Saint Aloysius Gonzaga SJ Patron Saint of Youth and Bodily Purity

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga SJ Patron Saint of Youth and Bodily Purity

Life of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga - Catholic Harbor of Faith and Morals

Died at the age of 23.

Pope Benedict XIII appointed him protector of young students.
Pope Pius XI proclaimed him patron of Christian youth.
Don Bosco used to recommend to young people the devotion to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.

Repeat the following Novena prayers every day for 9 consecutive days.
June 12- June 20

In the Name (✠) of the Father…
R. Amen.

Prayer to Saint A. Gonzaga V. Saint Aloysius, adorned with angelic virtues,

I, thy most unworthy client, * commend to thee most earnestly * the chastity of my mind and body.
I beseech thee, for the sake of thine angelic purity,
R. To commend me to the immaculate Lamb, * Christ Jesus (☨), * and to His most holy Mother, * the Virgin of virgins; * and to protect me from every grievous sin.
O most tender and gracious saint,
Permit me not to defile myself by any spot of impurity; * nay, when thou seest me in temptation * or in the danger of sin, * banish far from my heart * every unclean thought and desire.
Awaken in me the thought of eternity and of Jesus (☨) crucified;
imprint deeply in my heart * a lively sense of the holy fear of God; * set me on fire with the love of God; * grant me the grace to imitate thee on earth * that I may worthily enjoy the possession of God * in heaven with thee. * Amen.

Marian Prayer of Saint A. Gonzaga

O Holy Mary, my Mother,
Into thy blessed trust and custody, * and into the care of thy mercy * I this day, every day, * and in the hour of my death, * commend my soul and my body. * To thee I commit all my anxieties and miseries, my life and the end of my life, * that by thy most holy intercession * and by thy merits * all my actions may be directed and disposed * according to thy will * and that of thy Son. Amen.

Novena Prayer V.
O most innocent and pure St Aloysius Gonzaga, by thy illustrious merits we beseech thy gracious intercession before the throne of Almighty God, that He may grant us:
(Pause and state your intentions)

If it be for the greater glory of God and our sanctification.
R. Amen.
Let us pray. O God, the Giver of all heavenly gifts, who in the angelic youth, Aloysius, didst join wondrous innocence with equal penance: be entreated by his merits and his prayers and grant unto us who have not followed him in his innocence the grace to imitate him in his penance. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
In the Name (✠) of the Father…
Amen

Prayer to St. Aloysius Gonzaga,
(Can be Prayed as a Novena for Nine Consecutive Days)

O Saint Aloysius, adorned with angelical manners, although I am thy unworthy servant, I recommend to thee in an especial manner the chastity of my soul and body; I conjure thee, by thy angelical purity, to commend me to Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb, and to His most holy Mother, the Virgin of virgins. Preserve me from every grievous sin; never suffer me to sully my soul with any impurity; whenever thou seest me in temptation or danger of sin, ward off from me every impure thought and affection, and awakening in me the remembrance of eternity and of Jesus crucified, imprint deeply in my heart the sentiment of the fear of God. Inflame me with divine love, in order that by imitating thee on earth, I may merit to enjoy God with thee in heaven. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary.

(Indulgence of one hundred days to he gained once a day.)

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Devotions of the Six Sundays

No particular prayers are prescribed for this devotion, but a plenary indulgence is gained each Sunday, by receiving as usual, and meditating, praying, or performing any other act of piety in honor of the saint.

Plenary indulgence on his feast, on receiving and visiting his statue or picture. Plenary indulgence for the devotion of six Sundays before his feast, or at any other time.--Benedict XIII., Clement XII., Benedict XIY., and Pius VII.

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A Prayer to be Said by Young Men

O most glorious Saint Aloysius, who hast been honored by the Church with the fair title of "angelic youth," because of the life of utmost purity thou didst lead here on earth, I come before thy presence this day with all the devotion of my mind and heart. O perfect exemplar, kind and powerful patron of young men, how great is my need of thee! The world and the devil are trying to ensnare me; I am conscious of the arbor of my passions; I know full well the weakness of inconstancy of my age. Who shall be able to keep me safe if not thou, O Saint of angelic purity, the glory and honor, the loving protector of youth? To thee, therefore, I have recourse with all my soul, to thee I commit myself with all my heart. I hearby resolve, promise and desire to be especially devout toward thee, to glorify thee by imitating thy extraordinary virtues and in particular thy angelic purity, to copy thy example, and to promote devotion to thee among companions. O dear Saint Aloysius, do thou guard and defend me always, in order that, under thy protection and following thy example, I may one day be able to join with thee in seeing and praising my God forever in heaven. Amen

(Indulgence of 300 days, once a day.)

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Teaching of the Saints:

On Mental Prayer: A want of due attention to mental prayer is the reason why some have so little fervor in the service of God, and give so great scope to their passions. --(St. Aloysius Gonzaga)

Confidence in God: He who falls into a fault, however light it may be, ought to rise immediately, have recourse to God, beg pardon of Him, and ask grace never to commit it again. --(St. Aloysius Gonzaga)

Love is Proved by Suffering: He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him, if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for His sake. --(St. Aloysius Gonzaga)

Thought of the Judgment: It is to be feared that the angels, who are at present our guardians, will become our accusers at the day of judgment. --(St. Aloysius Gonzaga)

(Catholic harbor of faith and morals)

Children's Sermon on the Feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga

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We will recognize them by their fruits.

