BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

Gemma was always happy with children. It was a case of like meeting like. While she was at the Gianninis'
her benefactor's children were often with her, and when she had left they often asked to be taken to see her.
And she always had a kind word and a smile for them and gave them the cakes and other dainties which had
been sent. to her by friends. She did not forget the ' Mantellate ' nuns but sent them sweets and other
delicacies. 'Whenever she received anything that was good to eat,' attested Sister Julia of St. Joseph, ' she
put it aside for Sister Mary. She knew that we nuns are poor.'
On the last day of her life, her sister Angiolina visited her and burst out crying. Gemma tried to comfort her.
'Don't cry, Angiolina, , she said, 'there is nothing to be sorry about.' And then she asked Angiolina's pardon
for the bad example she had given. I t need not be said that this only grieved Angiolina all the more. She
began to cry again and in her turn asked Gemma's pardon. , Think no more about it,' said Gemma on saying
goodbye, ' but try to be good.'
STRUGGLE WITH THE INFURIATED DEMONS
Gemma had to endure more than the sufferings caused by her sickness. During her last days the Devil
attacked her violently. It would seem as if the powers of Hell were determined to make her pay dearly for all
the victories she had gained over them. But these new assaults supplied her with new opportunities for
further triumphs, and could end only in their greater confusion.
'From October until the day of her death,' declared Mother Gemma Giannini, 'she was tormented by the
Devil, who appeared to her under horrible forms. I often saw her bed shake, and the Servant of God like one
who had fainted after a cruel beating. Sometimes after these diabolical attacks an indescribably fetid odor
seemed to hang about the room.'
Gemma had been forewarned in ecstasy about the violent struggle she was to engage in with the powers of
evil until her death. Cecilia Giannini has left us the following account: 'I heard her say one day in ecstasy:
"Provided You art not glorified less, do what You desire with me, but give me strength and help me." A few
days later I asked Gemma to explain these words. "What new thing is going to happen) Gemma?" I asked.
"There will be a great struggle," she answered, " and it will be the biggest and the last." ,
Above all, the Devil sought to drive her to despair. 'So this is the reward for all your sacrifices in the service
of God ... ' he suggested. And then there came before her imagination all the sad vicissitudes of her
sorrowful life: the misfortunes that befell her family, the death of her father, the heartless creditors who even
searched the children's pockets, her various painful sicknesses. She was tempted to think that she was a
victim of delusion and hypocrisy. She began to fear that she had deceived everybody and that her life had
been one long act of deception. This imagining filled her with fear and dread. She had to do something about
it, so she wrote as well as she could in that trouble of mind, a confession of her whole life, and sent it to a
priest with a request that he should come and give her absolution. He came and reassured her, and once
more her soul was in peace. The Devil, however, did not give up the struggle. He redoubled his evil efforts
and assailed her in other ways in the hope of making her angry or lose patience. But again he failed.
The temptation, however, which afflicted Gemma most cruelly was that which was directed against holy
purity. The poor girl wrote in desperation to her far-away director: 'Father, this suffering is too much for me.
Ask Jesus to change it into something else. From where you are send threats and exorcisms to drive away
this beast, or send your Guardian Angel to hunt him out of this place.' • That beast,' declared Cecilia
Giannini, 'almost killed Gemma. I came away from her room weeping. The brute was determined to have her
and she had no protection. There were deafening blows; and the Devil assuming the form of ferocious
animals tormented her. We used to help her by sprinkling holy water over the room. The commotion would
cease then, only to begin again worse than ever.' The few drops of liquid she could retain in her stomach
were made sickening and disgusting by the appearance in them of revolting and horrible insects. Filthy
animals used to crawl about under the bed-clothes and a snake twisted itself round her from head to foot,
trying to suffocate her. She asked that exorcisms should be employed, but when her request was not
granted, she took it upon herself to make them: 'Evil spirits,' she commanded, ' I order you to go hack to the
place to which you belong, otherwise I shall accuse you before my God!' And then she would turn to the
Blessed Virgin and in a voice that brought tears to the eyes of those who heard it, say: '0 Mother mine, I am
in the hands of the Devil, who is tormenting me, who beats and scourges me. 0 Jesus, do not abandon me; 0
Mary, pray to Jesus for me! '
After each assault, her one thought. was-had she offended Jesus. 'Where art You, 0 Jesus? ' she would be
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