Today is the Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Born to the Italian nobility, the son of Ferdinand Gonzaga, a prince in the Holy Roman Emperor. Trained from age four as a soldier and courtier. Served as a page in the Spanish court. He suffered from kidney disease, which he considered a blessing as it left him bed-ridden with time for prayer. While still a boy himself, he taught catechism to poor boys. At age 18, Aloysius signed away his legal claim to his family’s lands and title to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice. Tended plague victims in Rome, Italy in the outbreak of 1591 during which he caught the disease that killed him at age 23. In 1729 Pope Benedict declared Aloysius 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 always 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. PS: The Jesuit school Gonzaga University of Spokane, Washington is named for him.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Jun 2014 17:00:00 +0000
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