Come Visit the Chapels

The Feast Day of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. is June 21 We invite you to come to the Chapel of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. in St. Ignatius Church, on this day, this month, or any time. Volunteers and staff are currently providing opportunities for reflection and engagement in this chapel. We hope you will visit!

In this chapel, you will find our church’s only visible body in repose—a stark reminder that God often asks us to see and react with empathy to that which might make us uncomfortable or challenge our expectations.

Aloysius Gonzaga was born into nobility in Lombardy, Italy in 1568. Though he grew up in royal courts, he felt a deep calling to a different life—one of simplicity, prayer, and service. Before he turned 18, he gave up his inheritance and entered the Jesuits, thanks to the mentorship of Charles Borromeo. As a young student, Aloysius poured himself into caring for the sick and the poor on the streets of Rome.

When plague struck the city, he continued his ministry without hesitation, bringing comfort to those no one else would touch. He died at just 23, but the faith and compassion he showed in the “evening” of his brief life demonstrate the meaning of St. John’s words: that the true measure of a soul is love lived out in action. 

His life shows us that no one is too young to be moved by faith to act, and calls other young people to love boldly and serve generously.  We invite you to be inspired by his example—to see the needs around you, and to respond with compassion and courage.

Image: St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J., Guercino, c. 1650. WikiMedia (cc)