With the Theme ‘Awakening Young Souls To Forge a Better Tomorrow’, the Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga-the Patron of Catholic Youth, Teenagers & Seminarians was celebrated by St Aloysius Institutions, Mangaluru at Loyola Hall, St Aloysius PU College at 9 am on 21 June 2023
- “There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials. He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for His sake.”-Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Mangaluru: Who was St. Aloysius Gonzaga? He is an Italian Jesuit Saint of the 16th century, and a Patron of Catholic Youth, Teenagers and Seminarians. Aloysius is the Latin form of Gonzaga’s given name, Luigi. In English, the equivalent form would be Louis. Even before his time as a Jesuit, Aloysius was known for his love of prayer and fasting. As a Jesuit at the Roman College, he continued to devote his time to prayer and practices of austerity. Pope Benedict XIII canonized Aloysius in 1726, and three years later declared him to be the patron of youth. The things that Aloysius did were done because he believed in the reality and dynamics of the love of God. Aloysius Gonzaga loved God by loving others, especially the sick! We are called to love God by loving others as well – all those who need God’s comfort and care and assurance.
And to carry on His legacy and his teachings, locally paying a respectful tribute to the Great Saint, the feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga was celebrated with love to their Patron, on 21 June 2023 at St Aloysius PUC Loyola Hall at 9 am. The main celebrant was Msgr. Lawrence Maxim Noronha, the Vicar General at Diocese of Mangaluru joined by Fr Melwin Pinto SJ-the Rector of St Aloysius Institutions; and Fr Clifford Sequeira SJ-Principal-St Aloysius PU College; among 20 other Jesuit priests.
In his homily, Msgr. Lawrence Maxim Noronha quoting the Gospel reading “Love of God and Love of Neighbour said, “Love is everything. Everyone looks for love, right from an infant to an adult. Each one of us craves love. In Christianity, love has two examples- Love of God, and Love of Neighbour. St Aloysius Gonzaga followed both of them, and even though he belonged to a rich family, he gave up everything to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, and started to serve and help the needy, until his death at a young age on 21 June 1591. St Aloysius Gonzaga’s motto was ‘I was Born for Greater Things”, and he said ” “He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for His sake.”
“You have a wonderful example in St Aloysius who chose to be a man for others despite his affluence and power. He is no doubt a patron of youth. He has set such an inspirational example for all of us. He lived the values of charity, always keeping others first in all his endeavours. He was humble to accept his shortcomings and surrendered to God. He is always remembered for his purity of thoughts and actions. His innocence and love for the suffering of humanity should be our guiding principle in life. Let us pray to God to shower his graces on us to be like our patron by being witnesses to the values he lived,” added Msgr Maxim Noronha.
The feast mass was attended by St Aloysius Institutions staff and students. Following the mass, Rector Fr Melwin Pinto SJ in his message expressed his words of gratitude, and he reiterated the values of charity, humility and purity as encapsulated by the main celebrant Msgr Maxim in his homily. “The things that Aloysius did were done because he believed in the reality and dynamics of the love of God: especially as it expressed in the new law of loving that Jesus demonstrated and then commanded us to do! Aloysius Gonzaga loved God by loving others, especially the sick! We are called to love God by loving others as well – all those who need God’s comfort and care and assurance”.
“If we do this in a particularly single-minded way we can even develop our own experience of perfection to a greater degree than what might be ordinary, and we will know a greater fullness of joy in God’s presence and delights at his right hand! Love one another as I have loved you! Even Pope Francis has advised the youth to take courage and serve the needy. Remember that we could make our life more beautiful by caring and helping others. Aloysius Gonzaga is truly an inspiration for all of us, therefore we should follow his teachings,” added Rector.
The soothing and melodious hymns with the ending song, “God Is Great” by the St Aloysius PU College under the leadership of Ms Oshin D’silva a Math lecturer at the college was highly appreciated by the Rector and by many who attended the mass. Kudos! Ms Dianne Lobo, an II PUC student compared the mass proceedings. In conclusion, from my perspective, St Aloysius Gonzaga is the model and inspiration for all of us, especially Catholic Youth, Teenagers and Seminarians. St Aloysius Gonzaga has shown us the way forward to face hurdles by JOURNEYING INWARDS in contemplation and JOURNEYING OUTWARDS in compassion. He contemplated the suffering of Jesus Christ and then reached out to the plague victims in compassion. Finally, he gave up his life for this cause.
Following in the footsteps of St Aloysius Gonzaga, we need to give when we can give! According to Mathew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, ….”, we should know that giving is something done voluntarily. Giving should not be done under compulsion, coercion, duress, or conviction. There are some exceptions, of course. When you do give, you are to give what you have chosen in your heart. Those who take pity on those less fortunate than us are true neighbours and caregivers.
The joy of being able to bless and give someone you love and care, and to make them smile, is priceless. The satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of others cannot be overstated. Knowing that you have helped make someone Else’s life a little brighter and better is a special feeling, and one that will last with you for a long time. And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy. So if you are looking for a way to enhance your act of sharing and giving experience, try giving back now. Let’s give to the less fortunate, ashrams, non-profit organizations, needy families and children, and others a feeling of hope, and make a difference in their lives. Let us all follow in the teachings and footsteps of St Aloysius Gonzaga.
