St. Aloysius Gonzaga, CONFESSOR, A.D. 1591.
by VP
Posted on Friday June 21, 2024 at 12:00AM in Saints
"THIS saint was born of noble and pious parents. From the instructions and example of his devout mother, the deepest sentiments of religion and the fear of God were impressed upon his soul from his childhood, In the seventh year of his age, he began to conceive greater sentiments of piety, and recited every day the office of our Blessed Lady, the seven penitential psalms, and other prayers, which he never omitted even in sickness. He had a great esteem for the angelic virtue of chastity; and cultivated this by assiduous prayer, universal mortification, and careful avoidance of all dangerous occasions. But humility was in him the guardian of purity. When he was nine years old he made a vow of perpetual virginity before an altar of the Blessed Virgin at Florence. He had so tender a devotion to the B. Eucharist, that when hearing Mass, after the consecration, he often melted into tears, in profound sentiments of love and adoration. He frequently approached to the Holy Communion, and this great Sacrament became his greatest joy and consolation.
St Aloysius at length determined to enter into the Society of Jesus, in order to devote himself to the instructing and conducting souls to God. He renounced his right of succession to his father's title of Marquis, in favour of his younger brother; and entered his noviceship at Rome, in his eighteenth year. Here he strove to surpass all his companions in every religious duty. He was exact in the observance of every rule; possessed a thorough contempt of the world, and a most ardent love of God. Such was the general mortification of his senses, that he seemed wholly inattentive to exterior things. He never listened to reports or discourse about worldly matters; spoke very little, and never about himself. His whole life seemed a continual prayer. To appear poor, little, and contemptible was his delight, and he rejoiced to see the last and worst portion of any thing fall to his share.
In 1591 St. Aloysius obtained leave to serve the sick, when a pestilential distemper swept off great multitudes in Rome. He catechised and exhorted the poor patients, washed their feet, made their beds, and performed the most loathsome and painful offices of the hospital. He soon fell sick, and though he recovered of this attack, he was reduced three months after to the last extremity, and died the death of the just, on the 21st of June, it being that year the octave day of Corpus Christi.
When we see a young prince sacrifice nobility, sovereignty, riches, and pleasures, the more easily to secure the treasure of divine love, and eternal happiness, how much ought we to condemn our own sloth, who live as if heaven were to cost us nothing? Let us imitate his diligence, if we wish to secure his reward." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Prayer to Saint ALoysius Gonzaga to Obtain the Virtue of Purity:
Amiable Saint, whose life was more angelical than human! I, thy most unworthy servant come to confide, in a special manner, to thy pure hands, and to thy watchful solicitude, the purity of my soul and body. Angel of purity, I earnestly beseech thee to intercede for me with Jesus Christ, the immaculate Lamb, and with his holy Mother, the Virgin of virgins, that I may be preserved from every grievous sin, and from the least stain of impurity.
When thou seest me
tempted, and in danger of sinning against that virtue which was so dear
to thee, remove far from my mind and heart every unchaste thought and
desire; bring to my mind the thought of eternity, and of Jesus
crucified; fill my heart with the fear of God; kindle within it the fire
of divine love, and obtain, that after having imitated thy virtues here
below, I may enjoy with thee, in heaven, the happiness to possess God,
and to possess him for ever. Our Father and Hail Mary. (St. Vincent's Manual)
THE DEVOUT CLIENT'S ADDRESS TO SAINT ALOYSIUS:
ANGELICAL Youth, Aloysius, by the particular appointment of God's vicar upon earth, patron of those who apply to studies: thou who hast illustrated the Church by a holy contempt of an earthly principality, but more by the innocence of thy manners, sanctity of thy life, and glory of thy miracles, allow me, from this day, to choose and adopt thee, patron and protector of my life and studies, firmly resolved to follow the example and pattern, as well of piety as of industry, thou hast put before me. For the love thou hadst for Christ crucified, and his most blessed Mother, receive me as thy client and obedient servant; aid and assist me in the pursuit of virtue and learn. ing; nourish and increase in me a purity of body and mind; turn off the snares laid against my chastity; ward and defend me against the dangers of the world; inspire my heart with a true and filial confidence in the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of good counsel; govern and direct me in my choice of a state of life, and let the grace of God be my perpetual defence against all mortal sin: that as thou always livedst in a purity and integrity truly angelical, so assisted by thy patronage, and aided by the grace of God, I may live chastely and holily in this world, and deserve to De associated with thee and joined to the company of the angels in heaven. Amen. Recite six Paters and Aves, with the Gloria Patri.
LITANY OF ST. ALOYSIUS.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, Graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother of God, have mercy on us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, have mercy on us.
St. Aloysius, Most beloved of Christ, have mercy on us.
The delight of the blessed Virgin, have mercy on us.
Most chaste youth, have mercy on us.
Angelic youth, have mercy on us.
Most humble youth, have mercy on us.
Model of young students, have mercy on us.
Despiser of riches, have mercy on us.
Enemy of vanities, have mercy on us.
Scorner of honors, have mercy on us.
Honor of princes, have mercy on us.
Jewel of the nobility, have mercy on us.
Flower of innocence, have mercy on us.
Ornament of a religious state, have mercy on us.
Mirror of mortification, have mercy on us.
Mirror of perfect obedience, have mercy on us.
Lover of evangelical poverty, have mercy on us.
Most affectionately devout, have mercy on us.
Most zealous observer of rules, have mercy on us.
Most desirous of the salvation of souls, pray for us.
Perpetual adorer of the holy Eucharist, pray for us.
Particular client of St. Ignatius, pray for us
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, hear us, O Lord.
From the concupiscence of the eyes, O Lord, deliver
us.
From the concupiscence of the flesh, O Lord, deliver us.
From the pride of life, O Lord, deliver us.
Through the merits and intercession of St. Aloysius, O Lord, deliver us.
Through his angelical purity, O Lord, deliver us.
Through his sanctity and glory, O Lord, deliver us.
We sinners, beseech thee to hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Y. Pray for us, St. Aloysius,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
LET US PRAY.
O GOD! the distributor of heavenly gifts; who didst unite in the angelic youth Aloysius, wonderful inno. cence of life, with an equal severity of penance; grant through his merits and prayers that we, who have not fol lowed the example of his innocence, may imitate his practice of penance; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
