St Alphonsus Liguori On August 1, the Church keeps the memorial of St Alphonsus Mary de Liguori. The memorial of this influential saint coincidences with the birth of another saint: Eugene de Mazenod who was born on August 1, 1782. Five year later, on August 1, 1787, Alphonsus Liguori died. This coincidence of birth of St Eugene and death of St Alphonsus wasn’t the only thing that linked them closely. Eugene de Mazenod found the gentle and compassionate moral theology of Liguori a solution to the rigid morality of 19th century France, which was severely impacted by Jansenism. In January 1816 the Missionaries of Provence (Future Oblates) were established, a few months later Alphonsus Liguori was beatified. Eugene de Mazenod had also the joy to live to the day when his dear patron was canonized by Pope Gregory 16th in 1839.
In a July 12, 1809 in his letter to his sister, Eugene de Mazenod urged the reception of frequent communion and quoted the advice of Alphonsus Liguori in support of his argument: “The more you are in the world, the more you need help,” says the Venerable Liguori … “the more you need help because you have greater temptations. So make it a rule to receive holy communion every eight days, with the firm resolve never to omit it … This holy Bishop, who only wrote his works after exercising the ministry for 28 years, seems to link eternal salvation to this frequency of holy communion, and he is not wrong.” For us living in 21st century such advice may seem to be surprising but we need to remember that back then it was common to receive Holy Communion just a few times a year. We are talking here about fervent Catholics who went to Church every Sunday or even everyday but still would follow rigidity of Jansenism and would receive Holy Communion just a few days a year. In July 8, 1816, he added: “I have studied Liguori works extensively and we have taken him as one of our patrons; we would like to walk in his footsteps and imitate his virtues… I have some of his writings, among others his moral theology which I like very much and have studied in a special way…”
In October 1815 St Eugene wrote to his first companion, Fr Henry Tempier: “We will live together in one house, that which I have bought, under a Rule we shall adopt with common accord and for which we will draw the elements from the statutes of St. Ignatius, of St. Charles for his Oblates, of St. Philip Neri, of St. Vincent de Paul and of the Blessed Liguori.” In 1818, however, everything or practically everything was limited to the Constitutions which St. Alphonsus gave to his Redemptorists. In fact, a comparison of texts reveals that Fr. de Mazenod adopted in their entirety and in many cases simply translated them word for word. However, most founders of religious orders borrowed from rules of older orders, as prescribed by the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215. Their religious families nonetheless bear the distinguishing impress of their personalities. That of Father de Mazenod was forceful enough to give his Society such an individualizing mark that no one today would be likely to mistake an Oblate for a Redemptorist. Each of the two congregations has its own style of observing the same Rule.”
In 1826, while in Rome applying for Papal approval of the Oblate St Eugene wrote a letter to Father Celestino Cocle, Superior General of the Redemptorists. The letter breathes forth the Founder of the Oblates’ deep devotion to Blessed Alphonsus. “Your Reverence, will no doubt have learned, how great my devotion is in regard to your blessed Founder and how much I desire to make him and his so remarkable and holy works ever better known in France. I will not repeat to you all I have done for this purpose… I consider myself very fortunate to have been chosen in some way by Divine Providence to procure some glory for the Blessed Alphonsus and some profit to souls who are able to learn from his example and to be enlightened by his insights… I could also call myself a son of your blessed Father; and it is in virtue of this and in view of greater good that I would very dearly want to possess the first life of him written by Father Tannoia… This book would become my favourite reading… I beg you then to obtain for me at any price this life of Alphonsus Liguori in three volumes, which I would like to take back to France with me.”
In a July 12, 1809 in his letter to his sister, Eugene de Mazenod urged the reception of frequent communion and quoted the advice of Alphonsus Liguori in support of his argument: “The more you are in the world, the more you need help,” says the Venerable Liguori … “the more you need help because you have greater temptations. So make it a rule to receive holy communion every eight days, with the firm resolve never to omit it … This holy Bishop, who only wrote his works after exercising the ministry for 28 years, seems to link eternal salvation to this frequency of holy communion, and he is not wrong.” For us living in 21st century such advice may seem to be surprising but we need to remember that back then it was common to receive Holy Communion just a few times a year. We are talking here about fervent Catholics who went to Church every Sunday or even everyday but still would follow rigidity of Jansenism and would receive Holy Communion just a few days a year. In July 8, 1816, he added: “I have studied Liguori works extensively and we have taken him as one of our patrons; we would like to walk in his footsteps and imitate his virtues… I have some of his writings, among others his moral theology which I like very much and have studied in a special way…”
In October 1815 St Eugene wrote to his first companion, Fr Henry Tempier: “We will live together in one house, that which I have bought, under a Rule we shall adopt with common accord and for which we will draw the elements from the statutes of St. Ignatius, of St. Charles for his Oblates, of St. Philip Neri, of St. Vincent de Paul and of the Blessed Liguori.” In 1818, however, everything or practically everything was limited to the Constitutions which St. Alphonsus gave to his Redemptorists. In fact, a comparison of texts reveals that Fr. de Mazenod adopted in their entirety and in many cases simply translated them word for word. However, most founders of religious orders borrowed from rules of older orders, as prescribed by the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215. Their religious families nonetheless bear the distinguishing impress of their personalities. That of Father de Mazenod was forceful enough to give his Society such an individualizing mark that no one today would be likely to mistake an Oblate for a Redemptorist. Each of the two congregations has its own style of observing the same Rule.”
In 1826, while in Rome applying for Papal approval of the Oblate St Eugene wrote a letter to Father Celestino Cocle, Superior General of the Redemptorists. The letter breathes forth the Founder of the Oblates’ deep devotion to Blessed Alphonsus. “Your Reverence, will no doubt have learned, how great my devotion is in regard to your blessed Founder and how much I desire to make him and his so remarkable and holy works ever better known in France. I will not repeat to you all I have done for this purpose… I consider myself very fortunate to have been chosen in some way by Divine Providence to procure some glory for the Blessed Alphonsus and some profit to souls who are able to learn from his example and to be enlightened by his insights… I could also call myself a son of your blessed Father; and it is in virtue of this and in view of greater good that I would very dearly want to possess the first life of him written by Father Tannoia… This book would become my favourite reading… I beg you then to obtain for me at any price this life of Alphonsus Liguori in three volumes, which I would like to take back to France with me.”
St Eugene de Mazenod
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