10/30/2025
St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (1533–1617) is remembered for his deep holiness, which shone through his humble work as a Jesuit doorkeeper. Born in Segovia, Spain, the son of a prosperous merchant, his family welcomed Jesuit Father Peter Faber, who guided Alphonsus’s early faith. Alphonsus’s path to joining the Jesuits was slow and marked by setbacks.
At 12, Alphonsus began studies at a Jesuit college, but his father’s death forced him home to help run the family business. He later married and had three children, but tragedy struck when his wife and children all died. Heavy taxes ruined his business, and Alphonsus, now a widower, was left feeling defeated.
In his grief, Alphonsus turned to prayer and sought to join the Jesuits, but was rejected due to his age, fragile health, and limited education. Undeterred, he pursued further studies in Valencia. Eventually, his evident holiness led the Jesuit provincial to admit him as a lay brother.
In 1571, at age 37, Alphonsus entered the Jesuit novitiate and was sent to Montesión college in Palma, Majorca. There, he became known for his humble service as doorkeeper and for befriending St. Peter Claver, who would become a missionary to slaves in Colombia.
As doorkeeper, Alphonsus welcomed visitors, ran errands, gave alms, and comforted the troubled. He treated each person as if he were welcoming Christ. At age 72, he befriended Peter Claver, encouraging him in missionary work. After Alphonsus’s death, his writings revealed deep mystical experiences and a profound prayer life. He is now celebrated as a model of holiness in ordinary life.
Prayer
O God, in the faithful service of our brother Alphonsus, You have shown us the way to joy and peace. Make us ready and watchful companions of Jesus, who became the servant of all and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
