St. Alphonsus Liguori

From a town near Naples, St. Alphonsus (1696-1787) gave up a successful career as a lawyer (he's said to have never lost a case) in order to help others understand--and live--a far higher law: Christ's law of love. He labored as a priest working with troubled youth, founded a society of priests--the Redemptorists--to minister to those whom a lax clergy had neglected, wrote important works on the spiritual life and moral theology, and was consecrated a bishop despite ill health and his humble attempts to refuse the office. An exceptionally fine preacher, someone once remarked to him, "It is a pleasure to listen to your sermons; you forget yourself and preach Jesus Christ." Now that's a compliment!

This wise Doctor of the Church teaches that we must get things in proper order: each of us taking care of our own soul before setting out to save the world...

"I love Jesus Christ 

and that is why I am on fire with the desire to give him souls, 

first of all my own, 

and then an incalculable number of others."

--St. Alphonsus Liguori