Prayer to St. Michael

Please protect us, St. Michael the Archangel, against violence, murder, and robbery. In your goodness preserve us today from all the malice of sinful and wicked persons. In your sleepless vigilance watch over the safety and welfare of our homes, and keep guard over our possessions. Ever hold in your special care, most triumphant St. Michael, the forces of public order against the crimes of evil people, and defend all honest citizens in time of peril. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Novena Prayer to St. Michael

(Pray for nine consecutive days)
Saint Michael the Archangel, loyal champion of God and His Catholic people, I turn to thee with confidence and seek thy powerful intercession. For the love of God, Who hast made thee so glorious in grace and power, and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels, be pleased to hear my prayer.
Thou knowest the value of my soul in the eyes of God. May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help me to conquer the evil spirit who tempts me. I desire to imitate thy loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church and thy great love for God and men. And since thou art God’s messenger for the care of His people, I entrust to thee this special request: (here mention your request).
Saint Michael, since thou art, by the will of the Creator, the powerful intercessor of Christians, I have great confidence in thy prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s holy will, my petition will be granted.
Pray for me, Saint Michael, and also for those I love. Protect us in all dangers of body and soul. Help us in our daily needs. Through thy powerful intercession, may we live a holy life, die a happy death and reach Heaven where we may praise and love God with thee forever. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
St. Michael, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Pray for us.

St John Chrysostom

Our Lord having reproached the Jews with blindness, they might have said, We are not blind, but we avoid you as a deceiver. Our Lord therefore gives the marks which distinguish a robber and deceiver from a true shepherd. First come those of the deceiver and robber: Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. There is an allusion here to Antichrist, and to certain false Christs who had been, and were to be. The Scriptures He calls the door. They admit us to the knowledge of God, they protect the sheep, they shut out the wolves, they bar the entrance to heretics. He that uses not the Scriptures, but climbs up some other way, i.e. some self-chosen, some unlawful way, is a thief. Climbs up, He says, not, enters, as if it were a thief getting over a wall, and running all risks. Some other way, may refer too to the commandments and traditions of men which the Scribes taught, to the neglect of the Law. When our Lord further on calls Himself the Door, we need not be surprised. According to the office which He bears, He is in one place the Shepherd, in another the Sheep. In that He introduces us to the Father, He is the Door, in that He takes care of us, He is the Shepherd. (Catena Aurea)

LIBERTAS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE NATURE OF HUMAN LIBERTY
35. And as to tolerance, it is surprising how far removed from the equity and prudence of the Church are those who profess what is called liberalism. For, in allowing that boundless license of which We have spoken, they exceed all limits, and end at last by making no apparent distinction between truth and error, honesty and dishonesty. And because the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, and the unerring teacher of morals, is forced utterly to reprobate and condemn tolerance of such an abandoned and criminal character, they calumniate her as being wanting in patience and gentleness, and thus fail to see that, in so doing, they impute to her as a fault what is in reality a matter for commendation. But, in spite of all this show of tolerance, it very often happens that, while they profess themselves ready to lavish liberty on all in the greatest profusion, they are utterly intolerant toward the Catholic Church, by refusing to allow her the liberty of being herself free.

“If you want to be certain of being in the number of the Elect, strive to be one of the few, not one of the many. And if you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few; that is to say, do not follow the great majority of mankind, but follow those who enter upon the narrow way, who renounce the world, who give themselves to prayer, and who never relax their efforts by day or night, so that they may attain everlasting blessedness.” -Saint Anselm, Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH, THE PROTECTOR OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES Great Saint Joseph, who wast chosen of God to be the head of the holiest and most august of families, deign to cast thy eyes upon us, and take us this day under thy special protection. Holy Patriarch, model of the holiest faith, and of the most perfect virtues, obtain for all the members of this family grace to withstand the dangers and seductions of the world, and to remain stedfastly attached to the LORD. Obtain for us that, always united by the bonds of the most tender charity, and encouraging one another mutually in good works, we may taste under thy auspices the sweetness of that peace which JESUS has promised to His true disciples. But above all, when our last hour shall come, obtain for us that we may find grace before the Sovereign Judge, so that, reunited in heaven at the foot of Thy Throne, we may celebrate everlastingly the glory of GOD and thy praise. Amen.

St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon on the Last Judgment: In the same way, in the time of Antichrist, the Sun of justice will be obscured by the interposition of temporal goods and the wealth which Antichrist will bestow on the world, inasmuch as the brightness of faith in Jesus Christ and the glow of good lives will no longer shine among Christians. For, lest they should lose their dominion, temporal rulers, kings and princes will range themselves on the side of Antichrist. In like manner, prelates for fear of losing their dignities, and religious and priests to gain honors and riches, will forsake the Faith of Christ and adhere to Antichrist.

Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves one article of faith. The reason of this is that the species of every habit depends on the formal aspect of the object, without which the species of the habit cannot remain. Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith. Even so, it is evident that a man whose mind holds a conclusion without knowing how it is proved, has not scientific knowledge, but merely an opinion about it. Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will. Hence it is evident that a heretic who obstinately disbelieves one article of faith, is not prepared to follow the teaching of the Church in all things; but if he is not obstinate, he is no longer in heresy but only in error. Therefore it is clear that such a heretic with regard to one article has no faith in the other articles, but only a kind of opinion in accordance with his own will. (Saint Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 5, a. 3)

Sunday, June 21, 2020