Friday, March 9, 2018

Jubilee

Today March 9 marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, who gave up a privileged life to enter the Society of Jesus and died at age 23 from the plague, which he contracted during his courageous and selfless care for the sick. 

To mark the anniversary, the Holy See has announced the celebration of a Jubilee Year of Saint Aloysius from March 9, 2018, to March 9, 2019. The jubilee is fitting as the Church focuses its attention on young people with the October Synod of Bishops in Rome on “Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment” and the January 2019 World Youth Day in Panama.

We pray for vocations and that candidates for our monastery may grow so deeply in their faith and love for Christ that they will proceed with a courage like that of Aloysius. 

The Vocation of Saint Aloysius (Luigi) Gonzaga, Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) (Italian, Cento 1591–1666 Bologna), ca. 1650. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Used with permission.