Pre 1955 Traditional Roman Catholic Calendar Saints: August 2nd, St Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787), honored on August 2 in the pre-1955 traditional Roman Catholic calendar, was a Neapolitan lawyer-turned-priest who founded the Redemptorists in 1732 to serve the poor and preach moral theology.

St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists, in 1732 in Scala, Italy, to address the spiritual needs of the poor and marginalized, particularly in rural areas. Motivated by his deep faith and compassion for the neglected, especially the shepherds and peasants of the Neapolitan countryside, he established the order after a vision of the Virgin Mary, who inspired him to dedicate his life to preaching and evangelizing.

With the support of Bishop Falcoia and Sister Maria Celeste Crostarosa, Alphonsus gathered a group of priests and brothers to live simply, preach missions, and spread devotion to the Eucharist and Mary. The Redemptorists’ mission focused on proclaiming the Gospel through accessible preaching, confessions, and retreats, emphasizing God’s mercy and redemption. Despite initial challenges, including poverty and internal conflicts, the congregation received papal approval in 1749 and grew to become a global force in missionary work, continuing Alphonsus’ legacy of serving the spiritually underserved.

Canonized in 1839 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871, he is renowned for his writings, including The Glories of Mary and Moral Theology, which balanced rigor and mercy. His feast emphasizes his pastoral zeal and defense of the faith against Jansenism. An interesting fact: Alphonsus composed the beloved Italian Christmas carol “Tu scendi dalle stelle,” reflecting his deep devotion to Christ’s humility.

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“Consider, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return. The sentence of death is passed upon all men; the days of man are of no long duration, but are short and full of misery. The life of man is but a breath, a vapor that soon passes away.

Think, O Christian, that the moment of thy death is approaching, and thou knowest not when it shall come—perhaps this very day, this very hour. How many have gone to rest at night, full of health, and in the morning have been found dead! And what assurance hast thou that this shall not be thy fate?

The rich, the noble, the learned, all must die; kings and emperors, with all their power, cannot escape the grave. Reflect, then, that all thy worldly goods, thy pleasures, thy honors, will avail thee nothing when death comes. They will vanish like a dream, and nothing will remain but what thou hast done for God.

Oh, how foolish are they who set their hearts on the things of this world, and forget the eternity that awaits them! Labor now to secure a happy death, for on that one moment depends thy everlasting happiness or misery.” – excerpt from his ‘Preparations for Death’, the full text can be found online here

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