Saint Aloysius Gonzaga – 21st June

Patron of students and young people.

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St. Aloysius was born in Castiglione, Italy. The first words St. Aloysius spoke were the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. He was destined for the military by his father (who was in service to Philip II), but by the age of 9 Aloysius had decided on a religious life, and made a vow of perpetual virginity. To safeguard himself from possible temptation, he would keep his eyes persistently downcast in the presence of women. St. Charles Borromeo gave him his first Holy Communion. A kidney disease prevented St. Aloysius from a full social life for a while, so he spent his time in prayer and reading the lives of the saints. Although he was appointed a page in Spain, St. Aloysius kept up his many devotions and austerities, and was quite resolved to become a Jesuit. His family eventually moved back to Italy, where he taught catechism to the poor. When he was 18, he joined the Jesuits, after finally breaking down his father, who had refused his entrance into the order. He served in a hospital during the plague of 1587 in Milan, and died from it at the age of 23, after receiving the last rites from St. Robert Bellarmine. The last word he spoke was the Holy Name of Jesus. St. Robert wrote the Life of St. Aloysius. Aloysius Gonzaga was canonized in 1726 and named Patron of All Students in 1729.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga – 21^st June

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was born on 9^th March, 1568 at Castiglione delle Stiviere into a wealthy and influential noble family. He was an Italian nobleman who gave up wealth, power, and a promising inheritance to dedicate his life completely to God. From childhood he displayed extraordinary piety and devotion. At age seven he reportedly made a private vow to dedicate himself to God. Despite being trained for military and political leadership, he felt called to religious life. He became a Jesuit seminarian and is remembered for his purity, charity, humility, and heroic service to the sick during a plague epidemic. His feast day is 21^st June every year, which is the date of his death.

His Death, Beatification, Canonization

During a severe plague outbreak in Rome in 1591:

Aloysius volunteered to care for plague victims.
He carried sick people from the streets to hospitals.
He washed, fed, and comforted the dying.
While serving the sick, he contracted the disease himself.

He died on June 21, 1591 at the age of 23 years old in Rome

After months of suffering, he died peacefully while preparing for the feast of Corpus Christi and receiving the sacraments.

He was beatified in 1605 and canonized on December 31, 1726 by Pope Pope Benedict XIII.

The Church officially declared him a saint because of his holy life and miracles attributed to his intercession.

Common Devotions on His Feast Day

Catholics often celebrate June 21 by:

Attending Mass
Praying for young people
Asking his intercession for purity and holiness
Encouraging youth vocations
Reading about his life
Performing acts of charity toward the sick and needy

Patronage

St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the patron saint of:

Youth
Teenagers
Students
Young Catholics
Christian youth organizations
Jesuit students

In 1926, Pope Pope Pius XI named him the principal patron of Christian youth.

Why Is He Important?

St. Aloysius demonstrates that holiness is possible even for young people.

His life teaches:

Purity: He guarded his thoughts, words, and actions and sought to live entirely for God.

Courage: He followed God’s call despite family opposition.

Charity: He risked and lost his life serving plague victims.

Detachment from Wealth: He willingly surrendered noble privileges and inheritance.

Prayer: He maintained a profound relationship with God through prayer and the sacraments.

His Famous Quote

“I am a piece of twisted iron. I entered religion to be made straight by God’s grace.”

A Prayer to Be Said by Young Men to St. Aloysius Gonzaga

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 that ardor of my passions; I know full well the weakness and 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 hereby 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 my 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.

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.

Marian Prayer of St. Aloysius Gonzaga

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

Amen.

Litany of Saint Aloysius

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Pray for us.
Beloved child of Christ, Pray for us.
Delight of the Blessed Virgin, Pray for us.
Most chaste youth, Pray for us.
Angelic youth, Pray for us.
Most humble youth, Pray for us.
Model of young students, Pray for us.
Despiser of riches, Pray for us.
Enemy of vanities, Pray for us.
Scorner of honors, Pray for us.
Honor of princes, Pray for us.
Jewel of the nobility, Pray for us.
Flower of innocence, Pray for us.
Ornament of a religious state, Pray for us.
Mirror of mortification, Pray for us.
Mirror of perfect obedience, Pray for us.
Lover of evangelical poverty, Pray for us.
Most affectionately devout, Pray for us.
Most zealous observer of rules, Pray for us.
Desirous of the salvation of souls, Pray for us.
Perpetual adorer of the Holy Eucharist, Pray for us.
Particular client of Saint Ignatius, Pray for us.

Be merciful: Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful: Hear us, O Lord.

From the concupiscence of the eyes:
O Lord, deliver us.
From the concupiscence of the flesh:
O Lord, deliver us.
From the pride of life:
O Lord, deliver us.
Through the merits and intercessions of St. Aloysius:
O Lord, deliver us.
Through his angelic purity:
O Lord, deliver us.
Through his sanctity and glory:
O Lord, deliver us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.
V. Pray for us, Saint Aloysius:
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, Who, in distributing Thy heavenly gifts, didst in the angelic youth Aloysius, unite wonderful innocence of life with an equal spirit of penance: grant through his merits and prayers that we, who have not followed him in his innocence, may imitate him in his penance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. R. 

Amen.