“If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy
them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human
being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
“There is no medical proof that television causes brain damage - at least from five feet away.In fact, TV is probably the least physically harmful of all the
narcotics known to man.”
Christopher Lehmann-Haupt,
New York Times,
September 24, 1969
Friday, August 2, 2019
August 2, 2019
MUSIC EVERYWHERE
AND AT ALL TIMES
There is music everywhere and at all times.
Just listen - when you’re on the subway or
on the elevator or the escalator - alone or
with others. Birds singing - wind whistling-
boats tooting - cars beeping - babies crying …. Open up your ears, open up your soul, open up your being to the surround sound called music everywhere and at all times - like now.
Alphonsus Mary de Liguori was born at Marianella, a sector of Naples,
on September 27, 1696.
Firstborn of an aristocratic Neapolitan family he
completed his literary and scientific studies at home. He studied law and
achieved his doctorate in civil and canon law at the age of 16. At the age of
20 he was already known as a brilliant lawyer in the Neapolitan courts.
The turning point in his life came in 1723 with the loss of an
important case. This led him to leave the Tribunal and become a priest. He was
ordained on December 21, 1726. He immediately began an intense apostolate in
the poor sectors of Naples with the urchins and hobos, giving himself specially
to the catechesis and moral formation of the most simple people, by way of the
Evening Chapels. As a member of the Apostolic missions he also dedicated
himself to the preaching of missions in
the surrounding areas of the kingdom of Naples.
At a point where his health was seriously endangered by his apostolic
labors, he went off for a rest to Santa Maria dei Monti in the plateau above
Amalfi. There he came in contact with the poor peasants and shepherds who were
totally deprived of spiritual care. This experience gave birth, in the heart of
Alphonsus, to the desire to found an Institute for the evangelization of the
poor, scattered in the countryside and rural villages. The Congregation of the
Most Holy Redeemer was born at Scala on November 9, 1732.
Alphonsus, along with his first companions, went from village to
village, giving all of his human and spiritual gifts for the conversion of
sinners. Preaching and prayer formed the heart of his missionary activity.
Where he could not reach people with the spoken word, he sought to do
so through his writings. His 111 works went through many editions. The most
important are: his Theologica moralia,
The Great Means of Salvation, The EternalMaxims, The Glories of Mary, and The
Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ.
In 1762 he was named bishop of Santa Agata dei Goti. As bishop,
Alphonsus also gave all his missionary fervor. He especially worked for the
formation of the clergy.
In 1775 he left his diocese and withdrew to Pagani, where he died on
August 1, 1987 at the age of 91.
He was canonized by Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839. On March 23, 1871 Pius
IX declared him a Doctor of the Church and on April 26, 1950, Pius XII
proclaimed him Patron of confessors and moral theologians.
