Biography:

Alphonsus Liguori, St. (1696-1787), was a moral theologian and founder of the
Redemptorists in Naples, Italy. Born near Giuseppe dei Liguori, he received a
doctorate of law at the age of sixteen and was an eminently successful lawyer for
eight years. (Bunson, M. 1995, 54-55). He practiced at the bar for some years and
led an exemplary Christian life under the direction of the Oratorians (members of
the Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri,). In 1723, he lost confidence
in the justice of his client's cause and renounced the world. He began his
theological studies at Bome under Don Julio Torni, joined the congregation of the
Apostolic Mission (Vereecke, L. 1962, 336-341)., and received holy orders in
1726. (Cumming, J. 1993, 22).
In religious life, he joined a group of preachers and was ordained in 1726. He
worked as a highly successful preacher around Naples and eventually took up
residence in the missionary college. In 1732, Alphonsus was named bishop and
reluctantly accepted the see of San' Agata dei Goti, a small but needy diocese. He
was a devoted bishop and preacher but found time to continue his literary
productions. In 1775, he was permitted to resign his see due to poor health, retiring
to Nocera. He was eventually pushed out of the congregation he had founded and
spent a long part of his last years in spiritual torment.
Alphonsus is ranked as one of the greatest moral theologians in the history of the
Church. He labored to bring the Gospel to simple people through straightforward
preaching and developed a moral system of rich beauty and subtlety. His system,
first presented in 1748, found greater development in the Theologia Moralis, which
was reprinted in numerous editions throughout his life and became a major work in
the teaching of moral theology. Alphonsus' devotional works became enormously
popular in Europe and beyond, translated into some sixty languages. He died in
1787 in Nocera. Pope Gregory XVI canonized him in 1839, and Pope Pius IX
named him a Doctor of the Church in 1871.
(Bunson, M. 1995, 54-55).
Moral Theology (Theologia Moralis):
St. Alphonsus Liguori's Moral Theology is highly regarded by the Church,
covering various moral questions of his time. This first-ever English translation
includes books 1-3 of Theologia Moralis, on Conscience, Law, Sin, and theological
Virtues. It also contains treatises on the saint, the papacy, and more. St. Alphonsus
is highly recommended by the Catholic tradition, as he fought against the doctrine
of Jansenist innovators and wiped out the plague of Jansenist doctrine. He wrote
many books related to sacred learnings and piety, focusing on the glory of God and
the spiritual salvation of men. He is known as the moral doctor, as he treated moral
theology with a thoroughness, unlike any prior saint's work. St. Alphonsus was a
true scholar, mastering virtually all contributors in the field of moral theology up to
his own time. He addressed moral problems that were not addressed by St. Thomas
himself or other authors, providing a thoroughness to moral theology needed today.
(Liguori, A.2017, online).
The Life of St Alphonsus and the Holy Eucharist
St Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, a Neapolitan saint, was a passionate advocate for
the Eucharist, a sacred sacrament. He spent hours before the sacrament, describing
it as a delightful experience with faith and devotion. He believed in regular Holy
Communion and celebrating Mass with intensity, even when alone. He wrote his
book, Visits to the Blessed Sacrament (1745), which encourages the faithful to
share their experience with the Eucharist. St Alphonsus believed that the Eucharist
is a source of spiritual life, and that one should focus on giving pleasure to God
and asking for help in following him. He also believed that the presence of Jesus in
religious houses is a wellspring of spiritual life, allowing religious to visit the Lord
anytime they like. His contribution to Eucharistic theology includes recognizing
that the Eucharist continues the Incarnation and passion of Christ, making the
Tabernacle a "prison" of the Lord Jesus. (Lombardi,V. 2005)
Doctor of Prayer
Another name for Alphonsus Liguori is the Doctor of Prayer. Before the Blessed
Sacrament, he used to spend hours in prayer every day. He never gave a sermon
without urging his audience to pray constantly. The core of his missionary work
consisted of preaching and prayer. "Everyone who is in Heaven today is there
because they prayed; everyone who is in Hell is there because they did not pray," is
his most famous quotation about prayer. He continues to say "If you pray, you will
undoubtedly be saved; if you do not pray, you will unavoidably be lost,” To be like
him, we might "certainly be saved" by our prayers and good deeds, so we should
beg him to grant us the grace of commitment to prayer. (Royan, J. (2019))
Pope Francis Highlights Alphonsus as a Model of Moral Teaching:
Pope Francis has praised St. Alphonsus Liguori as a model of moral teaching,
particularly in the formation of well-formed consciences. In a letter marking the
150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX's proclamation of Liguori as a Doctor of the
Church, the pope emphasized the importance of accompanying and supporting
those most deprived of spiritual aid on the path to redemption. He emphasized the
need to find a way that does not create distance but brings hearts closer to God, just
as Alphonsus did with his spiritual and moral teaching. Liguori, the patron saint of
confessors and moralists, founded the Redemporist religious order near Naples in
1732. Pope Francis called for the formation of consciences for good and called for
the Church to go out to meet the people as an apostolic community that follows the
Redeemer among the abandoned. He urged the Church to develop moral
theological reflection and pastoral action capable of committing oneself to the
common good.( Mares, C.2021,online ).
The Artist and the Thinker:
Alphonsus, a renowned artist and thinker, was influenced by his surroundings and
created works like "Christ on the Cross" and "The Practice of the Love of Jesus
Christ." His art and music aimed to inspire people of all ages to understand the
knowledge and love of Jesus Christ and his mother Mary. Alphonsus also
emphasized practical approaches to reach those who were neglected or alienated
from the Church and gave new direction to moral theology. He believed that love
and freedom were the primary focus of God's plan, and that love was the key to a
Christian way of life. Alphonsus wrote his influential work, Moral Theology, to
correct errors that could hinder people from living good and moral lives. He
authored over 100 books, including Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, The Practice
of the Love of Jesus Christ, and The Glories of Mary. (The Redemptoris, 2023,
online),
Patron of Confessors And Moralists:
Pope Francis addressed the Redemptorist family on the occasion of the jubilee of
St. Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, the patron saint of confessors and moralists. He
emphasized that the salvation offered by God is the work of his mercy, and that
Alphonsus' theological proposal stems from listening to and welcoming the
fragility of the most spiritually abandoned men and women. The Pope
acknowledged Saint Alphonsus as his teacher of Christian life, a title also used by
Lucanian priest Giuseppe De Luca. De Luca recognized the influence of Saint
Alphonsus on his conscience and life of faith, highlighting the practices of the
Christian life, such as Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, meditation on eternal
maxims, and songs of the Lord's passion. He emphasized that Saint Alphonsus
remains a model of pastoral commitment for anyone who lives intensely the
challenge of evangelization and mercy that becomes charity. (De Luca, A.2021,
online).
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer:
During his career, St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, a doctor of the Church, bishop,
and moral theologian, authored over 100 publications. His contributions to moral
theology were particularly well-known. The Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris, was established by him in
Naples. In 1749, the Redemptorist Congregation received formal approval from
Pope Benedict XIV.
St. Alphonsus established the Congregation's goal to follow Jesus Christ's example
by proclaiming the Word of God to the poor and the most abandoned, particularly
those on the fringes of Church and society. One of the Redemptorists' fundamental
beliefs is still parish preaching. The Redemptorists were entrusted with the
protection and propagation of this Marian sacred artwork, the icon of Our Lady of
Perpetual Help, by Pope Pius IX in 1865. (Partin, L. 2023, online).
 Bibliography

