St. Aloysius Gonzaga 1568 – 1591 Italy Feast Day: June 21
Aloysius, which is the Latin form of 'Louis', was born into a wealthy and powerful noble family in Castiglione Delle Stiviere, near Mantua in northern Italy. He was the eldest of 7 children.
He trained as a soldier from the age of 4. At 8, he was sent to Florence for more education and training at the court of the Grand Duke. There he became ill with kidney disease. During his illness, he spent a lot of time in prayer and reading about the saints.
It is said that he took a private vow of chastity when he was 9 years old. He received his First Holy Communion at 12 years of age. He decided that he wanted to become a missionary and join a religious order.
In 1581 he went with his family to Spain. While he was there, he had contact with Jesuits, and when the family returned to Italy, he decided to join the Society of Jesus, rather than the Capuchin monks. His father was absolutely against this because it would mean that Aloysius was giving up his right to his inheritance.
In the end, Aloysius persevered, his father gave in, and at the age of 17, Aloysius entered into the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Rome in November 1585. At 19, he took his vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and at 20 he was ordained a deacon. He never did become a priest.
In 1591, a plague broke out in Rome. Aloysius cared for the sick in a hospital set up by the Jesuits. Due to his poor constitution, he found the work difficult and "revolting", but he continued to work with the sick and dying.
He became ill with the plague and died on June 21, 1591, shortly after his 23rd birthday.
He was beatified on 19 October 1605 and canonized on 31 December 1726.
Patron Saint of youth, students, Jesuit novices, AIDS patients, AIDS caregivers, and sufferers of pestilence, he is an inspiration for the youth of our parish.