Page Map - In the light of St. Alphonsus' moral theology, sodomy (homosexuality) is classified as a grave matter and a mortal sin - Father Augustin Berthe, C.Ss.R - Fra Diavolo - Don Giuseppe de' Liguori

Mortal sin

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787), a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of moral theologians, is often cited for his rigorous yet pastoral approach to ethics. To understand his condemnation of homosexuality, one must view it through the lens of 18th-century Moral Theology, specifically his seminal work, Theologia Moralis.

1. The Theological Framework

Sant' Alfonso did not view morality through modern psychological lenses; rather, he operated within the Natural Law tradition. In his view, the primary "end" or purpose of the sexual faculty was procreation within a valid marriage.

Anything that deviated from this purpose was classified under the broad category of lust (luxuria). He categorized same-sex acts as peccatum contra naturam (sins against nature), which he considered the most grievous sub-species of lust because they inherently frustrated the biological and divine design of the sexual act.

2. Categorization in Theologia Moralis

In his writings, saint Alphonsus follows the scholastic tradition of ranking sexual sins. He generally identifies four types of "sins against nature":

• Pollution (Self-abuse)

• Sodomy (Same-sex intercourse)

• Bestiality

• Onanism (Contraceptive acts)

Among these, he identifies sodomy as a "crying sin" (peccatum clamans), echoing biblical language regarding the "sin of Sodom" reaching the ears of God. He describes these acts as "unspeakable" or "vile," reflecting the common ecclesiastical vocabulary of his era.

3. The Gravity of the Sin

Saint Liguori's condemnation was absolute in terms of the objective gravity of the act. He argued that:

• Divine Offense: It is a direct violation of the order established by the Creator, a mortal sin leading the unrepented soul to hell.

• Moral Blindness: He believed that habitual indulgence in such sins darkened the intellect and hardened the heart against grace more rapidly than other "natural" sins (like simple fornication).

• Social Harm: While he focused on the soul, he also viewed such acts as a threat to the common good and the sanctity of the Christian family.

4. The Role of the Confessor

Despite his harsh language, saint Alphonsus was the founder of Equiprobabilism, a system meant to steer a middle course between legalism (laxity) and rigorism (Jansenism).

When addressing "shameful sins" in the confessional, his instructions to priests were nuanced:

• Discretion: He warned confessors to be extremely careful and "prudent" when questioning penitents about these sins to avoid teaching the innocent about vices they did not yet know.

• Empathy vs. Firmness: He urged priests to be "fathers" to the penitent, showing compassion for the struggle with temptation while remaining unyielding regarding the necessity of "firm purpose of amendment" (the intent to stop the behavior).

"The minister of God must be a lion in the pulpit to terrify the sinner, but a lamb in the confessional to receive him." — General maxim of St. Alphonsus.

5. Summary of Perspective

For St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, the condemnation of homosexuality was not a personal vendetta but a logical necessity of his moral system. He viewed it as a profound disorder that required deep repentance, frequent reception of the Sacraments, and a "flight from the occasions of sin."

His work remains the standard reference for traditional Catholic moral teaching on the subject, emphasizing that while the act is to be condemned as a grave evil, the sinner is a soul in need of the "Great Means of Salvation"—prayer and the mercy of God.

Fr. Augustin Berthe, C.Ss.R: The Master Biographer of the Redemptorist Character

Among the many brilliant minds to wear the Redemptorist habit, Father Augustin Berthe, CSsR (1830–1907) stands out as one of our congregation's most gifted communicators.

While his voice echoed in pulpits across Europe, his written words traveled even further. Fr. Berthe's enduring legacy is found in three monumental biographies that captured the hearts of his generation and remain profound spiritual resources today.

1. Saint Alphonsus de Liguori: The Founder's Definitive Portrait

For Redemptorists, Fr. Berthe's two-volume biography, Saint Alphonse de Liguori, is a masterpiece. Rather than presenting a dry, detached history of our founder, Fr. Berthe painted a vivid, intensely human portrait of Alphonsus.

• The Vision: Fr. Berthe captures the sheer grit of St. Alphonsus—his transformation from a brilliant young lawyer into a tireless missionary for the most abandoned.

• The Style: He masterfully navigates the bitter theological and political storms of 18th-century Italy, showing how Alphonsus built the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer through pure, unyielding trust in God.

• Why it Matters: To this day, Fr. Berthe's work remains one of the most comprehensive, authoritative sources on the spirit, trials, and ultimate triumph of the Redemptorist charism.

2. Jesus Christ: His Life, His Passion, His Triumph

As a son of Saint Alphonsus, Fr. Berthe's spirituality was deeply anchored in the Incarnation and the Cross. His work, Jésus-Christ: Sa vie, Sa passion, Son triomphe, was the natural culmination of a lifetime spent preaching the Gospel.

