Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787): founder of the Redemptorists, patron of confessors and moral theologians, he developed a mild moral theology, opposed the rigours of Jansenism, and was a kind pastor and prudent spiritual director. He trained as a civil lawyer but gave it up very quickly. Nevertheless his work strengthened the association of law and morality in Catholicism, and moral theology became almost completely centred on law in this period. But Alphonsus himself was tolerant and patient, encouraging people to do the best they could in the circumstances in which they found themselves. His spirituality was influenced by Teresa of Avila and other Spanish writers of the 16th century.
Reminiscent of Francis de Sales, he taught that everyone is called to perfection but each in their proper vocation. Holiness simply means loving God, which we do by loving Christ our Redeemer, but to do this we must be free from serious sin. If we truly love Christ we will want to conform to his will and his will is expressed in God’s laws, especially the ten commandments and the precepts of the Church. A certain detachment is needed if we are to conform to God’s will.
He encourages mental prayer because ‘mental prayer and sin cannot exist together’ as Saint Teresa put it. He allowed for a development of contemplative prayer, at first acquired or active, then infused or supernatural. The first is possible for all, he says, the second only by a special gift. He speaks of a supernatural passive recollection that precedes the reception of infused or supernatural contemplation.
Alphonsus’s teaching was wise and kind but solidified further the separation of two kinds of Christian. Perfection was possible for all because to be holy is to love God but the way in which it is possible for most Christians is acquired and ascetical whereas for a few who are specially gifted by God it is infused and mystical.
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