At the young age of seven, Aloysius began a daily regimen of prayer and even received his First Communion from the future saint, St. Charles Borromeo. Despite his father's disapproval, Aloysius resolved to join the newly formed Society of Jesus (Jesuits). This decision meant renouncing his inheritance and noble title, a choice that caused tension within his family. He firmly believed that it was "better to be a child of God than the king of the whole universe." When a plague epidemic struck Rome, Aloysius cared for the sick and contracted the disease himself. On June 21, 1591, holding a crucifix and calling out the name of Jesus, St. Aloysius Gonzaga passed away at the age of 23, six years before he would have been ordained a priest.