• A Story, Not Just a Study: While written with immense theological and scriptural depth, Fr. Berthe chose to write it as a sweeping narrative. He wanted the reader to walk with Jesus through Galilee, to feel the weight of Gethsemane, and to rejoice in the Resurrection.

• The Redemptorist Touch: Every page is infused with the core Redemptorist mission: making the abundant redemption (copiosa apud eum redemptio) of Christ accessible, beautiful, and deeply personal to the everyday believer.

3. Garcia Moreno: Champion and Martyr of Christian Politics

Perhaps the most dramatic and unique of his biographies is Garcia Moreno, Président de l'Équateur (Gabriel García Moreno, 1821–1875). This work showcases Fr. Berthe's global Catholic perspective and his fierce defense of the Faith in a rapidly changing world.

The Subject: García Moreno was the President of Ecuador who famously, and courageously, consecrated his nation publicly to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was assassinated by political enemies on the steps of the cathedral in Quito in 1875.

The Connection: Fr. Berthe recognized in Moreno a rare, heroic example of a layman living out a saintly, uncompromising Christian vocation in the messy arena of politics.

The Legacy: First published in 1887, Fr. Berthe's book became a worldwide bestseller, translated into multiple languages, and remains the primary historical reference for the life of this fascinating Catholic statesman.

The Heart of a Missionary

Whether analyzing the political life of a South American president, retracing the steps of Christ in the Holy Land, or documenting the struggles of our beloved founder, Father Augustin Berthe wrote with the heart of a true Redemptorist missionary. He didn't write to achieve literary fame; he wrote to save souls, to instruct minds, and to set hearts on fire for the Kingdom of God.

As we share our Redemptorist heritage online today, Fr. Berthe serves as a timeless reminder of how powerful the written word can be when it is entirely consecrated to the Most Holy Redeemer.

Don Giuseppe de' Liguori: The Father Behind Saint Alphonsus

When reading about Saint Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori (1696–1787)—Doctor of the Church and founder of the Redemptorists (C.Ss.R.)—much attention is given to his legal brilliant career, his radical turn toward the poor, and his vast theological writings. Yet behind the young prodigy who would revolutionize moral theology stood a formidable influence: his father, Don Giuseppe de' Liguori.

Don Giuseppe was a complex, intense figure—a man of high naval rank, deep aristocratic pride, strict discipline, and genuine faith. Understanding Don Giuseppe sheds light on the world Alphonsus was born into and the sacrifice it took for both father and son when Alphonsus surrendered worldly prestige for the Gospel.

At a Glance: Don Giuseppe de' Liguori

Attribute                                                  Details

Title / Profession                                 Captain of the Royal Galleys of Naples (Naval Officer)

Nobility                                                    Neapolitan Aristocracy (Liguori family line)

Spouse                                                      Anna Maria Caterina Cavalieri

Children                                                   Eight children (Alphonsus was the eldest)

Key Legacy                                              Shape of Alphonsus's rigorous early education; initial fiery opposition followed by deep spiritual respect for his son's priesthood.

A Captain of Discipline and Ambition

Born into Neapolitan nobility, Don Giuseppe was an officer in the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Naples, holding the commanding post of Captain of the Royal Galleys. He was known as a man of stainless moral character, rigorous discipline, and a hot temper when crossed.

When his eldest son, Alphonsus, was born in Marianella on September 27, 1696, Don Giuseppe poured his ambitions into the boy. Recognizing Alphonsus's precocious intelligence, Giuseppe ensured his son received a world-class private education under elite tutors.

Giuseppe personally directed Alphonsus's formation:

• Intellectual & Professional: He pushed Alphonsus toward law, overseeing studies that enabled Alphonsus to graduate with doctorates in civil and canon law at just 16 years old.

• Cultural & Physical: He arranged training in music, painting, fencing, and horse riding. However, because Alphonsus suffered from severe myopia (nearsightedness) and asthma, a military career was ruled out, intensifying Giuseppe's drive to see his son excel in the Neapolitan courts.

A Father of Genuine, Though Ambitious, Faith

It would be a mistake to view Don Giuseppe solely as a worldly aristocrat. While ambitious for his family's social standing, Giuseppe was also a man of sincere Catholic faith.

Every year, father and son would retreat together to a religious house for a period of spiritual recollection. Giuseppe wanted his son to put God first, even while navigating high society. However, Giuseppe envisioned Alphonsus achieving greatness within society—as a renowned lawyer, a titled noble, and the head of a prominent family.