 Liguori, A. (2017). Moral Theology,vol.1 , Available:

https://books.google.com.pk/books/about/Moral_Theology.html?
id=V4ZVtAEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
 Mares, C.(2021), Pope Francis Highlights Alphonsus as A Model Of Moral
Teaching ,In Catholic News
Agency,Available:https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247001/pope-
francis-doctor-of-the-church-st-alphonsus-liguori-is-model-of-missionary-
outreac
 De Luca,A.(2021). Patron Of Confessors And Moralists, In Scala News,
Available: https://www.cssr.news/2021/08/message-for-the-memorial-of-saint-
alphonsus-maria-de-liguori/
 The Redemptoris, (2023), Our Founder, St. Alphonsus Liguori,Availble:
https://redemptorists.net/st-alphonsus-liguori
 Royan, J. (2019). St Alphonsus Maria De Liguori The Moral Theologian To Influence St
John Vianney, In Acadmia,
Available:https://www.academia.edu/44004275/ST_ALPHONSUS_MARIA
_DE_LIGUORI_The_Moral_theologian_to_influence_St_John_Vianney
 Lombardi, V. 2005. The Life Of St Alphonsus And The Holy Eucharist In
Cathlocism Liberary,Available:
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/life-of-st-alphonsus-and-the-holy-
eucharist-5175
 Bunson, M. (1995).Alphonsus Liguori, St. (1696-1787), In Encyclopedia of
Catholic History, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 54-55.
 Vereecke, L. (1962).Alphonsus Liguori,St. In New Catholic Encyclopedia,
Washington: The Catholic University Of America, 336-341.
 Cumming,J.(1993).Alphonsus De Liguori, St, Bishop And Doctor In A New
Dictionary Of Saints, Tunbridge Wells: Burns And Oates,22.
 Partin, L. (2023). About the Redemptorists, In Liguori Publications,
Available: https://www.liguori.org/about-liguori/about-the-
redemptorists.html