Works of Saint Alfonso

Rediscovering the eternal truths & the true faith

In an age of constant change, the timeless wisdom of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori offers a beacon of light. We are dedicated to helping people in the 21st century discover these fantastic works, which have guided souls for centuries in Italy and around the world. As the Redemptorist Congregation, founded by Saint Alphonsus himself, we believe his teachings are more vital than ever for imitating the virtues of Jesus Christ, avoid occasions of sin and saving one's soul.

The almost complete collection of the  ascetical works of Saint Alfonso Maria de Liguori, from Internet Archive

List of Saint Alphonsus' writings

Opere complete di santo Alfonso Maria de Liguori

Opere complete di santo Alfonso Maria de Liguori fondatore della Congregazione del SS. Redentore e già vescovo di Sant'Agata de' Goti

Free ebook collections (Google Play Books)

Italian Alphonsian resource sites (PDF articles & studies)

Love one another, as I have loved you

"A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another."
" 25 And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life?
[21] "He rejoiced in the Holy Ghost": That is, according to his humanity he rejoiced in the Holy Ghost, and gave thanks to his eternal Father.
26 But he said to him: What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neigh‐
bour as thyself. 28 And he said to him: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jeru‐
salem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.
31 And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. 32 In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. 33 But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near
him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion. 34 And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took
out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.
36 Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? 37 But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner."

1st Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians
Charity is to be preferred before all gifts.
"1 If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity is patient, is
kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; 5 Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. 12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part;
but then I shall know even as I am known. 13 And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity."
" 34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets."

Douay-Rheims Bible Online

Father Joseph Schrijvers, C.Ss.R

The Science of self Abandonment to God

If Saint Alfonso is our Doctor of Prayer, Father Schrijvers is also our Redemptorist Master of Trust. Discover the man who taught the world that the shortest path to the Heart of Jesus is the 'Gift of Oneself'.
Reading a book by Father Joseph Schrijvers (often spelled Schryvers) is a magnificent idea. He is indeed a "hidden gem" of Redemptorist spirituality, and a description of him as a "brilliant spiritual man" is exactly how history remembers
him.
While he wrote in French, he was actually Belgian (born in Zutendaal, 1876). He represents the "Golden Age" of Redemptorist ascetical writing, bridging the gap between the strict legalism of the past and a more intimate, "Little Way"
spirituality.
A transalpine Redemptorist and a pioneer of the Byzantine Rite mission in Ukraine, Fr. Joseph Schrijvers spent his life proving that the 'Science of the Mind' is empty without the 'Gift of the Heart.' His books were the spiritual fuel for an
entire generation of Redemptorists in the early 20th century.

Why Father Schrijvers fits your spiritual life:
Fr. Schrijvers' spirituality is the perfect companion to St. Alphonsus. If St .Alfonso provides the "Steel" of the law, Fr. Schrijvers provides the "Oil" of abandonment.
He was heavily influenced by St. Thérèse of Lisieux and took her "Little Way" into the deep waters of Redemptorist theology.

Key works for your spiritual life:
"The Divine Friend" (Le Divin Ami, 1922): This is his masterpiece. It treats the relationship with Jesus not as a distant duty, but as a living, breathing friendship.
"The Gift of Oneself" (Le Don de soi, 1918): This book was a massive success (translated into dozens of languages). It focuses on "Holy Abandonment"—the idea that the "Mind's Science" is most perfect when it stops trying to control eve‐
rything and rests in God's Fatherhood.
"The Message of Jesus to His Priest": A deeply mystical work specifically for the clergy.

Biographical Highlights:
The Ukrainian Mission: In 1913, he was sent to Galicia (Ukraine) to establish the Redemptorists of the Byzantine Rite. He learned the language and the Eastern liturgy, showing that his "Mind's Science" was flexible enough to embrace the
beauty of the East.
A "Living Library": Fr. Schrijvers served as a Consultor General in Rome. He was the man the Pope and the Rector Major turned to for spiritual clarity.
The "Fatherhood" Theology: His entire spiritual system is built on God as Father.

Interestingly, Fr. Schrijvers' books are often reprinted today. This means people are still searching for him.

https://tanbooks.com/search?search_query=Joseph%20Schryvers%20

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/collections/author-books-by-joseph-
schryvers

Fr. Joseph Schrijvers (1876–1945) is the perfect "spiritual architect" to follow St. Alphonsus. If St. Alphonsus provides the solid foundations of the house (the Law and the Mind's Science), Fr. Schrijvers provides the light and the warmth (The Friendship and Abandonment).
Fr. Schrijvers' theology is built on the profound realization that God is not a distant judge, but a "Divine Friend" who is more interested in our love than our perfections.

