The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-15
A LOVER OF THE HOLY NAME.

| When Philip II was king of Spain
there lived in'hi court prince of
the Holy Empire, Ferdinand Gonzaga,
Marquis of Castiglione and kinsman
of the Duke of Mantua. Prince Fer
dinand stood high in the esteem of
Philip and his queen, Isabel.
One day he asked for great favor
the hand in marriage of the Lady
| Martha Santena, the daughter of an
Italian noble and lady of honor to
Queen Isabel.
/ The royal approval was readily
given, the Santena family favored the
suit, but the Lady Marthas consent
was not won until through fasting and
| prayer she reached the decision that
such union would be pleasing to
God. The marriage was solemnized
| in the most deVout manner, and Fer
| dinand and his bride left the court
| for the tranquil routine of life in Cas-
| tiglione.
The gentle ways and deep piety of
| the young wife won the hearts of the
people, and there was general rejoic-
| ing when, on the 9th of March, 1868,
a son was born to Ferdinand and Mar
| tina. The Duke of Mantua was spon-
sor for the infant prince and he gave
| him the name AloysiuS.
| Like many another Christian moth
| er, the mistress Of Castiglione had
prayed that God would bless her with
a son to rear for His service. There
fore, she looked upon Aloysius as
hostage to the Most High and care
fully trained her boy from his ear
liest years.
Jesus" and MARY" we're the first
words he spoke; his first conscious act
was to make the Sign of the Cross.
He loved to be with his mother in
the chapel or on errands of mercy. A
brother and sister came to keep him
company, but best of all he delighted
in retirement and prayer.
Prince Ferdinand watched the boys
development with pride, but he was
| not in accord with the mothers plans
for his heir. The boy must be SOL
| der. the father decreed, and to in
cline his tastes towards war he gave
Aloysius toy guns and other weapons.
On one occasion he took the child
| to Casal to see muster of Italian
troops Aloysius marched at the head
of the ranks and carried a little pike.
The prince was SO pleased that he de-
cided to leave his son in this military
environment for some months.
The result was not what he had
hoped it would be. Aloysius, then in
his seventh year, innocently repeated
some expressions that he had heard
the officers use He knew nothing of
bad language, and was deeply hui
inflated and grieved when his tutor
sharply reproved him for repeating
such words.
He never forgot the incident, and
nothing would induce him to remain
| in company where the name of God
was profaned.
Little Aloysius was a true Knight
| of Our Lady, and often the servants
watched him as he descended the
stairs, pausing on each landing to say
Hail Harry, When he was II years
old he received his First Communion
from Cardinal Borromeo, and there
after to receive his Lord was his
| greatest happiness.
It had long been evident that the
met .C~'S wish for her son would be
| granted. The holy youth begged to
be allowed to enter the Society Of
Jesus and after protracted and bitter
opposition, his father gave his con-
sent.
Dear son, your choice is a deep
wound in my heart he said. Il ever
loved you as you always deserved. In
you had founded the hopes of my
family; but you tell me God calls you
another way. Go, therefore, whittier
you please, and His blessing every
where attend you"