Although his times were much different, prayer groups the saint started are “a model of missionary action which can also inspire us today for a ‘new evangelization,’ especially among the poorest, and for building a more just, fraternal and united human coexistence,” said the Pope.

“The task of spiritual ministry is entrusted to priests, while well formed laity can be effective Christian leaders, genuine evangelical yeast in the bosom of society,” he added.

The final general audience of March took place outdoors for the second time this year as spring weather has begun to arrive in Rome.

Continuing his catechesis on the “doctors” of the Church, the Pope considered the life and spirituality of St. Alphonsus, who founded the missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists.

St. Alphonsus was born in Naples, Italy in 1696 into a wealthy family. He finished his studies in canon and civil law at 16 years old and built an impressive record in court over the next eight years, never losing a case.

“However, in his soul thirsting for God and desiring perfection, the Lord guided him to comprehend that it was another vocation to which he was called,” recalled the Pope.

He left riches and his successful but brief career as a lawyer to become a priest.

The still young Fr. Liguori focused on evangelizing and preaching to the poorest of the city. He started prayer meetings with those living in the greatest misery, and people began to attend in ever larger groups. “With patience, he taught them to pray, encouraging them to improve their way of life,” said the Pope.

The prayer groups grew to include other catechists and priests and began to change neighborhoods. “They were a true and real source of moral education, social development, mutual assistance among the poor.

“Theft, duels and prostitution nearly disappeared,” the Pope said.

Fr. Alphonsus dreamed of preaching to pagan peoples abroad. However, he soon found that in the rural areas around Naples the people were ignorant of the Gospels and in great material and spiritual need.

He began to help them and after just six years as a priest, he founded the missionary Congregation of the Holy Redeemer with the intention of bringing Christ’s message beyond the slums of Naples to the most remote corners of Italy.

The missionary method was above all based on prayer, remembered Pope Benedict. In fact, among the most important forms of prayer he advocated was Eucharistic adoration.

Although he died in 1787, the congregation continues its founder’s work today well beyond Italy’s borders. Its 5,500 members in 77 countries carry out much of their work in schools, parishes and missions.

Alphonsus was canonized in 1839 and declared a doctor of the Church in 1871 for his “accurately expressed” teachings on moral theology, Pope Benedict said. In this same vein, Pius XII proclaimed him “patron of all confessors and moralists.”

He is a figure to which “we are all debtors, because he was a prominent moral theologian and master of the spiritual life for all, above all for the simple people.”

The Pope highlighted St. Alphonsus’ great respect for the value of priests as visible signs of God’s infinite mercy in confession where they pardon and illuminate “the minds and hearts of sinners that they might convert and change their lives.”

Today, he said, where there are signs that moral conscience and respect for confession are being lost, this saint’s teachings remain valid.

Pope Benedict recalled St. Alphonsus’ success in winning souls to Christ through teaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments with a “gentle and mild manner.”

“We thank the Lord that, with his providence, he raises saints and doctors in different places and times, who speak the same language to invite us to grow in the faith and live our Christian being with love and joy in the simple actions of every day, to walk on the path of holiness, on the path towards God and towards true joy.”

We begin the season by recognizing that the winter of our lives have left us “dirty” and even the earth seems covered in dust – so we smudge some of the dirt from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration on our foreheads.  We remember that “we are dust and unto dust we shall return” someday.

Our goal is Easter – the time of the new waters of creation that wash away the dirt of our sinfulness – a return to our baptismal purity.  We prepare to celebrate well the center of our Christian faith:  the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is why this penitential season is one of joy – a joy that we will soon arrive at this most important feast.  We are like children preparing for an important party – getting ready – worrying about the details – but still full of joy in expectation.

This time is also a great season of discernment – a time to pray and listen.  Listen to where God is calling me.  Am I called to the Redemptorist way of life?  Does the Charism of the Redemptorists speak to me?

May this Lenten season be a blessed 40 days of preparation so that when Easter arrives we can celebrate the Resurrection fully for 50 days!

Dear Confreres, Sisters, Associates and Friends,
As all of you are aware, this has been a very difficult year for the people of Haiti. In January, the earthquake devastated the region of Port-au-Prince, and the reconstruction process is very slow. Many people are still living in tents and make-shift shelters. Over the last few months, hurricanes and storms have brought further damage and suffering. Now, the cholera epidemic is spreading and causing even more suffering and pain.
In 1882 the people of Haiti prayed to Our Mother of Perpetual Help to come to their aid during a smallpox epidemic. Their prayers were heard and Our Mother of Perpetual Help became the Patroness of Haiti. As we approach December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Bishops of Haiti are asking for a time of concentrated and fervent prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help to come to their help during the grave crisis of the current cholera epidemic.

In communion with the Bishops of Haiti, with our Redemptorist confreres and Redemptoristine Sisters in Haiti, and with all the suffering people of the country, I ask all Redemptorists, Redemptoristines, Sisters, lay associates and friends to join in this time of concentrated and fervent prayer. I ask all Redemptorist Churches, Shrines and Communities to remember this intention in a special way during the Novena in preparation for the Immaculate Conception. As we have supported the people of Haiti through our donations, let us also support them through a great communion of prayer and solidarity which embraces the whole world.
O Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

In the Redeemer,

Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R.

Superior General

“O Mother of Perpetual Help, your very name inspires confidence.

We come to you in our need and ask your help.
You are the great Patroness of the people of Haiti.
In this moment of affliction, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters,
We pray for an end to the cholera epidemic ravaging your children.
Bring them healing, comfort and peace.
Sustain them in this hour of darkness.
Help them to know the presence of God-with-us,
Emmanuel, your Son and our Redeemer.”

