St. Alphonsus Rodriquez

1532-1617

Born in Segovia, Spain, on July 25, 1532, the son of a wealthy merchant, and was prepared for First Communion by Bl. Peter Favre, a friend of Alphonsus' father.

Was a Coadjutor Brother, entering the Society after the death of his wife and three children.
He spent his life as a sacristan and as a porter.

During this time he had great influence on the young Jesuits of the house: St. Peter Claver's interest in working with the slaves of Cartagena originated from the influence of St. Alphonsus.

Many of the community, knowing the Brother's remarkable knowledge of spiritual matters, sought his advice and direction. After school, students told him their plans for the future; priests, businessmen, parents came to seek guidance. Some even brought their wayward children to him, looking to him for some suggestions.

Jesuit superiors, seeing the good work he was doing among the townspeople, were eager to have his influence spread far among his own religious community, so on feast days they often sent him into the pulpit in the dining room to hear him give a sermon. On more than one occasion the community sat quietly past dinner time to hear Alphonsus finish his sermon. That is a tribute quite hard to parallel in any Jesuit community before or since.

Died in Marjorca after a long illness on October 31, 1617,

Beatified in 1825

Canonized in September 1888 with St. Peter Claver.