Saints
St. Alphonsa
St. Alphonsa was a Roman Catholic nun who is honored as a saint in the Catholic Church. She was born on August 19, 1910, in the village of Kudamaloor, India, as Anna Muttathupadathu. She was the fourth of five children of a poor farming family, and she grew up in a devout Catholic household.
As a young girl, Anna was deeply religious and felt a calling to the religious life. She entered the Franciscan Clarist convent at the age of 18 and took the name Sister Alphonsa. She made her profession of vows in 1930 and dedicated herself to a life of prayer and service.
Sister Alphonsa faced many challenges and suffering throughout her life. She struggled with poor health and was often in pain, and she also faced criticism and opposition from some within the convent. Despite these challenges, Sister Alphonsa remained deeply devoted to her vocation and to her mission of serving others.
Sister Alphonsa was known for her deep humility and her devotion to God. She spent much of her time in prayer and contemplation, and she was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was also known for her compassionate care for the sick and the poor, and she worked tirelessly to serve others.
Sister Alphonsa died on July 28, 1946, at the age of 36. Sister Alphonsa struggled with poor health throughout her life and was often in pain. She suffered from a number of medical conditions, including tuberculosis, asthma, and malnutrition, and she also suffered from various physical ailments and injuries. Despite her suffering, Sister Alphonsa remained deeply devoted to her vocation and to her mission of serving others.
She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. Today, she is remembered and honored as a saint and a model of humility, devotion, and service.
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Detailed Biography of Saint Alphonsa: The First Indian Woman Canonized by the Catholic Church
Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Marth Alphonsa or Annakutty, was a nun and an educator who lived in the 20th century in Kerala, India. She was known for her holiness, her devotion to Jesus and Mary, and her sufferings that she offered for the salvation of souls. She is the first woman of Indian origin and the first saint of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic community of Eastern Christianity. In this blog post, we will explore her life story, her virtues, and her legacy.
Early Life and Vocation
Saint Alphonsa was born as Anna Muttathupadathu on August 19, 1910 in Kudamalloor, a village in the princely state of Travancore, which is now part of Kerala. She was the fourth child of Joseph Muttathupadathu and Mary Puthukari, who belonged to a Roman Catholic family of the Syro-Malabar Church. Her mother died when she was only three months old, and she was raised by her maternal grandparents and later by her aunt Anna Murickan. She was baptized on August 27 and received her First Communion on November 27, 1917.
From a young age, Anna felt a strong attraction to the religious life and a desire to become a saint. She was inspired by the life of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who also lost her mother at a young age and became a Carmelite nun. Anna loved to pray, to read the Bible and the lives of the saints, and to attend Mass. She also practiced penance and charity towards the poor and the sick. She had a special devotion to the Immaculate Conception of Mary, whom she considered as her heavenly mother.
However, Anna faced many obstacles in pursuing her vocation. Her aunt wanted her to get married and arranged an engagement for her when she was twelve years old. Anna resisted this plan and prayed fervently for God’s will to be done. She also suffered from various illnesses and accidents that affected her health and appearance. She once burned her foot with hot ash to prevent the marriage proposal. She also contracted eczema, asthma, typhoid fever, and hemorrhage. She endured these trials with patience and faith, trusting in God’s providence.
In 1923, Anna joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation at Bharananganam, where she took the name Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception in honor of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists. She completed her secondary education and made her first profession on August 12, 1931. She made her solemn profession on August 12, 1936.
Religious Life and Ministry
As a Franciscan Clarist nun, Saint Alphonsa lived a simple and humble life of prayer and service. She taught elementary school at Vakakkadu for a few years, but had to resign due to her poor health. She then devoted herself to the convent life, where she performed various duties such as cooking, sewing, gardening, and writing letters. She also spent time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the rosary, meditation on the Passion of Christ, and reading spiritual books.
Saint Alphonsa had a deep love for Jesus and Mary, whom she called “my Divine Spouse” and “my Immaculate Mother”. She consecrated herself totally to them and sought to imitate their virtues. She wrote: “Whatever you do, do it for the love of Jesus. Don’t only work to please your superiors.” She also wrote: “I don’t want anything else; I want only Jesus; I want to love Him ardently; I want to make Him loved by others; I want to suffer for Him.”
Saint Alphonsa also experienced many mystical graces, such as visions, locutions, stigmata, and ecstasies. She saw Jesus and Mary several times and received messages from them. She also shared in the wounds of Christ on her hands, feet, side, and head. She sometimes fell into raptures during prayer or Mass. However, she did not seek these extraordinary phenomena or boast about them. She considered them as gifts from God that helped her grow in holiness.
