St Alphonsus was born into an aristocratic family in Naples on September 27, 1696. He obtained doctorates in both civil and ecclesiastical law by the age of sixteen and became one of the city's most promising young lawyers. He discerned to leave the law profession after losing an important case and was called to become a priest.
Father Alphonsus was ordained in 1726 and used his gifts to good use by devoting himself to preaching the Gospel among the poor, especially the street children, the homeless and those neglected by society.
Moved by the spiritual needs of the poor, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) at Scala on November 9, 1732. The Redemptorists preached parish missions throughout southern Italy, proclaiming God's abundant mercy to the poor and the most abandoned.
He authored over 100 works, including Theologia Moralis,The Glories of Mary and The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ . He was appointed Bishop of Sant'Agata dei Goti, was a tireless pastor and advocate for the formation of clergy. He died at the age of ninety-one on August 1, 1787, canonized in 1839, declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871 and in 1950 was named the patron of confessors and moral theologians.
He is the patron saint of arthritis sufferers and those who suffer with sciatica and muscles problems. He was afflicted with severe arthritis resulting in deformity of chest and spine. His head was permanently bent forward and pressed down flat against his chest. He also suffered from a painful secondary open wound on his chest and severe joint and muscular pain with any movement. Because his chin rested on his chest, he could not initially look up or drink the Precious Blood from the chalice during Mass without leaning far back in a specialized chair.
Despite his constant agony he did not complain. Now that is a saint. He is the patron saint of confessors. He is one of the patron saints of PAPA.
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