St. Alphonsus Liguori: Biography and Selected Writings Online
Bishop & Doctor of the Church
St. Alphonsus was a Neapolitan lawyer who lost a court case in a spectacular fashion when it turned out that a key document in his case had been misinterpreted by him and in fact proved his opponent’s case instead. He immediately left the law and studied for the priesthood.
He preached in the rural districts around Naples, and it was his boast that he never delivered a sermon that the poorest old woman in the congregation could not understand. His bishop asked him to establish an order of missionaries to work in the countryside, and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) was formally established in 1749.
He was a bishop from 1762 to 1775, insisting on the dignified and unhurried celebration of the Mass and the firm treatment of persistent wrongdoers.
The Redemptorists proved to be a quarrelsome congregation: their formal establishment had been delayed by more than a decade because of internal dissension. After his retirement Alphonsus had to try to make peace within the congregation but to no avail--the Redemptorists split into two separate congregations, both of whom rejected Alphonsus: peace was not restored until some time after his death. His feast is on August 1.
In spite of all this storm and trouble, Alphonsus lived an exceptionally holy life. He was also an outstanding moral theologian, and won back sinners to the fold by patience and moderation. He died in 1787 and after his canonization, he was placed by the Pope among the Doctors of the Church.
Taking Aim at the Tough Issues: Sex, Abortion, War and Capital Punishment
A lot of people skirt the difficult issues. In this hard hitting series of two talks, Marcellino D'Ambrosio takes dead aim at the most controversial of moral issues sharing the wisdom of the Catholic tradition in a way that makes eminent sense.
"Sex and the Theology of the Body" - Answers questions about tough sex, homosexual marriage and contraception.
"Matters of Life and Death," - Learn the great difference between such issues as abortion and euthanasia on the one hand and capital punishment and war on the other.
Often, discussions of these issues generate more heat than light. This series, appropriate for both adults and teens, is refreshingly different.
Taking Aim CD: $16.00 Taking Aim Audio Tape: $14.00