Saintly Saturday - St. Gemma Galgani

An Italian mystic, St. Gemma Galgani was born in Italy on March 12, 1978. She developed a great love of prayer early in life, inspired by her mother who died when Gemma was only eight years old. At her school, run by the Sisters of St. Zita, her teachers & fellow students loved her. Unfortunately, chronic illness caused her to quit her schooling & return home to her family. 

When she was 19, her father died & she was left to care for her siblings until they were able to take on some of the responsibilities as well. She refused several marriage proposals, preferring to live a life of silence & deep prayer.  

She fell deathly ill with meningitis & felt much temptation from the devil. After praying for the intercession of the Venerable Passionist, Gabriel Possenti, she was miraculously cured. Poor health, however, kept her from become a nun as she desired. She did become a Passionist Tertiary (a lay associate within the Passionist order).

In 1899, she received the stigmata on her hands, feet, & heart. The bleeding gashes would appear on Thursday evenings & remain until Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, leaving white marks which would remain on her body until her death. 

St. Gemma was often found in frequent states of ecstasy & even levitated at times. As a visionary, she often had visions of her guardian angel, Jesus, Mary, & even the devil in efforts to tempt her. At the age of 25, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis in January 1903 & died that Holy Saturday, April 11. She is the patron saint of students, pharmacists, against temptations, against death of parents, & against tuberculosis. Pope Pius XII canonized her on May 2, 1940 & the Catholic Church celebrates her feast day on April 11. 

"Oh, when I see Jesus in tears it pierces my heart. I realize that I, by my sins, have increased the suffering which overwhelmed Him while He prayed in the garden. At that moment, Jesus saw all my sins, all my failings, and He saw also that place I should have occupied in hell, if Thy Heart, oh Jesus had not pardoned me."
(St. Gemma Galgani)

St. Gemma Galgani, Pray for Us!

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