Saint of the day: Alphonsus Ligouri

St. Alphonsus Ligouri was born in Naples in 1696. He became a doctor of civil law at the age of 17, but in 1723, he resigned as a lawyer and entered the seminary. He was ordained a priest three years later.

His sermons were very popular and readily accessible to everyone, even those without formal education. After a few years in the priesthood, Alphonsus went to Scala, founding the preaching order the Redemptorists.

St. Alphonsus published his book, “Moral Theology,” in 1748. He was made a bishop in 1762, and retired in 1775. He died a few years later, in 1787, and was made a saint in 1839.