ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA - PATRON SAINT OF YOUTH
Born March 9, 1568, Aloysius was the first son of Ferdinand Gonzaga, the Marquis of Castiglione, and his wife Martha de Santena, who was descended from a noble family. Aloysius' parents met in the court of Philip and Isabella. The Italian noble Gonzaga was residing in the court of King Philip II of Spain. When Philip married Isabella, daughter of Henry II of France, Martha came from France with the new Queen. Gonzaga consulted the King on his interest in Martha.
While pregnant with Aloysius, Martha read spiritual books to an extent that she had never done either before or afterwards. She prayed for a son who would serve God in the religious life.
Aloysius displayed his holiness at a very young age. As soon as he learned to navigate his castle he would often disappear. When Aloysius was found, he would be kneeling in some corner with his hands folded in prayer. Before the boy could even speak he managed through gestures to instruct his attendants to give alms to beggars. His happiness at helping others was obvious to those who looked after him.
While at the camp, Aloysius also became accustomed to the indecent language of the soldiers. He repeated what he heard, not fully knowing because of his young age what he was saying. For Aloysius, this was a grave sin for which he could never forgive himself. For the rest of his life he would confess and also make himself suffer for the language he used at the military camp. Whenever he heard similar words uttered throughout his life, Aloysius would blush.
Fr. Virgilio Cepari states in his book "The Life of B. Aloysius Gonzaga" that besides this very early language he cannot find any other sins committed by the Saint to be more culpable.
Ferdinand sent Aloysius home to Castiglione in 1573. Martha had a strong influence on the boy's life thereafter. At such a young age Aloysius already talked to his mother about joining a religious order. He continued to pray constantly.
Besides foul language, being in the company of women also caused Aloysius to blush.
At the age of ten, Aloysius resided in Florence. The boy spent much of his time in prayer at Our Lady of the Annunziata, in front of a picture with the same name as the Church. The picture of the Blessed Virgin inspired Aloysius. The boy wanted to honor Mary with a gift, and he decided upon a vow of perpetual chastity.
At the age of twelve, Aloysius received Holy Communion from St. Charles Borromeo. The Cardinal came to Castiglione and was welcomed into the Gonzaga home by Martha. But the humble Saint decided to stay with a parish priest. It is there that Aloysius visited Charles, who was very impressed with the young boy. When the Cardinal learned that Aloysius had not yet received the Eucharist, he instucted him, although he needed little teaching, and offered the boy the Bread of Life.
The Body and the Blood of Christ became a tremendous part of Aloysius' life. Whenever he received Communion his face would be covered in tears.
The young boy always made himself to suffer. He had many luxuries to choose from on account of his father, who was troubled by his son's mortifications. However, for Aloysius, the Passion of Christ inspired him to imitate the suffering of Jesus. The boy was often weak from fasting and Ferdinand failed in trying to convince his son to give up his strict life.
One night Aloysius was so exhausted from his lifestyle that he passed out, leaving a lit candle next to his bed. He was awakened by an intense heat as his bed was on fire. He got up in time and managed to avert another possible disaster.
At the age of thirteen Aloysius made the decision to join a religious order. His father could not have been more upset.
In the Society of Jesus
At first Aloysius wanted to join the Franciscans in Spain. But his weak condition had him worried that he would have failed at the mortifications and been brought back to the world as an ecclesiastic. His mother, Martha, was also opposed to his joining the Franciscans.
The Society of Jesus offered Aloysius two areas to work in that he believed pleased God. One was the teaching of youth and the other the conversion of unbelievers.
He wanted to be sure of his decision. While praying to the Blessed Mother an answer came to him. He was convinced that he was divinely called to the Society of Jesus. Aloysius wrote a letter to the Superior General, Claudius Acquaviva, exactly two years after he first realized his calling to the Society of Jesus. His father had delayed him that long so far. The General gladly welcomed Aloysius.
The day finally came for Aloysius when he was to formally renounce his right to the Marquisate. He quickly signed the documents which gave his inheritence to his brother Rudolph. After Rudolph signed, Aloysius said to his brother, "What do you think, dear Rudolph, which of us two is the happier now, you or I? You may be sure I am."
Aloysius was well known for what he had given up to enter the Society of Jesus. He traveled to Rome and there he met with Pope Sixtus. The Pope thoroughly interrogated Aloysius, wondering whether or not he would last as a religious, believing that the young man had not known what he was actually embarking on. But Aloysius assured Sixtus. The Pope was pleased by what Aloysius had to say. He therefore praised the Saint and sent him on his way.
