Jun-21: Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga
Jun-21: Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga
Today is the feast day of St. Aloysius de Gonzaga (Luigi Gonzaga in Italian), an Italian Jesuit known for his courage in serving the sick and his dedication to the education of young students.
Born into a noble family in Castiglione delle Stiviere, Lombardy, Italy, St. Aloysius’ father Ferrante, the Marquis of Castiglione, groomed him for a military career. As the first-born son, he was in line to inherit his father's title and status of Marquis and at the age of eight, he went to serve in the court of the Grand Duke Francesco I de ’Medici and was then sent to Florence for his formal education.
Shortly thereafter, Aloysius began suffering from kidney disease, which he saw as a blessing as it allowed him time to reflect on the lives of saints and pray. He received his First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo in July 1580.
The family was called to Spain in 1581 to assist the Holy Roman Empress Maria of Austria. They arrived in Madrid in March 1582, where Aloysius and his brother Rodolfo became pages for the young Infante Diego. In July 1584, a year and a half after the Infante's death, the family returned to Italy. It was during this time that Aloysius first felt called to the priesthood. After reading a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, Aloysius felt strongly that he wanted to become a missionary.
In the wake of his illness, Aloysius spent his time teaching catechism to poor young men, instead of continuing his military training. Over the next two years, Aloysius would fight with his father, mother, royalty, and delegates over his impending Jesuit vocation. Against his father’s wishes, St. Aloysius announced his intent to join the Society of Jesus in November 1585 and at 18 years old, he renounced his title and lands.
In 1585, Aloysius entered the Jesuits and studied under St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ, who acted as his spiritual adviser. On 25 November 1587, he took the three religious vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. In February and March 1588, he received minor orders and started studying theology to prepare for ordination.
In 1591, a plague swept over Rome. Aloysius volunteered to serve at the Jesuit-established hospital, where he and his fellow Jesuits worked directly with the infected. Aloysius begged for alms for the victims and also worked one-on-one to feed and clean those affected by the epidemic. He contracted the plague and his health declined quickly. The fever persisted after his recovery and he was so weak he could scarcely rise from bed. Aloysius’ health was so poor that he received Holy Viaticum (reception of Holy Communion when there is probable danger of death) and Extreme Unction (a sacrament in which a priest anoints and prays for the recovery and salvation of a critically ill person on the deathbed) on several occasions. Yet he maintained his great discipline of prayer, knowing that he would die three months later within the octave of Corpus Christi, at the age of 23.
Aloysius Gonzaga died in Rome on June 21, 1591, at the age of 23 when he received his last right from St. Robert Bellarmine. The last word he spoke was the Holy Name of Jesus. St. Robert Bellarmine wrote the Life of St. Aloysius
Born into a noble family in Castiglione delle Stiviere, Lombardy, Italy, St. Aloysius’ father Ferrante, the Marquis of Castiglione, groomed him for a military career. As the first-born son, he was in line to inherit his father's title and status of Marquis and at the age of eight, he went to serve in the court of the Grand Duke Francesco I de ’Medici and was then sent to Florence for his formal education.
Shortly thereafter, Aloysius began suffering from kidney disease, which he saw as a blessing as it allowed him time to reflect on the lives of saints and pray. He received his First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo in July 1580.
The family was called to Spain in 1581 to assist the Holy Roman Empress Maria of Austria. They arrived in Madrid in March 1582, where Aloysius and his brother Rodolfo became pages for the young Infante Diego. In July 1584, a year and a half after the Infante's death, the family returned to Italy. It was during this time that Aloysius first felt called to the priesthood. After reading a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, Aloysius felt strongly that he wanted to become a missionary.
In the wake of his illness, Aloysius spent his time teaching catechism to poor young men, instead of continuing his military training. Over the next two years, Aloysius would fight with his father, mother, royalty, and delegates over his impending Jesuit vocation. Against his father’s wishes, St. Aloysius announced his intent to join the Society of Jesus in November 1585 and at 18 years old, he renounced his title and lands.
In 1585, Aloysius entered the Jesuits and studied under St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ, who acted as his spiritual adviser. On 25 November 1587, he took the three religious vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. In February and March 1588, he received minor orders and started studying theology to prepare for ordination.
In 1591, a plague swept over Rome. Aloysius volunteered to serve at the Jesuit-established hospital, where he and his fellow Jesuits worked directly with the infected. Aloysius begged for alms for the victims and also worked one-on-one to feed and clean those affected by the epidemic. He contracted the plague and his health declined quickly. The fever persisted after his recovery and he was so weak he could scarcely rise from bed. Aloysius’ health was so poor that he received Holy Viaticum (reception of Holy Communion when there is probable danger of death) and Extreme Unction (a sacrament in which a priest anoints and prays for the recovery and salvation of a critically ill person on the deathbed) on several occasions. Yet he maintained his great discipline of prayer, knowing that he would die three months later within the octave of Corpus Christi, at the age of 23.
Aloysius Gonzaga died in Rome on June 21, 1591, at the age of 23 when he received his last right from St. Robert Bellarmine. The last word he spoke was the Holy Name of Jesus. St. Robert Bellarmine wrote the Life of St. Aloysius
He was beatified only fourteen years after his death by Pope Paul V, on 19 October 1605. On 31 December 1726, he was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII.
In 1729, Pope Benedict XIII declared Aloysius de Gonzaga to be the patron saint of young students. In 1926, he was named patron of all Christian youth by Pope Pius XI. Owing to the manner of his death, he has been considered a patron saint of plague victims. For his compassion and courage in the face of an incurable disease, Aloysius Gonzaga has become the patron both of AIDS sufferers and their caregivers
There are a number of educational institutions named after St Aloysius including Gonzaga University, a private Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington.
References
1. “Society of Jesus Celebrates the Feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, SJ.” Jesuits, 21 June 2022, www.jesuits.org/stories/2. “St. Aloysius Gonzaga.” Saints and Angels - Catholic Online, www.catholic.org/saints/saint.
3. “Saint of the Day: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.” Franciscan Media, 21 June 2020, www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-
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