The Great Clash: Law vs. Priesthood

In 1723, after eight unbroken years of legal brilliance in Naples, 27-year-old Alphonsus lost a major court case involving a prominent property dispute due to an overlooked detail. Devastated by the corruption and vanity of the legal world, Alphonsus famously laid his sword at the feet of Our Lady of Ransom, declaring his desire to leave the world and enter the priesthood.

When Don Giuseppe learned of his eldest son's decision, he was furious. For two months, a painful domestic conflict ensued in the Liguori household:

Don Giuseppe saw the destruction of his lifelong dreams for his heir. He had arranged high-society matchings and spent vast energy shaping a legal superstar; now his son wanted to abandon it all for the clergy.

The Compromise

To soften the blow and maintain family harmony, Alphonsus made a compromise with his father through the mediation of spiritual advisors:

• Alphonsus would study for the diocesan priesthood rather than joining the Oratorians immediately.

• He would live at home with his family in Naples during his seminary studies.

Reconciliation and Grace

Though the initial transition was fraught with grief and anger, Don Giuseppe eventually underwent a change of heart. As he watched Alphonsus minister to the sick in Naples' hospitals, preach to the street children and working-class poor, and launch the famous "Evening Chapels," Giuseppe's bitterness turned to reverence.

In time, Don Giuseppe came to admire the intense holiness and selfless zeal of the son he had tried to keep for the world. The relentless work ethic, focus, and discipline that Giuseppe had instilled in Alphonsus as a child became the very tools Alphonsus used to preach God's abundant redemption (copiosa apud eum redemptio) across the Kingdom of Naples.

The Nature of Naval Warfare Against the Barbary Corsairs

When discussing Don Giuseppe de' Liguori's military career, historical biographers—such as Fr. Théodule Rey-Mermet in Alphonse de Liguori and Fr. Antonio Tannoia in his primary 18th-century biography—note that while Don Giuseppe served as Capitano delle Galere (Captain of the Royal Galleys of Naples), specific named naval pitched battles are absent from official naval archives.

Instead, Don Giuseppe's role involved continuous seasonal combat, naval patrol duty, and coastal anti-corsair warfare.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Kingdom of Naples was in a perpetual state of irregular naval warfare against the Barbary corsairs (referred to in contemporary Italian sources as i Mauri [Moors] or i Turchi [Turks]), operating out of Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli.

As a galley captain, Don Giuseppe's primary commission was not participating in massive armada battles (like the Battle of Lepanto over a century earlier), but running coastal counter-piracy patrols and convoy escorts:

• Patrol and Coastal Protection: Every summer and autumn, the Neapolitan galleys were dispatched to patrol the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Naples. Their mission was to intercept swift North African xebecs and galleys that raided southern Italian coastal villages for plunder and Christian captives.

• Skirmishes at Sea (Caccia ai Pirati): Don Giuseppe routinely engaged in short, intense naval skirmishes (caccia ai pirati or pirate hunting). During these encounters, Neapolitan war galleys would pursue corsair vessels, board them, and capture their crews.

• Taking Captives: Historical accounts specifically mention that during these naval clashes against Barbary raiders, Don Giuseppe captured enslaved Turkish and Moorish sailors. The Neapolitan state maintained a corps of captive Ottoman and North African slaves to man galley oars or serve in officer households.

The Story of Abdallah: A Direct Connection to Don Giuseppe's Battles

The clearest documented historical evidence of Don Giuseppe's anti-corsair actions comes from the household of St. Alphonsus himself.

• Don Giuseppe brought Abdallah home to Naples as a personal captive and assigned him as the personal manservant to his young son, Alphonsus.

• Under the gentleness and influence of young Alphonsus, Abdallah eventually converted to Christianity, was baptized, and took the name Giuseppe in honor of Don Giuseppe.

Rather than participating in large fleet-versus-fleet sea battles, Don Giuseppe's naval legacy was forged in the grueling, relentless anti-piracy war against the Barbary corsairs (i Mauri). As Captain of the Royal Galleys of Naples, he spent summers commanding armed galley patrols across the Mediterranean to safeguard Italian shipping and coastal towns. These operations consisted of skirmishes, boardings, and chasing down Barbary raiders—a high-stakes, iron-fisted naval command that directly shaped Don Giuseppe's strict, uncompromising discipline at home.

Summary

In the story of St. Alphonsus, Don Giuseppe de' Liguori plays a pivotal role. He was the demanding patriarch whose high expectations prepared Alphonsus intellectually and culturally for a lifetime of leadership, writing, and ministry. Though he fought his son's vocation at first, Giuseppe's own underlying faith allowed him to ultimately yield to God's plan—gifting to the Church one of her greatest saints and moral theologians.