and son were on a retreat together in a religious institution. Alphonse on this issue does not disappoint his father.
Pure and chaste childhood prepared him to mature beyond reproach. We asked one of his companions, Balthasar Cito, who later became a prominent judge, if Alfonso had never shown in his early signs of lightness. "Never! It would be a sacrilege to say otherwise, "he replied emphatically. His confessor has also said he had preserved his baptismal innocence until death. There was however a dangerous time.
A young man with a view
There is little doubt that the young Alphonse with his qualities of mind and strength of character has felt passionately attached to his profession and he was being corrupted by success and fame it brought. About the year 1722 , when he was twenty-six, he began to attend the world constantly, to neglect prayer and pious practices which had occupied a large part of his life and take pleasure in seeing the attention with which he was received everywhere.
Conversion
"The Banquet, entertainment, theater, he later wrote, these are the worldly pleasures, but pleasures bitter as gall, sharp as thorns. Believe me I've tried and I cry now. "In all this there was no sin is serious, but he did not take either the path of holiness.
The failure or the vanity of the world
In 1723 a trial was held between a Neapolitan nobleman, whose name does not reach us and the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III , who was involved in a property estimated at 500,000 ducats. Alphonse was a senior counsel, without knowing how to party. When the day came, he made a brilliant opening speech and sat confident in his victory. But before he had called a witness, counsel for the party said in a triumphant tone: "Your argument is the wind. You have overlooked a document that ruin the cause you are defending. - What document is it? "Alphonse asked somewhat taken aback." Here! "It was indeed a compelling piece that had been delivered, he had read and reread many times, but always in a direction exactly opposite to what he saw now. The poor lawyer turned pale. He stood stunned for a moment, then said said in a broken voice: "You're right. I was wrong. This document sets out your rights. "
In vain and those who surrounded him in his seat until the judge tried to comfort him. He felt devastated. He thought that his mistake would not be attributed to carelessness, but that there would be a deliberate deception. He felt that his career was ruined and he left the court blankly and said, "World, I know you now. Course, you never see me again. "
Death and resurrection
For three days he refused all food.
Then he began to calm down and to see that his humiliation had been sent by God to kill his pride and wrest the world. Convinced that something special sacrifice was demanded from him, though he did not know which yet, he did not return to his profession, but spent his days in prayer, seeking to know what was the will of God. Soon - but we do not know exactly how long after - it came the reply.
August 28, 1723 , the young lawyer went to run a remarkable act of charity by visiting patients at the Hospice for the Incurable. Suddenly he found himself surrounded by a mysterious light while the building seemed to waver and that inner voice telling him: "Leave the world and give yourself to me. "
This experiment was repeated twice. Alfonso then left the hospital and went to church the Redemption of Captives. There he laid his sword before the statue of Notre Dame and took the solemn resolution to enter orders and also to propose as a novice to the Fathers Oratorians.
Priest
He knew what trials awaited him. His father, already unhappy after two failed wedding plans for her son and exasperated at his huge malpractice, could not fail to vigorously oppose his desire to leave the world. That's what happened and the young man found himself persecuted for two months.
A compromise was found at the end. Don Joseph agreed that his son became a priest, provided he renounce his plan to enter the Oratory , and he continued to live at home. Alfonso consented, on the advice of his director, Father Thomas Pagano, himself Oratorian. This left him free solution for what should be his real job, founding a new religious congregation.
October 23, 1723 , the young man donned the vestments. In September the following year he received the tonsure and shortly after joined the association of secular priests called the missionaries' Neapolitan Propaganda ", and where the entry did not involve living together. In December 1724 , he received minor orders and the sub-deacon in September 1725. 6 April 1726 , he became deacon and soon after gave his first sermon. On 21 December the same year, at the age of thirty he was ordained priest.
For six years he had worked in Naples and around Naples, giving missions and preaching to Propaganda " Lazzaroni "of the capital. With the help of two lay people , Peter Barbarese, a schoolmaster, and Nardone, an old soldier, he had torn from a dissolute life, he enlisted thousands of Lazzaroni in a sort of fraternity called "Association of Chapels "and which still exists today. Then God called him to the work of his life.
Father Ripa
In April 1729 , Matthew Ripa, the Apostle of China , was founded in Naples missionary college, who was known colloquially as the "Chinese College.
