Friday, June 21, 2024

It is the 21st of June 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

Let’s start today’s show with a little name-recognition quiz. What do you think of when you think of the name:

Luigi?

Italian? Plumper? Green hat?

How about Luigi’s sophisticated Italian cousin, Aloysius (the Latin for Luigi)?

It’s a fancy name- you may even be familiar with a “St. Aloysius,” but this “Luigi” or “Aloysius” has a third name by which he is known: Gonzaga.

For some of you, you have visions of Adam Morrison or Chet Holmgren- Gonzaga is a college basketball powerhouse out of Spokane, Washington- but the college is named for the aforementioned “St. Aloysius”- the fancier name for Luigi and the patron saint of students, Christian youth and those caring for, or suffering with AIDS.

With no disrespect intended, our pal Luigi, Mr. Gonzaga, St. Aloysius has received a remarkable amount of posthumous praise for someone who did very little (compared to other saints) and died at the young age of 23 on June 21st, 1591.

What was it about this young man whose story captured an audience and made him a well-known saint despite his early death? 

Aloysius was the oldest son of the Marquis of Castiglione and his wife, a member of the powerful Della Rovere family. Luigi would have been expected to do his military service and then would take over the powerful family in Mantua in Northern Italy.

But, as one version of the story goes, it was Luigi’s mother who secretly made a vow to the Virgin Mary that her oldest would serve the church.

He was sent to the court in Florence to observe the Medici rulers and was sent to the court of Madrid, where his mother was a lady-in-waiting to the queen, and Luigi became a page for the young prince.

But back home, at the age of 11, he was more interested in caring for the poor in his community. He seems to always have been uncomfortable with his family’s wealth and would give away as much as he could. In 1580, at the age of 12, he took his first communion under Charles Borromeo, one of the chief architects of the Catholic Reformation.

Luigi traveled with his father on diplomatic trips but fought with him over his future calling. In 1585, at the age of 17, he officially resigned his status and gave up his birthright. In that same year, he entered the Society of Jesus, now under Robert Bellarmine—another giant of the Catholic Reformation. Gonzaga’s reputation seems to come largely from the famous men who would vouch for the young man.

By 1587, he had taken his vows of chastity, obedience, and poverty. His superiors noted his zeal—he would fast and deprive himself like few others. In fact, his vow of obedience challenged him when society required that he eat more and be less strenuous with his body and discipline.

In 1590, a plague broke out in Rome (perhaps the same strain that caused the Black Death—just isolated this time), and by the end of the 16th century, the people knew enough to quarantine and avoid the sick and dying.

Aloysius knew no such precaution and went out to minister to them. He predictably caught the virulent strain of the plague, and there are conflicting reports as to what caused his demise- some say the plague, some say he was healed but then died from a fever or other complications.

The curious element of Gonzaga’s life is his relative lack of work for his fame and reputation. He undoubtedly impressed Bellarmine and Borromeo- he was, it seems, to them, the ideal for the next generation of Catholic youth- willing to give everything away to follow his Lord. It helps that this story is told with varying degrees of piety from the Rich Young Ruler, who couldn’t make the same sacrifice, and Francis of Assisi, who did give up his status and wealth. 

He would be the model for Catholic youth- educated, pious, willing to give it all up for Christ… and thus he became the patron saint of Christian youth and students. He would become the patron saint for AIDS workers in the early 90s as public opinion was changing on the nature of the disease, and many volunteers were noted for their selfless and dangerous ministry to them.

Not a bad resume for a 23 year old- a saint, patron saint, namesake of a college and promising churchman whose life was cut short on account of his ministry to the sick- today we remember Aloysius “Luigi” Gonzaga, born in 1568 he was 23 when he died on this day in 1591.  

 

The last word for today is from the daily lectionary- from Psalm 107 and you wonder if the disciples called this to mind that one night on the ship during the storm with Jesus:

Some went out on the sea in ships;
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.

They saw the works of the Lord,

    his wonderful deeds in the deep.

For he spoke and stirred up a tempest

    that lifted high the waves.

They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

    in their peril their courage melted away.

They reeled and staggered like drunkards;

    they were at their wits’ end.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

    the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm,

    and he guided them to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

    and praise him in the council of the elders.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 21st of June 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who knows- the true story “Ruigi” is Japanese for “similar” as Luigi was initially Mario with a color swap- he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man with a Mario Kart-recommended combo of Waluigi and the Wild Wiggler- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.