Ferdinand underwent a change after his son had entered the Society. He became much less engulfed in worldly affairs, such as his gambling. Instead, he devoted himself to pious practices. Ferdinand died on February 13, 1586.
The companions of Aloysius were surprised that his father's death did not cause more emotions in the seemingly loving son. Aloysius was tranquil because in his mind, why would he grieve over the Will of God?
It was the Jesuit custom in Rome to send the novices to the Professed House, the Ges�, where they would get some worldly experience under the direction of one of the Fathers, who was novice-master for the time being.
For Aloysius, following rules was a very serious act. One day, his relative, Cardinal della Rovere, met the Saint in the sacristy. But since Aloysius did not have permission from one of the Fathers to talk, he asked the Cardinal to please excuse him and did not say another word. Della Rovere sought permission from the Father General, and only then did the two converse.
There were many who scoffed at Aloysius' strict adherence to rules and his overall lifestyle, but most who met him regarded him as a saint.
Holy Communion remained a central part of the Saint's life. His week was divided into two parts: the first he devoted to thanksgiving for receiving Christ, the second was preparation for the next Communion. On the eve of receiving the Eucharist, many of his fellow novices and priests would want to be near him to be inspired for their own masses because Aloysius would talk of the happiness that awaited him when he did consume the Body and the Blood.
Aloysius loved to keep busy performing the chores of the house. He helped in the kitchen, washed dishes, and the work that brought him the most delight was bringing food to the house gate for the poor. He also loved to tend to the sick, fulfilling God's commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
His love for mortifications was a cause of uneasiness to the older Fathers, who chided Aloysius. They worried over his health.
Then one day an angel appeared to Aloysius and told him of his approaching death. Aloysius was overjoyed to learn this, for he would soon be united with God. He at first only told Father Vincent Bruno, until the Saint returned to Rome and told a select group of others.
On the journey back to Rome, the Jesuits came upon a swollen stream. They could not pass, and did not even know that 18 people were drowned trying to get across earlier that day. Aloysius knelt and began to pray. Not far away, he noticed a boy crossing the water back and forth with much ease. He led the group to the spot and 40 people made it safely to the other side. When no one could find the boy who Aloysius had earlier seen, Father Mastrilli stated that it was an angel of God sent to allow the young saint to pass.
When he returned to Rome, Aloysius told Father Cepari, "I have buried my dead and need to think no more of them; it is time for us to prepare for another life."
He seemed to forget the world he was living in. His humbleness caused him to pray when hidden. But now he would drop to his knees anywhere, no matter what he was doing in order to pray to God.
During the Plague, he sought to comfort the sick. The cause of his infection was thought to have been from his carrying a man, whose illness was very well advanced, off of the streets, on his back to the hospital.
Now that Aloysius was sick, he still would avoid comforts. When they offered him something to soothe his cough, he turned it away.
A friend of Aloysius, Father Corbinelli, was sick at the same time. When Corbinelli died, Aloysius saw his dead friend in dreams that same night. The Jesuits tried to hide Corbinelli's status from the Saint, but he had seen his friend three times. The first time Corbinelli said that he was in agony, the second he asked for prayers to end his suffereing, and the third time he said that he was dead. Fr. Robert Bellarmine, Aloysius' confessor, came to the Saint. When Bellarmine saw that Aloysius knew of Corbinelli's fate without being told by anyone, he was amazed.
In the morning he announced that he would die in eight days � on the octave of Corpus Christi.
Aloysius was excited that death was approaching for he would soon be with God. He bid farewell to all who were in his presence.
He appeared fine on the day of his predicted death. Bellarmine left his side to go to sleep. Then Aloysius asked, "Lift me a little," as his bed sores had actually become too much for the man who had constantly punished his body. It was then the Fathers with him saw death on Aloysius' face. He looked at the cross in his hands, attempted to say Jesus and breathed his last. His death was so sudden that Bellarmine could not be summoned in time. He died between ten and eleven o�clock in the night between Thursday the 20th, and Friday, the 21st of June, 1591, at the close of the Octave of Corpus Christi. He was twenty-three years, three months, and eleven days old at the time of his death.
Prayer of Self-Commendation to Mary
O Holy Mary, my Lady, into your blessed trust and safe keeping and into the depths of yur mercy, I commend my soul and body this day, every day of my life, and at the hour of my death. To you I entrust all my hopes and consolations, all my trials and miseries, my life and the end of my life. By your most holy intercession and by your merits, may all my actions be directed and disposed according to your will and the Will of your divine Son. Amen.
(by Saint Aloysius Gonzaga)
In His great love for all His children,
+Fr. Gregory