Kaspar Stanggassinger, born in 1871 in Berchtesgaden, in southern Germany was the second of 16 children. His father, a man respected by all, was a farmer and owned a stone quarry.

From his youth he had a growing desire to become a priest. In those early years Kaspar played at being a priest and “preached” short sermons to his brothers and sisters and used to lead them in procession to a chapel among the mountains near his home.

When he was ten years old he went to Freising to continue his schooling.He found the studies rather difficult. His father told him that if he did not pass his exams he would have to leave school. With a strong will, remarkable dedication and fidelity to prayer, he steadily made progress. In the years that followed he began, during vacation, to gather groups of boys around himself to encourage them in the Christian life, to form a community among them and to organize their free time. Every day the group went to Mass, took a walk or went on a pilgrimage. Kaspar’s dedication to them was admirable and extended even to risking his life to save one boy in danger when mountain climbing.

He entered the diocesan seminary of Munich and Freising in 1890 to begin his study of theology. The better to discern the will of God he voluntarily followed a rigorous prayer schedule. Very soon it was clear to him that the Lord was calling him to live his vocation in as a religious. In fact, after a visit to the Redemptorists, he was inspired to follow their vocation as missionary. In spite of his father’s opposition he entered the Redemptorist novitiate at Gars in 1892 and was ordained a priest in Regensburg in 1895. Kaspar Stanggassinger had entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer with the intention of being a missionary. However, he was appointed by his superiors to form future missionaries as vice-director of the minor seminary of Durrnberg, near Hallein. He dedicated himself completely to this responsibility.

As a religious he had made a vow of obedience and lived it in a very clear and consistent manner.

Each week he spent 28 hours teaching in the classroom and yet was always available to the boys. On Sundays he never failed to offer his help at the churches in the neighboring villages, especially by preaching. Even with such a schedule of work he was always patient and understanding with the needs of others, particularly the students who saw in him more a friend than a superior. Although the rules of formation at that time were very strict, Kaspar never acted harshly, and anytime he had the impression that he had wronged someone he immediately apologized humbly.

Deeply devoted to Jesus in the Eucharist, he invited the boys and the faithful to whom he preached to have recourse to the Blessed Sacrament in times of need and anxiety. He encouraged them to go to Christ whether to adore Him or to speak with Him as a friend. His preaching was a constant reminder to the faithful to take the christian life seriously, growing in faith by means of prayer and continual conversion. His style was direct and appealing, without threats of punishment as was common in the preaching of that time.

In 1899 the Redemptorist opened a new seminary in Gars. Father Stanggassinger was transferred there as director. He was 28 years old. He only had time to preach one retreat to the students and to participate in the opening of the school year.

On September 26 his earthly journey ended because of peritonitis.

The Cause of his Beatification began, in 1935, with the transferring of the body into the side-chapel of the Church of Gars.

On 24 April 1988 he was proclaimed ‘Blessed’ by the Holy Father, John Paul II.

Alphonsus believed that many difficulties of obedience are rooted in false pride. Ask yourself if this is true in your life.

Alphonsus saw the practice of chastity as another way of striving to do God’ s will in our lives. He believed that the most subtle dangers regarding chastity were occasions of sin. In his moral theology, Alphonsus refers to occasions of sin that are voluntary (of one’ s own choosing and therefore avoidable) and proximate (those that frequently lead a person to sin). He teaches that even sincere Christians fall into sins against chastity because they voluntarily place themselves into proximate occasions of sin. Likewise, avoiding such occasions is one of the most effective ways of growing in chastity.

This month, take time to reflect on the occasions of sin in your life. Pray for the courage to make changes in your life so you can avoid these occasions of sin.

Alphonsus’ writings and preaching reveal his conviction that gospel poverty (what he calls “poverty of spirit and a spirit of poverty ” ) demands detachment of the heart from material possessions and worldly power. He encourages us to gain perspective by meditating on death as “the day of loss,” when riches and possessions will be no more. He used to encourage young Redemptorists to “clean out their closets ” at the time of retreat so they would not clutter up their lives with extra things. Perhaps we can all learn a lesson from this!

This month, why not go through your “riches ” and choose one treasure to give away. If you find this too difficult, perhaps you can find a way to use that treasure to help another or to bring joy to someone.

On the practical level, Alphonsus provides two positive and two negative considerations for practicing this virtue. On the positive side, he first encourages the spirit of peace. Though the followers of Jesus Christ, he noted, are from different nations and climes and are of unlike temperament and character, they can live peacefully together, “for love would induce them to practice mutual forbearance.” Second, Alphonsus stresses almsgiving. This refers to the religious duty to help the poor and needy—not only out of our abundance but even, if necessary, out of what we consider essential for ourselves.

On the negative side, he strongly cautions against rash judgment. “If you desire to practice the beautiful virtue of charity, strive to reject every rash judgment, every distrust and unfounded suspicion of your neighbor.” In addition, he warns against uncharitable speech, for there are many people “who cannot move their tongues with-out wounding someone.” True Christians will avoid calumny and detraction and will always try to say only what is good about their neighbor.

During April, focus on how much God loves you. In addition, become conscious of your comments about others.

Father Michael Brehl

This priceless gift of God’s love for us deserves a response of love on our part. But how can we respond to God’s love? There are countless ways, but Saint Alphonsus recommends the way of Jesus himself: “I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me” (Jn 6:38). For us, too, doing the will of our heavenly Father is our way of showing our love for God. This response to God’s love must enter the nitty-gritty circumstances of our daily lives.

During March, constantly ask your-self: What is the will of God for me today?