A few months later, Alphonse, who had left the house of his father went to live with Ripa, yet without becoming a member of his society. There he met a friend of his host, Father Thomas Falcoia, the Congregation of (the Pious Workers) and tied him with the great friendship of his life.
Father Falcoia
There was a significant age difference between the two men born in 1663, Falcoia was then sixty-six and Alfonso had only thirty-three, but the old priest and the young souls who had looked like. Many years ago, in Rome, a vision had shown Falcoia a new religious family consists of men and women, whose specific purpose would be the perfect imitation of the virtues of Our Lord. He even tried to form a branch of the institute, bringing together twelve priests leading a common life in Taranto , but the community was soon disintegrated. In 1719 , with Father Filangieri, who also belonged to the "Pii Operarii, he recreated a Conservatorium of religious Scala , in the mountains outside of Amalfi. But as he prepared for them a rule formed on the nuns of the Visitation , it does not seem to have so clear idea of establishing the new institute inspired by his vision.
Sister Marie Celeste
In 1724 , shortly after Alfonso had abandoned the world, a postulant, Julia Crostarosa, born in Naples on October 31 1696 and therefore almost the same age Alphonse, had entered the convent of Scala, calling in religion Sister Mary Celeste. In 1725 , when she was a novice, she had a series of visions that showed him a new order (which was apparently formed as religious) and resembled that which was revealed many years ago Falcoia. Even his rule had been detailed. He was told to put it all in writing and to show the director of the convent, which was none other than Falcoia.
While affecting to treat the novice with severity and total disregard of his visions, the director was surprised that she had the Rule was written down implementation of what he had nurtured for so long his mind. He submitted this new rule to a number of theologians, who appreciated and replied that it could be adopted in the convent of Scala, provided that the community would accept. But when the question was posed to the community, the opposition began. Most were in favor of adoption, but the top was critical and called on Filangieri's colleague Falcoia in founding the convent and now his superior as generally "Pii Operarii. Filangieri opposed any change in the rules and banned Falcoia contact the convent. The matter rested there for several years, but in 1729 and Filangieri died October 8 1730 Falcoia was consecrated Bishop of Castellammare di Stabia.
He was now free, subject to the approval of the Bishop of Scala, to act with respect to the convent as he thought best. But it was Alphonso, suffering from overwork, had left for Scala in early summer 1730 , together with some companions. Unable to stand idly by, he preached to the keepers of goats in the mountains and with such success that Nicolas Guerriero, Bishop of Scala, had begged him to come back and preach a retreat in his cathedral.
New Rule
Falcoia, this new, begged his friend to kindly direct the same time a religious retreat for its Conservatory. Alphonse pleasant both motions and, in September 1730 , set off with his two friends, John and Vincent Mannarini Mazzini. The result of this retreat was that the young priest, who arrived in Naples reports had given the prejudices against the new proposed rule, became a supporter decided and even obtained permission from the bishop of Scala for this change.
In 1731 , the convent unanimously adopted the new Rule, which included red and blue clothing, traditional colors of the clean dress of Our Lord. A branch of the new institute Falcoia shown in his vision was established.
The other should not be a long wait. Thomas Falcoia probably had some time hoped that the young and ardent priest, who was so attached, under his leadership would become the founder of the New Order which was close to his heart. A new vision of Sister Maria Celeste seemed to indicate that this was God's will: 3 October 1731 , the eve of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi , the religious lives "Our Lord" with St. Francis on his right hand and a priest on his left hand. A voice said: "It's him that I wanted to be the head of my institute, the prefect of a new General Congregation of men who work for my glory." This priest was
Shortly after, Falcoia announced to him that he felt called to leave Naples at Scala to establish an order of missionaries, which should work primarily for the keepers of goats in the mountains were not being addressed.
The Redemptorists
A year of problems and anxiety followed. The Superior Propaganda and even Falcoia friend, Matthew Ripa, opposed with all their strength to this project, but Alphonse was supported by her spiritual director, Father Pagano's Father Fiorillo , renowned Dominican preacher, Father Manulio, provincial of the Jesuits , and Father Vincent Cutica, Superior of the Vincentians. 9 November 1732 , therefore, the " Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer , "or as it was for seventeen years," the Most Holy Saviour, "began its existence in a small hospital belonging to the nuns of Scala. Although that Alphonso was the founder and de facto leader, is the Bishop of Castellammare who undertook at the beginning of the branch as well as the spiritual direction of Alfonso and only in death the bishop, 20 April 1743 , a general chapter was held and elected official Alphonse superior general.
