Saint Alphonsus Liguori
A Neapolitan lawyer who became a priest, bishop and founder of the Redemptorists
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Bishop, Doctor of the Church, Founder
- Life
- 1696 – 1787
- Era
- 18th century
- Feast
- 1 August
- Countries
- Italy
Life story
Alphonsus Maria Liguori was born on 27 September 1696 near Naples into a noble family. He took his law degree very young, at about sixteen, and practised as a lawyer in Naples. According to his biographers, in 1723, after losing an important case, he left the law and decided to become a priest. He was ordained in 1726.
He worked a great deal among the poor and the country people around Naples, and in 1732, at Scala, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as the Redemptorists, to preach to people who were pastorally neglected. He was also a prolific writer: the Theologia moralis, devotional works such as The Glories of Mary and Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and many sermons and pastoral letters. Many of his books were written in plain language so that ordinary readers could follow them.
In 1762 he reluctantly accepted the office of bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti, a small diocese in southern Italy. For about thirteen years he worked to improve the training of the clergy and the teaching of catechism. In 1775, because of serious illness, he was allowed to resign and went to live at Pagani.
In his last years he suffered badly from arthritis and could scarcely move, and he also met difficulties inside his own congregation. He died on 1 August 1787 at Pagani. He was canonised in 1839 and named a Doctor of the Church in 1871 by Pope Pius IX.
Works and witness
- Took a law degree at about sixteen and practised in Naples
- Ordained a priest in 1726
- Founded the Redemptorists at Scala in 1732
- Wrote the Theologia moralis and many devotional books
- Bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti from 1762 to 1775
Patron of
Moral theologians, Confessors
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
- Alphonsus Liguori, Theologia moralis
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.