St. Alphonsus - Feastday: August 1

St. Alphonsus was born in the village of Marianella near Naples, Italy, September 27, 1696. At a tender age his pious mother inspired him with the deepest sentiments of piety. The education he received under the auspices of his father, aided by his own intellect, produced in him such results that at the early age of sixteen, he graduated in law. Shortly after, he was admitted to the Neopolitan bar. In 1723, he lost a case, and God made use of his disappointment to wean his heart from the world. In spite of all opposition he now entered the ecclesiastical state. In 1726, he was ordained a priest. He exercised the ministry at various places with great fruit, zealously laboring for his own sanctification. In 1732, God called him to found the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, with the object of laboring for the salvation of the most abandoned souls. Amid untold difficulties and innumerable trials, St. Alphonsus succeeded in establishing his Congregation, which became his glory and crown, but also his cross. The holy founder labored incessantly at the work of the missions until, about 1756, he was appointed Bishop of St. Agatha, a diocese he governed until 1775, when broken by age and infirmity, he resigned this office to retire to his convent where he died. Few saints have labored as much, either by word or by writing, as St. Alphonsus. He was a prolific and popular author, the utility of whose works will never cease. His last years were characterized by intense suffering, which he bore with resignation, adding voluntary mortifications to his other pains. His happy death occurred at Nocera de Pagani, August 1, 1787.


Do you or someone you know suffer from the pain of arthritis? St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, knows that pain. He himself suffered from severe arthritis for the last forty years of his life. The disease left him permanently bent forward and confined to a wheelchair. Upon his canonization, he was declared one of the patron saints of arthritis sufferers.
To celebrate St. Alphonsus’ feast day, August 1, I and my fellow Redemptorists are offering our 6th Annual Blessing for Arthritis Sufferers.
You are invited to take part. I and my fellow Redemptorists want to pray for you, particularly on this special day in our shared heritage. The blessing is available here as a video, and many Redemptorist parishes worldwide will also be offering it in person.

Dear St. Alphonsus, friend of the poor, and arthritis sufferer, you are the special patron of all who suffer from arthritis and the pains of many years. When our joints, hips, arms, legs and knuckles hurt so much that tears well up in our eyes, help us to recall the tears, the sweat and the blood that flowed from our crucified Jesus who bore so much suffering out of love for each of us. St. Alphonsus, afflicted with curvature of the spine and nailed to a wheelchair cross in your final years, teach us to unite all our pains with those of Jesus, so our patience and love inspires others to accept the difficulties of their lives. We ask you to intercede for us so our pains will be eased but more so that we are enabled to be one with Jesus in his great act of dying and rising. Amen.

As St. Alphonsus wrote in his timeless classic, The Glories of Mary, “Pray for me, Mary; pray and never cease to pray until you greet me in Heaven. There I shall possess my God forever. There too I shall possess my dearest Mother. Amen!”

Prayer to Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Patron Saint of Arthritis Sufferers

Dear St. Alphonsus, friend of the poor, and arthritis sufferer, you are the special patron of all who suffer from arthritis and the pains of many years.

When our joints, hips, arms, legs and knuckles hurt so much that tears well up in our eyes, help us to recall the tears, the sweat and the blood that flowed from our crucified Jesus who bore so much suffering out of love for each of us.

St. Alphonsus, afflicted with curvature of the spine and nailed to a wheelchair cross in your final years, teach us to unite all our pains with those of Jesus, so our patience and love inspires others to accept the difficulties of their lives.

We ask you to intercede for us so our pains will be eased but more so that we are enabled to be one with Jesus in his great act of dying and rising. Amen.