In fact, at first, Alfonso did not want to be superior, considering that one of his companions, Jean-Baptiste Donato, better suited for this position because he had already had some experience of community life in a another institute.
Early years, Early Troubles
The first years after the founding of the new order did not promise anything good. Discord came up, Mannarini Vincent, the former friend of the saint and his main companion at all opposed to him and Falcoia. On 1 April 1733 , all but one of Alfonso companions lay brother, Vitus Curtius, abandoned him to found the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament , which limited the kingdom of Naples, was discontinued in 1860 following the unification of Italy. The disunity stretched even to the nuns and Sister Maria Celeste itself Scala left to found Foggia a convent where she died in the odor of sanctity on 14 September 1755. She was declared venerable August 11, 1901.
Recognition of the Congregation
Alphonse, however, stood firm, and soon other companions arrived and although Scala itself had been abandoned by the fathers in 1738 , in 1746 the new congregation had four homes in Nocera dei Pagani , Ciorani , Iliceto (now Deliceto ) and Caposele all in the kingdom of Naples. In 1749 , the Rule and the Institute of Religious were approved by Pope Benedict XIV and 1750 , the Rule and the Institute of nuns.
Mission
Alphonsus was a lawyer, founder, senior bishop, theologian and mystic, but above all he was a missionary and no real biography of the saint will neglect to emphasize this quality. From 1726 to 1752, first as a member of the "Propaganda" Neapolitan then the head of his own fathers, he traversed the provinces of Naples during the greater part of each year giving missions even in the smallest villages and saving many souls. A special feature of his method was the return of the missionaries, after an interval of several months, the place of their work to consolidate their work in what was called the "renewal of a mission. "
Bishop
After 1752 , Alphonse said fewer missions. His infirmities were increasing and he spent much time writing. His promotion to the episcopate in 1762 , at age 64, caused a revival of missionary activity, but in a slightly different form. The saint had four houses, but during his life he not only became possible in the kingdom of Naples to increase their number, but we had trouble getting those that existed were tolerated.
Political issues
The cause was the "feast", the all-powerful authority of kings into spiritual affairs, which was the system of government in Naples as in all states of the Bourbons.
The advent of the House of Bourbon
Directly responsible for what was almost a persecution throughout the life of the saint was the Marquis Tanucci , which came to Naples in 1734. Naples had been part of the Spanish possessions from 1503, but in 1708, while Alphonse was twelve years the city was conquered by Austria during the War of Spanish Succession.
In 1734, however, she was picked up by Don Carlos , the young Duke of Parma, great-grand-son of Louis XIV and the son of King Philip V of Spain and the Bourbon kingdom independent of the Two Sicilies was established. With Don Carlos or, as commonly called, Charles III, his last title as king of Spain, came Tanucci Bernardo's lawyer, who ruled Naples as prime minister and regent during the forty-two years.
This would be a considerable change for Alphonse. If the Marquis Tanucci had happened a few years later, the new government would have found a Redemptorist Congregation already authorized and as anticlerical Tanucci policy was to prohibit the creation of new orders rather than delete the old (except the Society of Jesus ), the saint would have been free to prosper his work in relative peace. But, things being what they were, he refused until his death the enforcement at the Royal Bull of Benedict XIV and state recognition of his institute as a religious congregation.
The tears of a saint
There were whole years, indeed, during which the Institute appeared at the brink of outright deletion. One can imagine the suffering it caused in Alphonse, whose sensitivity was extreme, even worse, in the Order itself, discipline was relaxed, vocations declined. Alphonse, however, continued to present petitions to the Court. Perhaps he was too worried and even, on one occasion when he was overwhelmed by the drought of denial, his friend the Marquis Branconi, Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and a man of deep piety, "said gently: "It seems that you've placed all your trust here", whereupon the holy regained his inner peace.
A last attempt to get royal approval, believed that ultimately he would succeed was because of the sorrow of life last Alphonse division and apparent ruin of his congregation and the discontent of the Holy See. That was in 1780 , when Alphonse had eighty-three. But before telling of the episode of the Regolamento, as it is called, we must speak of the period corresponding to the episcopate of saint.
