Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Feast day: June 21
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a Jesuit who died caring for plague victims, patron of young people (21/06).
Who is he?
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was a young Italian Jesuit. He was born into luxury, but he chose God above everything. The Church has made him the patron saint of young people and of students.
Life story
Aloysius was born on 9 March 1568 at the castle of Castiglione, in northern Italy, the eldest son of the Marquis Ferrante Gonzaga. His father wanted his son to become a famous soldier and a rich heir. But from a young age, Aloysius liked to pray, to live simply and to keep his heart pure.
As a teenager, he lived at fancy royal courts, surrounded by parties and noisy fun. He still kept himself pure, prayed faithfully and read holy books. In 1580, he made his First Communion, receiving it from Saint Charles Borromeo, a holy Cardinal.
He wanted to join the Jesuits, but his father strongly opposed it. He patiently prayed and asked permission for many years. In the end, his father agreed. In 1585, he gave up his right to inherit, handing it to his younger brother, and went to Rome. On 25 November 1585, he was accepted into the Jesuits. In the order, he cheerfully did ordinary jobs, obeyed his superiors and studied hard.
In 1591, a terrible plague struck Rome. Brother Aloysius asked to go and serve the sick: he washed them, fed them, and carried dying people on his back to the hospital. He caught the disease. Supported by Saint Robert Bellarmine, his spiritual director, he peacefully prepared to go home to God. He died on 21 June 1591, only 23 years old.
He was canonized in 1726. In 1926, Pope Pius XI named him patron saint of Catholic youth.
Why is he a saint?
Saint Aloysius had everything people dream of: wealth, power and education. But he understood that only God can make our hearts completely happy. He kept his heart pure, prayed a lot, and loved the poor and the sick so much that he gave his own life for them.
A lesson for you
- Don’t let your phone, nice clothes or wanting to be popular take God’s place in your heart.
- Keep your heart pure in your words, your eyes and your actions, especially when you are with your friends.
- Help people who are sick: check on them, and take care of your grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters when they are ill.
Identifying marks
- A white lily: a sign of the pure heart he kept all his life.
- A cross, his eyes on the suffering Lord: he often meditated on the Passion of Jesus and loved the Lord with all his heart.
- A black cassock and a white lace-trimmed surplice: the way pictures and statues usually show a young Jesuit (a surplice is a garment worn in the liturgy).
- A skull (*): it recalls that he lived each day ready to go home to God; our card does not show it.
- A crown at his feet (*): he gave up his title and his fortune to follow God.
(*) Only in some pictures and statues.
The text on this page is the saint card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.
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