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. is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: , Polish: ) born   IPA: ; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978, until his death, almost 27 years later, making his the second-longest... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Saint symbology was important to people who couldnt read because they can figure out what symbols mean. ... Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... Angri is a town in the province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. ... Image File history File links Gloriole. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Childhood

Don Alfonso Maria Fusco was born to Aniello Fusco, a farmer and Giuseppina Schiavone, at Angri, Salerno, Italy, March 23, 1839. Angri is a town in the province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. ... Salerno is a town in Campania, south-western Italy, the capital of the province of the same name. ...

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. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Latin: Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris) is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. ...

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. Monsignor, monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. ...

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. Nocera Inferiore, formerly Nocera dei Pagani (anc. ... Giuseppe Garibaldi (July 4, 1807 – June 2, 1882) was an Italian patriot and General of the Risorgimento. ...

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

• Tedesco, Eliodoro (1995). Biographic Profile of the Venerable Don Alfonso Maria Fusco, Founder of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist. Rome: Sisters of St. John the Baptist.  Translated into English by Sr. Christine Labate.

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