The Life Of St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Subtitle: Of The Society Of Jesus
Publisher: Burns and Oates
Published: 1867
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Description: Library Of Religious Biography Volume 1 of 9.
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS.; title: Preface to the Series iii.; title: Advertisement xiii.; title: PART I.; title: THE SAINT IN THE WORLD; title: CHAPTER I.; title: LEWIS GONZAGA'S BIRTH AND INFANCY.; title: Introductory remarks. The saint's parents. Their marriage in Spain. Return to Italy. Castle of Castiglione. Birth and baptism of Prince Lewis. His infant piety. His sweet and gentle disposition. A soldier at four years of age : he fires off a cannon. His delicacy of conscience. His devotional practices. Prognostications of his great sanctity, page 3; title: CHAPTER II.; title: LEWIS'S EARLY BOYHOOD.; title: His mature and serious character. His father's apprehensions. He takes his son to Florence. Lewis's conduct with other children. His first confession. His singular meekness and humility. He makes a yow of virginity. His strict custody of the senses. Letter to his father. Removal to Mantua. His illness, and extraordinary abstinence. Return to Castiglione. His habits of contemplation and abstraction. His first attractions towards the Company of Jesus. His active charity, page 20; title: CHAPTER III.; title: LEWIS'S MODE OF LIFE AT CASTIGLIONE.; title: Interview with St. Charles Borromeo. Lewis receives his first communion at the saint's hands. His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Journey to Casal : perilous passage of a torrent. A review at Milan. Lewis's recreations. His conviction of a call to the religious life. His mortifications and prolonged prayers. Providential escape from fire. His loftiness of spirit. Deposition of P. Clandio Fini, page 41; title: CHAPTER IV.; title: LEWIS AT THE COURT OF SPAIN.; title: Voyage to Spain. An incident on the way. Lewis's application to study. Distracting effects of change. His angelic modesty. Love of poverty and retirement. Marvellous gift of controlling his thoughts. His choice of the Company of Jesus. Disclosure of his purpose to the marchese. His father's indignation and anger. Interview with his son's confessor. Approval of Lewis's vocation by P. Francesco Gonzaga. Lewis retires to the Company's house ; returns at his father's command. Renewed discussions. The marcliese gives a provisional consent, page 62; title: CHAPTER V.; title: RETURN TO ITALY AND DISAPPOINTED HOPES.; title: P. Gonzaga accompanies the family homeward. Lewis is sent to several Italian courts. Rebukes a hoary sinner. Is present at a ball. Repeated attempts to shake his resolution. He retires to a grotto retreat. Recalled by his father, he redoubles his penances. The marchese is carried to his son's room : relents at the sight that meets his eyes. Soipione Gonzaga is commissioned to write to the Father General of the Company. A deed prepared by which Lewis may renounce his hereditary rights, page 86; title: CHAPTER VI.; title: RENEWED TRIALS AND FINAL SUCCESS.; title: Lewis is sent to conduct a negotiation at Milan. He displays great ability. Frequents the Jesuits' house. His appearance at a tournament. The marchese tries the effect of entreaties. Lewis is examined by P. Gagliardi in his father's presence. His visit to Mantua. He follows the Spiritual Exercises at the Jesuits' college. His silence, prayer, and fastings. His prescience respecting his brother Francesco. His father denies having given his consent to his joining the Company. Lewis proposes a compromise; to which the marchese reluctantly accedes. Lewis makes a last appeal ; and is successful, page 104; title: CHAPTER VII.; title: LEWIS JOINS THE COMPANY OF JESUS.; title: The saint leaves Castiglione. Signing of the deed of renunciation. The parting banquet. Natural affections absorbed in divine charity. Visit to Loreto. Lewis's love of suffering. Arrival at Borne, and reception by the Father General. Interview with the Pope. Scipione Gonzaga's admiration of the holy youth. Leave-taking. The haven reached at last, page 126; title: PART II.; title: THE SAINT IN RELIGION; title: CHAPTER I.; title: LEWIS'S ENTRY INTO THE NOVICIATE.; title: Entrance into religion a step to a higher state. Lewis's more perfect practice of humility and exactness. His period of probation shortened. Subject on to discipline. Interior trials. Death of his father. The saint's conformity with the will of God, page 146; title: CHAPTER II.; title: THE PERFECT NOVICE.; title: Object of the noviciate. Aloysius's rigid mortification of the senses. Strict observance of the rules of silence. Perfect repression of curiosity. Exquisite nicety of conscience. The actions of saints both admirable and imitable. The utter absence of scrupulosity in Aloysius. His disregard of human respect. Habit of never justifying himself. Dislike of praise. Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Reverence for superiors. Love of obedience. Complete dominion over himself. Wonderful power of praying without distractions. Chief subjects of his meditations. Continual application of his mind to God, page 156; title: CHAPTER III.; title: THE SAINT'S VISIT TO NAPLES, AND CLOSE OF HIS NOVICIATE.; title: Father Pescatore. Aloysius accompanies him to Naples. The esteem in which he was held in the college. His illness and edifying patience. Return to Borne. His appearance in the public schools. He desires to humiliate himself. His intellectual acuteness. Minute conscientiousness and ingenuousness. Holy indifference and self-spoliation. He makes his religious profession, and receives minor orders. Letter to his mother, page 181; title: CHAPTER IV.; title: THE FIRST YEARS OF HIS RELIGIOUS PROFESSION.; title: The saint's ripeness for Heaven. His reluctance to avail himself of exemptions. Delight in humiliations. Habitual austerities. Sympathy with suffering. Zeal for souls. Effects of his example and conversation, page 198; title: CHAPTER V.; title: ALOYSIUS'S MISSION OF PEACE TO CASTIGLIONE.; title: Cause of dispute between the saint's brother and the Duke of Mantua. Aloysius is sent for. His departure from Rome. Incident at starting. Veneration shown him on the way. His equanimity. Reception at Castiglione. Meeting of mother and son. His lowliness of demeanour. Spiritual conversation. Visit to Castel Goffredo. Delay at Mantua. Discourse to the fathers of the Jesuit college. Interview with Duke Vincenzo. Reconciliation of the disputants, page 211; title: CHAPTER VI.; title: ALOYSIUS'S CONDUCT IN THE AFFAIR OF HIS BROTHER'S MARRIAGE.; title: Project of a family alliance. Ridolfo's private marriage. Scandal thereupon. Aloysius's remonstrances. His brother defers explanation. The saint takes leave of his family and goes to Milan. The truth disclosed. Aloysius's letter to his brother. The latter consents to a public declaration. The saint preaches at Castiglione. Family joy and reconciliation. Aloysius returns to Milan. Writes thence a letter of advice to Ridolfo. Falls ill. The infirmarian Fra. Salombrini, page 231; title: CHAPTER VII.; title: ALOYSIUS'S LIFE AT THE COLLEGE OF BRERA, AND RETURN TO ROME.; title: His love of humiliation. True refinement of heart. Instance of his humility. Some of his recorded saying's. His perseverance in little things. His rare spiritual gifts. He receives a divine intimation of the shortness of his life. His tenderness to the sick. He sets out for Rome. Preaches at Siena. Passage of a dangerous ford. His perfect abstraction. Testimonies to his consummate sanctity. His longing desire for death. Letter to his mother, page 245; title: CHAPTER VIII.; title: ALOYSIUS'S LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH.; title: Epidemic at Rome. Aloysius obtains leave to serve the fever-stricken. His devoted charity. He takes the infection. Receives the last sacraments. The fever abates : joy at Castiglione. Extract from a letter to his mother. His behaviour on his deathbed. He is visited by Cardinals della Rovere and Scipione Gonzaga. Parting interview with P. Corbinelli. Death of the father and his appearance to Aloysius. The saint's desire to escape Purgatory. Vision and revelation of the day of his departure. Last letter to his mother. His special preparation for death. He again asks for the Viaticum: his request at length accorded. Takes leave of the fathers and brethren. His last moments. Sentiments inspired by his death, page 263; title: PART III.; title: THE SAINT IN HEAVEN; title: CHAPTER I.; title: TESTIMONIES TO ALOYSIUS'S SANCTITY. HIS BEATIFICATION.; title: Eagerness for his relics. Scene around his bier. Testimonies to his saintliness rendered by the Father General; the dowager duchess of Mantua ; Italian and other European princes ; his brethren in the Company ; especially Cardinal Bellarmine. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi has a vision of him in glory. Death of Ridolfo. The saint's appearance to his mother. First steps towards his public veneration. Synod held at Mantua. Observance of his anniversary at Brescia and Castiglione. Francesco's interview with Clement VIII. Solemn translation of his relics. His picture suspended at his tomb by Papal permission. Demonstration at the Roman College. His beatification. Festal celebration at Mantua, page 297; title: CHAPTER II.; title: THE SAINT'S CANONIZATION.; title: Aloysius's three nieces ; their vocation to the religious state and holy lives. He appears to their mother. Incorruption of their remains. Increasing devotion to the saint. Judgments of the Congregation of Rites, and of the Tribunal of the Rota. Ratification by the Pope. Celebration of the saint's festival at Castiglione. His canonization delayed. The holy body again removed. The saint is canonized by Benedict XIII. Devotion to him encouraged by all the Popes, page 323; title: CHAPTER III.; title: THE SAINT'S MIRACLES.; title: Instances of his miraculous power unnumbered. His favours to his own kindred and dependents ; and to members of the Company. The saint appears to Giuseppe Spinelli, in company with Blessed John Berchmans, and heals him. He appears also to Nicolo Luigi Celestini, and restores him to health. Instances of his appearance in company with other saints. His graciousness to his clients. Great devotion to him in the Valtelline : its first origin. Miraculous oil from his lamp at Sasso. Multiplication of flour, oil, nuts, &c. His kind patronage of children, and patience with their faults. His assistance of youth in their studies. Fruits of his yearly triduo. His solicitude for souls. His care of the poor. Conversion of a Turkish woman. A recent miracle. Concluding remarks, page 333; title: INDULGENCED PRAYER TO THE SAINT, page 373