Here are the three pillars of his "Little Way" of the Redemptorists:

1. The Principle of Total Abandonment (Le Don de soi)
For Schrijvers, the "Mind's Science" culminates in the act of giving one's will entirely to God. He taught that our only true possession is our will; therefore, it is the only gift we can truly give back to the Creator.
The Insight: Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of a soul that has said "Yes" to whatever the Father permits.

2. The Reality of the "Divine Friend"
In his masterpiece, The Divine Friend, Schrijvers shifts the focus from our efforts to Christ's presence. He argues that Jesus is a constant companion who walks beside us in the ordinary "dust" of daily life.
The Insight: Holiness is not a series of difficult exercises, but a continuous conversation with a Friend who never leaves your side.

3. The "Little Way" in the Redemptorist Spirit
Father Schrijvers was the bridge between the rigorous Alphonsian tradition and the "Spiritual Childhood" of St. Thérèse. He simplified the complex spiritual life into one requirement: Good Will. * The Insight: If you have the will to love God
(and if you are in a state of grace) you already possess Him. Everything else—feelings, successes, or failures—is secondary.

Why This Page Matters for us & for YOU dearest readers:
By adding Fr. Schrijvers to our archive, we are showing that the Redemptorists Priests are not just about the "letter" of the law, but about the "life" of the spirit.
It balances the Dogmatic Steel with the Mystical Gold of Father Schrijvers.
Dearest friends, Fr. Schrijvers would probably approve of our collaboration. He believed that the greatest works are done when the mind is at peace and the heart is open. By giving him a home in our lives, we are essentially rediscovering
him for a modern digital audience that desperately needs his message of trust to be lived and shared.

"The Simple Soul Loves the Cross" Fr. Joseph Schryvers CSSR

Theological Renewal and Missionary Cooperation in the Dominican and Redemptorist Traditions

Historically, while the Dominicans (founded in the 13th century) and the Redemptorists (founded in the 18th century) have very distinct roots, their histories are deeply intertwined.

Instead of major institutional mergers, their relationship is defined by theological teamwork, shared missionary frontlines, and a deep mutual respect between their founders and saints.

1. The Theological Breakthrough (St. Alphonsus & St. Thomas Aquinas)

The most significant historical connection between the two orders is intellectual. In the 1700s, the Catholic Church was plagued by Jansenism—a rigorous, harsh theological movement that made people terrified of God's judgment and kept them away from the sacraments.

When St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the Redemptorists, he set out to fight this rigorism with a theology of mercy. To build his framework of "Equiprobalism" (a balanced approach to moral conscience), he relied heavily on the writings of the greatest Dominican theologian in history, St. Thomas Aquinas.

• Alphonsus famously defended the Dominican school of thought against the overly rigid theologians of his day.

• By blending Dominican intellectual tradition with a practical, compassionate approach for the poor, Alphonsus created a moral theology so profound that he was eventually named a Doctor of the Church—joining Thomas Aquinas himself.

2. Side-by-Side in the "Popular Missions"

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, both orders became famous for "parish missions"—intense, week-long spiritual revivals preached to local communities.

When Catholic immigrants flooded into the United States and the Caribbean, there was a massive shortage of priests. Dominican and Redemptorist friars routinely divided territories or explicitly worked together to cover ground.

• They shared a common pulpit style: Dominicans brought their deep intellectual preaching ("Order of Preachers"), while Redemptorists brought a highly affectionate, simple, and practical style meant for the most abandoned.
• In regional districts (such as the Midwest and Northeast US), if a Dominican parish was short on preachers for a Lenten revival, it was incredibly common for them to invite a team of Redemptorist mission preachers to run it, and vice versa.

3. Joint Communities in the Caribbean (The Island of Dominica)

A unique, literal example of the two orders working as one community exists in the Caribbean. The island of Dominica was historically a Dominican Order territory (hence the name). However, in 1902, the Redemptorists arrived to help manage the massive missionary load on the islands.

For over a century, international communities consisting of both Redemptorist and Dominican priests and brothers have lived and served alongside each other in the English-speaking Caribbean. They share parish ministries, run retreat centers, and coordinate disaster relief together when hurricanes strike the region.

4. Mutual Support in the Confessional

Both orders have historically championed the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), but from different angles. Dominicans provided the rigorous canonical framework, while Redemptorists provided the pastoral execution. Generations of Dominican seminarians were taught using moral textbooks written by Redemptorists, and Redemptorist founders frequently sought out Dominican friars as their own spiritual directors and confessors because of their reputation for intellectual clarity.

In short: If you look at Church history, the Dominicans provided the intellectual armor (Thomism), and the Redemptorists shaped it into a pastoral tool of mercy for the masses. Whenever the Church needed massive missionary pushes, these two heavyweights of preaching regularly shared the burden.