April 11th - Saint Gemma Galgani, Virgin
(1878-1903)
Saint Gemma Galgani was born at Camigliano in Tuscany, Italy, in 1878. Her
mother died when she was seven years old, and from that time on her life
was
one
of continuous suffering. Her afflictions were caused by ill-health, by the
poverty into which her family fell, by the scoffing of those who took
offense at
her practices of devotion, and finally, by the physical attacks of the
devil.
Through it all, however, she remained at peace and enjoyed constant
communion
with our Lord, who spoke to her as if He were bodily present. She
earnestly
desired to be a Passionist nun, but was not accepted because of her
physical
infirmities.
She was the subject of various extraordinary supernatural phenomena -
visions,
ecstasies, revelations, supernatural knowledge, conversations with her
visible
Guardian Angel, prophecy and miracles. Her director verified that letters
which
she wrote and committed to the care of her good Angel were infallibly
delivered.
Saint Gemma had periodically occurring stigmata between 1899 and 1901. At
one
time during her sufferings, she was asked: "If Jesus gave you the choice
between
two alternatives, either going immediately to heaven and having your
sufferings
disappear, or else remaining here in suffering to procure still more glory
for
the Lord, which would you choose?" She answered: "I prefer to remain here
rather
than going to heaven, when it is a question of suffering for Jesus and His
glory." She died on Holy Saturday in 1903 and was canonized in 1940.
Reflection. Often say with Saint Augustine: "Write, O most loving Saviour,
Thy
wounds upon my heart, that I may always read in them Thy pains and Thy
love."
The afflictions that God sends us are really mercies and blessings; they
are
the
very precious talents which we must increase, augmenting our love and
affection
for God by the practice of virtue.
Sources: Lives of the Saints for Every Day of the Year (Reprint of the
work
of
John Gilmary Shea, with Appendix including recently canonized Saints,
Benziger
Brothers: New York, 1955. Third Edition, Tan Books and Publishers:
Rockford,
1995); Sainte Gemma Galgani, by Sr. Jesualde du St. Esprit, O.C.D.
(Apostolate
of the Press: Sherbrooke, 1949), p. 296.
Saint Quote:
Humility, to be true, must be always accompanied by charity; that is,
loving,
seeking, and accepting humiliations to please God, and to become more like
Jesus
Christ; to do otherwise, would be to practice it in the manner of the
heathen.
-St. France de Sales
Bible Quote:
36 Now whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of
them,
and saith to them: Peace be to you; it is I, fear not. (Luke 24:36)
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NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP
1. Behold, O Mother of Perpetual Help, at thy feet a wretched sinner,
who has recourse to thee and trusts in thee. O Mother of mercy,
have pity on me; I hear all men call thee the refuge and hope of sinners:
be therefore my refuge and my hope. Help me for the love of Jesus Christ:
hold out thy hand to a fallen wretch, who commends himself to thee and
dedicates himself to be thy servant forever. I praise and thank God, who
of His great mercy hath given me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge
of my eternal salvation. Alas, it is only too true that in the past I have
fallen miserably, because I did not come to thee. I know that with thy
help
I shall conquer; I know that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to
thee;
but I am fearful lest in the occasions of sin I shall forget to call upon
thee
and so I shall be lost. This grace, then, do I ask of thee;
for this I implore thee, as much as I can and know how to do; namely,
that in the assaults of hell I may ever run to thy protection and may say
to
thee:
Mary, help me; Mother of Perpetual Help, permit me not to lose my God.
Hail Mary, three times.
2. O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant me ever to be able to call upon thy
powerful name, since thy name is the help of the living and the salvation
of
the dying. Ah, Mary most pure, Mary most sweet, grant that thy name from
this day forth may be to me the very breath of life. Dear Lady, delay not
to
come to my assistance whenever I call upon thee; for in all the
temptations
that assail me, in all the necessities that befall me, I will never leave
off calling upon thee, ever repeating: Mary, Mary. What comfort, what
sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness fills my soul at the sound of
thy name, at the very thought of thee! I give thanks to our Lord, who for
my
sake hath given thee a name so sweet, so lovable, so mighty. But I am not
content merely to speak thy name; I would utter it for very love of thee;
it
is my desire that love should ever remind me to name thee,
Mother of Perpetual Help.
Hail Mary, three times.
3. O Mother of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of every grace that
God grants us in our misery; it is for this cause that He hath made thee
so
powerful, so rich, so kind, that thou mightest assist us in our miseries.
Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners, if they
but come unto thee; come once more to my assistance, for I commend myself
to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation; to thee I entrust my
soul.
Enroll me among thy most faithful servants; take me under thy protection
and it is enough for me: yes, for if thou protect me, I shall fear
nothing;
not
my sins, for thou wilt obtain for me their pardon and remission; not the
evil spirits, for thou art mightier than all the powers of hell; not even
Jesus, my Judge, for He is appeased by a single prayer from thee. I fear
only that through my own negligence I may forget to recommend myself to
thee and so I shall be lost. My dear Lady, obtain for me the forgiveness
of
my
sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance and the grace to have recourse to
thee at all times, O Mother of Perpetual Help.
Hail Mary, three times.
**Don't forget to pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays
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