Known for his immense generosity and contribution to moral theology, St. Alphonsus Liguori is a doctor of the Church.

He was the oldest of seven children born in Naples in 1696 into a well-respected family. His mother was of Spanish heritage, while his father was Don Joseph de' Liguori, a naval commander and Captain of the Royal Galleys.

Even as a small boy, he was brilliant. He was a bright youngster who learned a lot of things fast. Instead of going to school, St. Alphonsus learned from tutors at home under his father's close supervision. In addition, he trained for three hours every day on the harpsichord under his father's guidance, quickly becoming a virtuoso at the age of thirteen. He liked to play cards, fence, and ride horses for fun.

As he matured into a young man, an interest in opera emerged. His enthusiasm for music was far greater than that in the performance. Naples's theatre scene was thriving, but the young saint had a strict distaste for what he perceived to be extravagant performances. He had adamantly refused to participate in a parlor play.

On January 21, 1713, at the age of 16, he was admitted as a doctor of civil law, even though the legal minimum age was 20. At the age of 19, he began practicing law in the courts after completing his bar studies. It is reported that in his eight years as an attorney, he never lost. However, he gave up on a stellar legal career in 1723 after losing a case due to his failure to see a crucial but minor piece of evidence.

But his resignation turned out to be advantageous for the Church. After enrolling at the seminary, he was ordained in 1726, three years later. He quickly rose to prominence in Naples as a revered preacher and confessor.

His sermons were easy to understand and structured so that individuals of different backgrounds may benefit from them. The diocesan priest's tenure was brief, though, since he left for Scala in 1732 to form the Redemptorists, a preaching order.

He was a renowned moral theologian, and in 1748, his work "Moral Theology" was released. He was made a bishop thirty years later, and he retired in 1775. In 1787, he passed away and was canonized in 1839, a little over ten years later.

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