St. Aloysius Gonzaga, born on 9 March 1568 as the eldest son of the Marquis Ferdinand of Gonzaga, was notable for his early spiritual inclinations. At age eight, he and his brother were sent to the court of Francesco de Medici in Florence. Already immersed in spiritual matters, Aloysius took a vow of perpetual chastity and made a heartfelt general confession, which caused him to faint. After returning to Mantua, he worked to control his quick temper and imposed strict disciplines on himself, including severe fasting. He received his First Communion at 12 from St. Charles Borromeo, his relative and the Archbishop of Milan.
Determined to pursue a religious life rather than inherit his family's title, Aloysius faced vehement opposition from his father. It took three years for him to gain his father's consent. In the fall of 1585, at age 17, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Rome, where he developed a profound life of prayer, often dedicating hours each day to it. His exemplary virtue was his obedience, resulting in a deep peace of soul. He famously described himself as "a twisted piece of iron" seeking alignment through religion, adopting the motto, "I was born for greater things."
By his 22nd year, Aloysius sensed his impending death and passed on his theological notes to his rector, symbolizing his detachment from worldly concerns. In 1590, during a devastating famine and subsequent plague, he aided the sick at a Jesuit emergency hospital. Sadly, Aloysius contracted the illness himself and passed away on 21 June 1591, at the age of 23, after only six years as a Jesuit. He was canonized in 1726 and declared the special protector of youth, especially young Catholic students, in 1729.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us to be blessed with the grace to keep our hearts detached from the transitory things of this world.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
My vocation is Blessed and Saints.
"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God."
"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."
Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)
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