Sufferings and Death
Along with the mystical graces, Saint Alphonsa also endured many sufferings, both physical and spiritual. She suffered from various diseases and ailments that caused her great pain and weakness. She also suffered from temptations, doubts, scruples, and persecutions from the devil and from some people. She was misunderstood, criticized, and accused of faking her illness and her visions. She also experienced periods of darkness, dryness, and desolation in her soul.
Saint Alphonsa accepted these sufferings with courage and joy, offering them to God for the conversion of sinners and the sanctification of souls. She wrote: “I consider a day without suffering as a day lost.” She also wrote: “My Jesus, I am ready to accept any suffering You send me; but please grant me the grace to bear it patiently for love of You.” She united her sufferings with the Passion of Christ and participated in His redemptive work.
Saint Alphonsa died on July 28, 1946 at the age of 35. She received the last sacraments and uttered her final words: “Jesus, Mary, Joseph; I give you my heart and my soul.” She was buried at the St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Church in Bharananganam, where her tomb became a place of pilgrimage and miracles.
Canonization and Legacy
The cause for the canonization of Saint Alphonsa was opened in 1953 by Mar Mathew Kavukattu, the archbishop of Changanassery. She was declared a Servant of God in 1955 and a Venerable in 1985. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 8, 1986 during his visit to India. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 12, 2008 at the Vatican. She is the first woman of Indian origin and the first saint of the Syro-Malabar Church to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
Saint Alphonsa is celebrated as a model of holiness, humility, and charity for all Christians. She is especially venerated by the Syro-Malabar Catholics, who consider her as their patroness and intercessor. Her feast day is July 28. She is also the patron saint of against illness, diseases related to feet, Cherupusha Mission League, India.
Saint Alphonsa’s life teaches us to love God above all things, to trust in His will, to serve Him in our neighbors, and to offer our sufferings for His glory. She also shows us how to follow Jesus and Mary in their purity, obedience, and humility. She invites us to join her in saying: “My Jesus, I love You.”
Prayers to St. Alphonsa
Dear St. Alphonsa,
You were a woman of great faith and humility, always striving to serve others and to bring people closer to Jesus. You faced many challenges and suffering throughout your life, but you remained deeply devoted to your vocation and to your mission of serving others.
I ask for your intercession and guidance as I seek to follow your example and to serve others. May your example inspire me to be humble and compassionate, always looking for ways to make a positive difference in the world.
Please help me to find the strength and courage to follow in your footsteps and to be a source of comfort and support to those who are suffering. May I always be guided by your example and the teachings of Jesus.
Amen.
Prayer of Intercession to St. Alphonsa
St. Alphonsa, you have been graciously chosen from our midst to be united with Jesus Christ, our Savior, in the mystery of His passion, death and resurrection. You have grown to the heights of holiness and have been crowned with heavenly glory. Help us in our trials and tribulations.
Oh, daughter of sufferings, obtain for us the grace to lead a holy life, following your example- in total submission to the Will of God. Be with us, transforming all our sorrows into a holy sacrifice in union with Christ Crucified, in reparation for our sins, for the sanctification and the salvation of the whole world. Amen.
The Prayer of St. Alphonsa
O Lord Jesus, hide me in the wound of your sacred heart.
Free me from my desire to be loved and esteemed.
Guard me from my evil attempts to win fame and honor.
Make me humble till I become a small spark in the flame of love in your Sacred Heart.
Grant me the grace to forget myself and all worldly things.
Jesus, sweet beyond words, convert all worldly consolations into bitterness for me.
O my Jesus, Sun of Justice, enlighten my intellect and mind with your sacred rays.
Purify my heart, consume me with burning love for you, and make me one with you.
Catholic Churches Named in Honor of St. Alphonsa
- St. Alphonsa Church, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- St. Alphonsa Church, Long Island City, New York, United States
- St. Alphonsa Church, Pottankadu, India
- St. Alphonsa Church, Pala, India
- St. Alphonsa Church, Kottayam, India
- St. Alphonsa Church, Vaikom, India
- St. Alphonsa Church, Kudamaloor, India
Saints Similar to St. Alphonsa
You may also be interested in reading the Biography of St. Alphonsus. St. Alphonsa and St. Alphonsus Liguori both share the name Alphonsus and were notable figures in the Catholic Church. St. Alphonsa was the first Indian woman to be canonized and is known for her life of suffering and devotion. St. Alphonsus Liguori was an Italian bishop and theologian known for his moral theology and writings. Next up: Biography of St. Alphonsus
Also check out our handmade St. Alphonsa Medal and St. Alphonsa Rosary and St. Alphonsa Rosary Bracelet.