The office of bishop
In 1747 already, the king of Naples Charles Alphonse wanted to archbishop of Palermo , capital of the Kingdom of Sicily , and it was only insisting that he could avoid this charge.
A heavy load
In 1762 , there was no way to escape and was forced by formal obedience to the pope to accept the Bishopric of St. Agatha of the Goths, a tiny Neapolitan diocese a few miles on the road Naples to Capua. There he found 30,000 faithful without education, a secular clergy than 400 people mostly indifferent and sometimes leading a scandalous life, seventeen religious houses more or less relaxed, and was a field so overgrown that it seemed that there could reap nothing else, he wept, prayed and spent his days and nights working tirelessly for thirteen years. More than once he risked being assassinated.
A life at stake
During a riot that occurred during the terrible famine that had struck southern Italy in 1764 , he saved the life of the trustee of St. Agatha by offering his life to the crowd instead of his. He feeds the poor, taught the ignorant, reorganized his seminary , reformed convents, created a new spirit in his clergy, the nobles excludes outrageous and loose women with equal impartiality, honor began in the study of theology and especially of moral theology and continued to beg the popes who succeeded him allow resign because he did nothing for his diocese. For all his administrative work we must add his continual literary works, many hours of daily prayer, terrible austerities and tension due to his illness that made his life a martyrdom.
A large patient
Eight times during his long life, besides his last illness, the saint received the last sacraments, but the worst of all diseases was a terrible attack of rheumatic fever when he was bishop, an attack that lasted from May 1768 to June 1769 and left him paralyzed for the rest of his days. That's what gave him this provision of the mind that we see in his portraits. This provision was so early that the pressure of his chin occasioned a dangerous wound on his chest. Although doctors had managed to straighten his neck a little for the rest of his life the saint had to drink his food through a tube. He would never have said the Mass if Augustine had shown him how to stand on a chair with the assistance of a sidekick he could bring the chalice to his lips. But despite these infirmities, Pope Clement XIII and Clement XIV forced him to remain at his post. In February 1775 , however, is elected Pope Pius VI and Pope in May after he authorized the octogenarian bishop to leave his seat.
Return
In July 1775, Alfonso returned to his small cell Nocera, to prepare, at least he thought, a quick death and happy. Twelve years, however, still separated when he would receive his reward for years that most do not brought him peace, but still greater afflictions than those he had suffered. Around 1777 , the Holy One, also four houses in Naples and Sicily, had four others Scifelli, Frosinone , Sant'Angelo a Cupolo and Benevento , in the Papal States. Where things become desperate in Naples, he relied on these houses to maintain the rule and the institute. In 1780 , a crisis arose when they did actually, but to bring division in the Congregation and its founder extreme pain and insults. Here is how the crisis arose.
The fall of the ministry Tanucci
Since the year 1759 two former benefactors of the Congregation, and Francis Baron Sarnelli Maffei, by one of these frequent changes in Naples, had become his enemies, and he himself were to court a war that lasted twenty-four years. Sarnelli was almost openly backed by the almighty Tanucci and the suppression of the congregation seemed only a matter of days, when the 26 October 1776 , Tanucci, who had offended the Queen Maria Carolina , suddenly fell from power.
The government of the Marquis della Sambuca, which, though fervent royalist, was a personal friend of the saint, promising better days, and in August 1779, Alfonso was able to begin to hope with the publication of a royal decree that allowed him to appoint superiors in his congregation and have a novitiate and a house of studies. The government, however, he recognized the good effect of his missions, the missionaries wanted were secular priests, not members of a religious order.
naivety and betrayal: the "Regolamento"
The decree of 1779, however, seemed a big step forward. Alphonse having so obtained, was hoping to get a little more and his friend, Monsignor Testa, the lord almoner, happen even to approve his Rule. He did not ask, as in the past, enforcement to the bubble of Benedict XIV , because at that time relations were more strained than ever between the courts of Rome and Naples, but he hoped that King Ferdinand IV could give his Rule independent authorization, provided that derogatory completely legal right to own property jointly, he was quite prepared to do.
