A lawyer who was ordained priest and founded the ‘Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer’ (Redemptorists). A tireless apostle of the Eucharist and of our Blessed Mother, he worked with great zeal for the poor and sick. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds] “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1591)
Devotion to Our Lady
We ought to seek in the lives of saints lessons and encouragement. We shall find many of these in the life of St Alphonsus. First, a powerful incentive to labor which is inevitable for us.
From his ordination until extreme old age, St Alphonsus never ceased to preach, hear confessions, give retreats and missions; the government of a diocese (13 years) and of his numerous congregations (42 more years). Enough labor to fill the life of anybody.
He had made a vow ‘never to lose time’ and, incredibly, he wrote (besides numerous small treatises) more than fifty-two books. Some of these, such as his “Moral Theology” and the “Glories of Mary”, are so filled with quotations showing he had read all works that had been written till then about morals and Our Lady. Feeble in health but he lived 91 years.
Do not imitate persons who are so fixated about their health that they withdraw from work, never dare to undertake anything great or laborious; and finally become a burden to others and to themselves. Imitate rather those who, although weak, seek a remedy for their habitual infirmities in labor. St Alphonsus is a proof that regular work prolongs life.
The life of St Alphonsus was an uninterrupted exercise of zeal in almost every town and village in Naples. His zeal was always rewarded by extraordinary conversions, often by striking miracles. More than a hundred of these are cited in the process of his canonization. He was seen to be levitated while celebrating mass or preaching.
At times, interrupting the sermon, he asked prayers for some great person who was dying in a distant spot. Usually, he pointed out to those who consulted him what they had hidden in the depths of their hearts. Often, with the sign of the cross, he cured those dangerously ill. Sometimes, he was present at the same time in two places [bilocation]: without leaving Naples, he was beside the deathbed of Pope Clement IX (22 September 1774).
To obtain great favors from God, we should be zealous. We can all be in different ways. But like the saint, we should exercise our zeal with a pure intention, aiming only at the glory of God and the good of souls.
There are many saints with such a tender love for Mary, and who have increased the devotion to her by their sermons and writings. The incomparable treatise, “Glories of Mary”, full both of unction and learning, has been translated into all languages, and has given everywhere a fresh impulse to the devotion to the Queen of Heaven. And she in return was pleased to pour favors on Alphonsus, and even to glorify him before men.
One day in particular, when preaching at Amalfi before an immense audience, he invoked Mary. Suddenly he was lifted some feet above the pulpit; and shone radiantly with a celestial light which streamed upon him from an image of Mary.
Let us cherish heartfelt feelings of filial love to Mary by spreading devotion to her; and we also shall experience the effects of her power and maternal love.
‘Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.’
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp488-90
“Prayer
“Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great Queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly forever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also.
“I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen”
Ref: St Alphonsus Liguori, “The Blessed Virgin Mary”, 1982, p4
On the five first Saturdays
On 10 December 1925 at Tuy (Spain), Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia [of Fatima apparitions] and said: “Look, my daughter, at my heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say I promise to help at the hour of death, with the graces necessary of salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall: a) Confess, receive Holy Communion; b) Recite five decades of the Rosary; c) Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary; and d) With the intention of making reparation to my heart.”
Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p37
• In the year 1218, Our Lady, appearing on this day to St Raymond, of the order of St Dominic, to King James, of Aragon, and to St Peter Nolasco, made known to all the three separately that she desired them to establish an order for redeeming captives. — Surius, Life of St Raymond. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com). [See August 10.]
• Our Lady Asks for Establishment of an Order for Redeeming Captives (1218). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html).
• Mary appears to the three founders of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy / Order for Redeeming Captives. 1218. (See Aug 10) (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
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