Born in a castle in Italy in 1568, he was the oldest of seven children whose parents were nobles. 

As the oldest, he was set to inherit his father’s position and, with that in mind, by the age of five, he was already being groomed as a soldier. 

It was a violent time. He witnessed the murder of two of his brothers. 

When Aloysius was eight, he developed kidney disease. While he was recuperating he discovered a book of Saints and his prayer life quickly deepened. By the age of nine, he had taken a vow of chastity. 

After receiving his first Holy Communion, Aloysius developed a desire to become a Jesuit Missionary and would practice by teaching Catechism to young children. 

His desire to become a Jesuit infuriated his father, especially since it meant he would have to renounce his title and position. But, in 1585 Aloysius was ordained and, five years later, he had a vision of St. Gabriel who told him he would die within a year. 

Not long after that, the plague descended upon Rome. 

Aloysius spent hours tirelessly working with the sick and suffering, taking them from the streets to the hospital, bathing, and then feeding them. 

The work was hard and he told his confessor, St. Robert Bellarmine, that he often felt repulsed by the sights and smells. Still, he continued this difficult and dangerous work until his Superior stepped in and ordered him to another hospital where he would have less contact with 

those who had the plague. But it was there he became infected himself. 

Aloysius had a vision that he would die on the octave of Corpus Christi, and he did while holding a Crucifix and trying to say the name of Jesus. 

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, please pray for us.