Alfonso Maria Fusco

Infobox Saint
name= Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco
birth_date=March 23, 1839
death_date= February 6, 1910 (age 71)
feast_day=February 6
venerated_in= Roman Catholic Church


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birth_place= Angri, Salerno, Italy
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beatified_date= October 7, 2001
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beatified_by= Pope John Paul II
canonized_date=
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canonized_by=
attributes= priest and founder
patronage= town of Angri
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suppressed_date=
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Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco (March 23, 1839- February 6, 1910) was a Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, commonly known as Baptistine Sisters with the purpose of evangelizing, educating and promoting youth, especially those who were most poor, abandoned and at risk.

Childhood

Don Alfonso Maria Fusco was born to Aniello Fusco, a farmer and Giuseppina Schiavone, at Angri, Salerno, Italy, March 23, 1839.

Alfonso's birth was attributed to the intercession of St. Alphonsus de Ligouri, whose tomb was visited by the couple. A Redemptorist Father assured them that they will have a son, who they would call Alfonso. Two months after birth, Alphonsus de Ligouri was canonized.

Due to unusual circumstances of his birth, Aniello and Giuseppina educated him with religiosity, trusting him to priests. This made Alfonso dream to become a priest. As a child, he would play like a priests, saying a mass, sing devotion and hymns and build an altar. Since his childhood, his parents have noticed his compassion for the needy children, as narrated in the book 'Operaio di Dio' ('Alfonso is his Name'), written by Monsignor Salvatore Garofalo.

The Seminarian

Fusco entered the seminary on November 5, 1850 at the Seminary of Nocera dei Pagani. According to Eliodoro Tedesco's "Biographic Profile of the Venerable Don Alfonso Maria Fusco, Founder of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist," the presence Giuseppe Garibaldi's army in the 1860 caused the dispersion of the Seminary's Archives, making the reconstruction of the course followed by Fusco impossible. However, Giuseppe Nappi recall that the Alfonso was always respectful towards his professors.

During this days, Alfonso had a dream of Jesus Christ, ordering him to found an Institute for sisters and orphanage for boys and girls.

Msgr. Antonio Salomone, Archbishop of Salerno ordained Alfonso Fusco, in his private Oratory in Avellino, May 29, 1863 (Pentecost Sunday).

References

* Translated into English by Sr. Christine Labate.

* Prayer cards, leaflets published by Sisters of St. John the Baptist