Il tait trs important pour les Pres d'tre capable de rfuter l'accusation d'tre une congrgation religieuse illgale, car c'tait une des allgations principales dans l'action du baron Sarnelli qui n'avait jamais t suspendue et menaait toujours. Il se peut en tout cas que la soumission de leur Rgle un pouvoir civil mfiant et mme hostile ait t une faute.
De toute faon, cette attitude s'avra dsastreuse quant au rsultat. Alphonse tait si vieux et dans un tel tat - quatre-vingt-cinq ans, il tait estropi, sourd et presque aveugle que sa seule chance de succs tait d'tre fidlement servi par ses amis et ses subordonns et il fut chaque fois trahi.
Son ami le grand aumnier le trahit ; les Pres Majone et Cimino, qu'il avait envoys pour ngocier avec le grand Aumnier le trahirent, tout consulteurs gnraux qu'ils fussent. Mme son confesseur, le Pre Andrew Villani, vicaire gnral dans le gouvernement de son Ordre, participa la conspiration.
la fin la Rgle fut si change qu'elle en devint peine reconnaissable, les vux de religion eux-mmes taient abolis. cette Rgle altre ou Regolamento , comme on en vint l'appeler, le saint trop crdule fut encourag mettre sa signature. Elle fut approuve par le roi et impose la Congrgation stupfaite par tout le pouvoir de l'tat. La commotion fut effrayante. Alphonse lui-mme ne fut pas pargn. Des rumeurs vagues d'une trahison imminente lui avaient t transmises, mais il avait refus de les croire. , lui dit un Pre.
La "protection" pontificale
Le Saint se contenta de pleurer en silence et essaya vainement d'imaginer quelque moyen de sauver son ordre. Le mieux aurait t de consulter le Saint-Sige, mais en cela il avait t prvenu. Les Pres dans les tats Pontificaux, avec un zle trop htif, dnoncrent ds le dbut Rome le changement de la Rgle. Pie VI , dj profondment mcontent contre le gouvernement napolitain, prit les pres dans ses propres tats sous sa protection spciale, et interdit tout changement de rgle dans leurs maisons, les soustrayant mme l'obissance envers leurs suprieurs napolitains, c'est--dire Alphonse, jusqu' ce qu'une enqute pt tre mene. Un long procs s'ensuivit en Cour de Rome et, le 22 septembre 1780, un dcret provisoire, rendu dfinitif le 24 aot 1781, reconnut les maisons dans les tats Pontificaux comme seules constituer la Congrgation rdemptoriste. Le pre Francis de Paula, un des principaux appelants, fut nomm comme leur Suprieur gnral, , lisait-on dans le bref, . "
La dsapropriation : exclusion,tentations
Donc Alphonse de Liguori se voyait exclu de son propre Ordre par le pape qui devait le dclarer Vnrable. C'est dans cet tat d'exclusion qu'il vcut plus de sept ans et qu'il mourut. ce n'est qu'en 1793 , aprs sa mort, mais comme il l'avait prophtis, que le gouvernement napolitain finit par reconnatre la Rgle originale et que la Congrgation rdemptoriste se trouva runie sous une mme autorit
Alphonse devait encore affronter une dernire et terrible preuve avant la fin. Trois ans environ avant sa mort il dut passer par une vritable Nuit de l'me. Des tentations effrayantes contre chacune des vertus se succdaient devant lui, en mme temps que des apparitions diaboliques, des illusions et des scrupules terribles a ith the temptations of despair, all this made his life hell. Peace finally came back and, on August 1,1787 , as the Angelus ringing at noon, Alphonsus Liguori peacefully received his reward. He had almost completed his ninety-eleventh year.
Recognition
He was declared "Venerable" from the May 4 1796 , beatified in 1816 and canonized in 1839. In 1871 , he was proclaimed Doctor of the Church.
Related articles
- Christian theologians famous
- Catholic Theology
- Sant'Alfonso all'Esquilino church in Rome dedicated to him
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help (icon)
External Links
- Free download of the complete works of St. Alphonsus Liguori
- Works on Books-Mystics
- Alphonsus Liguori: pastor and teacher, Franois Bourdeau, Jean Delumeau - 1987 - 408 pages
Sources
- (In) This article is a translation of the article "St. Alphonsus Liguori" in the Catholic Encyclopedia
Loading ...