BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

consultation, and the result was a verdict that she was suffering from tuberculosis of the spine -a serious
disease and very difficult to cure.
The first abscess was followed by another. It was lanced again and again and medicated glycerine injected
into it. When Gemma heard that among other remedies the doctor intended to try the cauterizing iron, she
asked him smilingly as if the question referred to some other person: 'Doctor, are you going to do the
cauterizing ?' During that operation the patient, as is easy to understand, suffers a great deal, but on the
testimony of the doctors Gemma never uttered a word, and bore the pain calmly and almost with
indifference.
These remedies made her no better, and she passed her days and nights lying in the same position, unless
someone helped her to change it. And in this state she remained for a year. After the operation referred to
above she had to wear an iron corset, which had to be ordered from a man in Pisa named Redini, who came
on purpose to Lucca to fit it on. I t was very heavy and uncomfortable according to Elisa Galgani-and
Gemma, who wore it day and night with only her hands free, was as it were crucified.
The financial state of the family had not improved during this time. Far from becoming better, things had
come to such a pass that it was impossible to find a person who was willing to lend them anything. To find
money to provide the remedies prescribed for Gemma was not the greatest hardship, however. Gemma's
known virtue brought to her bedside a number of visitors who liked to be edified by the sight of her patient
endurance of such terrible sufferings. But no one was allowed to know the extent of the family's poverty.
Gemma did not speak of it because, loving to suffer, she did not wish to be deprived of this means of making
herself more like her crucified Spouse. The others did not speak of it because the memory of the ease and
comfort they had once enjoyed filled them with an extreme repugnance to make known their present misery.
A SCHOOL OF VIRTUE
Even in her poverty Gemma found a means of giving alms. The following is an account of her charity given
by Elisa Galgani :
‘She was always praying for sinners, and often said to me : " You ought to pray for them also, because if you
save a soul you will go to heaven." My nephew Anthony who used to be at the Giannini Pharmacy found out
that the water woman who brought water to our house was living in sin with a certain man. He therefore
wanted to dismiss her there and then, but spoke of the matter only to Gemma and me. " Let me speak to
her," Gemma said .. "Why send her away without giving her time to reflect? Jesus did not send Mary
Magdalen away, but received her kindly." Her brother said: "Do as you like." The next day the water carrier
came and Gemma spoke to her kindly about the evil life she was leading. The woman admitted the evil, but
said that she was living with him because he paid the rent. Gemma answered: "If that is the reason, I shall
pay the rent myself, provided you leave that man, and that you go to confession to the Father Prior of St.
Peter's here in Lucca and return to the friendship of God." The woman did as she had promised and never
ceased to thank Gemma for the grace she was the means of obtaining for her. She used to say : "She is a
saint .... I used to think it was impossible to forsake the life of sin into which I had fallen." True to her word
Gemma as long as she lived paid the woman's rent from the little money she received every month from her
aunt at Camaiore. She never lost sight of her and saw to it that she was given a cup of coffee every morning.'
The names of only a few of those who visited Gemma during her illness will be mentioned. Sister Mary
Angela Ghiselli, of the Nursing Sisters of St. Camillus, deposed that in the midst of all her sufferings Gemma
never uttered a word of complaint, but was always the same, patient, silent and good. Palmira Valentini is
another whose name will be met with frequently in these pages. She has left us an account of how she first
came to visit Gemma during this illness. , Victoria Mallegni spoke to me about her,' she explained. 'I went
without any introduction to see her in her home in the Via del Biscione. She welcomed me kindly, and asked
me if I went to Holy Communion every day. When I answered yes, she gave me a smile of pleasure and
praise.' When Gemma was restored to health, she returned these numerous visits to Palmira Valentini, who
has declared that when Gemma came to her house, she felt she was unworthy of having such a visitor.
Another who helped Gemma by her visits was Signora Martinucci. She it was who, with the intention of
encouraging her to pray for a cure, lent her the Life of St. Gabriel, the Passionist-at that time not yet
beatified-who was filling the world with the fame of the miracles worked at his tomb. The book belonged to
Cecilia Giannini, who later on was to play such an important part in the life of Gemma, although as yet she
did not know her. This is Cecilia Giannini's account of how the book came into Gemma's hands-until this time
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