Saint Alphonsus de Liguori - The Saint Alphonsus de Liguori Collection [30 Books]

He was born in Marinella, in the suburbs of Naples, on the 27th of September, 1696, the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and baptized two days after, on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Amongst the names given him, Alphonsus, Mari a, were the leading ones, and by these, to the exclusion of the others, he is usually known. His father Joseph, of the noble house of Liguori, was alike distinguished for talent (especially military) and for virtue: and his mother Catherine (also of a nobl e house) was sister to the celebrated servant of God, Emilio Jacomo Cavalieri, Bishop of Troy in partibus, who died in the odor of sanctity. Indeed she was worthy such a brother, being scarcely, if at all, inferior to him in sanctity of life.

Alphonsus, in early youth, nay, we might almost say, in infancy, even then, edified all with whom he conversed; and those who have written his life in detail, mention numerous instances of virtue, which we cannot afford to specify. He had a remarkable disinclination fo r the amusements of children, and never took part in them, unless when charity, or the fear of singularity, ruled it otherwise. He evinced the most tender devotion to mysteries, which most children of his age can scarce be brought to understand, and even a mongst the youths with whom he was obliged to associate in the college of nobles, under the conduct of the priests of the oratory, his conduct never varied; his devotion to the sacrament of the altar, and the Mother of God, continually gaining strength. Hi s progress in human learning kept pace so well with his progress in the science of the saints, that when he had completed his legal studies, he required a dispensation of three years for admission to the degree of doctor in canon and civil law.

He practise d for some time at the bar, and was fast growing into repute, when an incident occurred, to which, in the dispensations of Providence, we are indebted for the apostolic labors and learned writings of our Saint. Alphonsus having been retained as counsel for the defence, in a case of great interest and importance, his pleading was so ingenious and so eloquent, that the president, Signor Caravita, felt disposed to give judgment in favor of his client, when the counsel on the other side, instead of replying, si mply begged of Alphonsus to reconsider his argument, and see whether it was not unsound. Alphonsus, to his great confusion and surprise, perceived it to be flawed by reason of his having overlooked one negative particle in the process. The court and audien ce complimented him upon his able defence, and acquitted him of any blame upon the score of negligence; attributing his oversight to the warmth so natural to a young lawyer in his situation. Alphonsus, however, did not so readily acquit himself; but, havin g bowed to the court, was heard to say, as he withdrew, false world, I know you, and have done with you;he had given up the bar.

Almighty God was pleased to enlighten his mind, during a retreat of three days, which he made under the direction of his con fessor; at the end of which period he was confirmed in his resolution, to attend solely to the care of his salvation. Alphonsus having now nothing to divide his attention with the pursuit of virtue and sacred science, devoted himself unreservedly to the at tainment of both,and applied his powerful intellect so vigorously to the study of theology, as rapidly to fit himself for the office of a teacher in Israel. The rapid and steady progress of Alphonsus in piety and learning induced Cardinal Pignatelli, the then Archbishop of Naples, to hasten his promotion to tonsure and minor orders; unwilling that the church should longer remain without numbering such a youth as he amongst her ministers. Immediately that Alphonsus was advanced to minor orders, he entered u pon the discharge of his functions, and kept it with faith and assiduity. Anxious, not only to preserve that purity of life to which he was exhorted by the ordaining bishop, but, moreover, continually to amass new treasures of grace, he regularly attended the religious exercises of the fathers of the mission; a practice which he persevered in up to the time of his ordination to the priesthood. No sooner had Alphonsus received deaconship, than the Cardinal Archbishop, not content with permitting, exhorted hi m to preach; and the obedient levite, in compliance with the desire of his pastor, preached his first sermon in the parish church of St. John, in Porta, upon the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

On the 27th of December, 1726, Alphonsus, being in the thirty- first year of his age, was ordained priest. We shall not dilate upon the raptures of Alphonsus, when he found himself on the summit of the holy mountain. We pass over the sentiments of faith, love, and gratitude, with which he immolated, for the first time , the sacred victim of the altar. We speak not of the redoubled fervor with which he applied himself to all his usual practices of piety, and more especially to the loving adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; we press onward to his apostolical labors, and t aking a hasty survey of all he did, and taught, and weighing his title to greatness in the balance of the sanctuary, over which is inscribed, qui fecerit et docuerit sic homines, hic magnus vocabitur in regno clorum, we shall see whether his title be su ch, that in the kingdom of Heaven he is called great.