BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

The biography of St. Gabriel which Signora Martinucci lent to Gemma did not at once excite her to direct any
devotion to him. She took the book, put it under her pillow, and thought very little about it, even though she
knew that her family were praying to him for a cure. But one day she was more than usually depressed, a
profound melancholy having taken possession of her. The enemy of souls who had provoked this tempest
filled her mind with wicked suggestions : ' If you will only listen to me, I shall free you from all your pains, cure
you and make you happy.' At the height of the struggle when, according to herself, she was almost on the
point of yielding, realizing who the tempter was she remembered St. Gabriel and the power he had with God.
She invoked his aid, crying out: 'The soul first and then the body !' The Devil did not give in, but made
another furious assault. Gemma, making the Sign of the Cross, again invoked St. Gabriel, and immediately a
deep calm inundated her soul.
It was now that Gemma, after thus experiencing the efficacy of St. Gabriel's intercession, remembered his
biography. She began to read it with the greatest enthusiasm. The following is her own account:
‘I remember that I began to read the Life of Confrater Gabriel that same evening. I read it many times. I
never grew tried of reading it and of admiring his virtues .... From the day on which my new protector had
saved my soul, I began to have a special devotion to him. I could not go to sleep unless I had a picture of
him under my pillow, and from that time I began to see him near me. I cannot explain what I mean here; I felt
his presence; at all times, in every action, Confrater Gabriel came to my mind.' [Autobiographia, p. 44]
Soon, however, she had to return the biography to Signora Martinucci, but in parting with it, she wept. But St.
Gabriel, to compensate and comfort her on the loss of the book, appeared to her. This is how she describes
the incident:
‘But that Saint of God wished to reward the little sacrifice I made, and in a dream that night he appeared to
me all clothed in white, but I did not recognize him. Noticing that I did not know him, he opened his white
robe, and allowed me to see his Passionist habit. Then I soon recognized him. I remained silent before him.
He asked me why I had wept when I had to give up his Life. I did not know what to answer, but he said to
me: "Be good, and I shall come back to see you." [Autobiographia, pp. 45-46]
So under the auspices of St. Gabriel began the great and extraordinary favors that were to mark the rest of
Gemma's life--ecstasies, visions, raptures, apparitions of angels; saints, the Blessed Virgin, and even of
Christ Himself.
On the vigil of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, 1898, she had as usual a visit from the Barbantine
Sisters, who brought with them a postulant who was too young to receive the habit. Upon seeing her Gemma
experienced an unusual emotion. Never before had she felt like that, and she took it as an inspiration from
Heaven, and made up her mind that if she was cured she would imitate her. Gemma spoke of this intention
to Sister Leonilda, the Mistress of Novices, . who made her a promise that she would be clothed in the habit
at the same time as the young postulant. When Monsignor Volpi came that same day to hear her confession,
she told him of her decision. He not only approved of it, but allowed her to do what she had long desired, to
make a perpetual vow of virginity. It is impossible to describe the joy that filled her soul upon receiving this
permission. Hitherto she had indeed lived only for Jesus, but now she would be bound to Him by new ties-by
ties that would never be broken. She had reached the pinnacle of her desire.
A sweet calm overflowed her soul, and as she thought of the following morning when with Jesus in her heart
she would take the longed-for vow, she felt a strange sense of well-being stealing over her limbs, and then
before her, she saw St. Gabriel. 'Gemma,' he said, 'take of your own free-will a vow to become a religious,
but add nothing further.'
Gemma did not understand what these words meant, and asked why her vow was to be thus limited. The
Saint did not reply except to say: , Sorella mia' (my sister). 'I did not understand all this, but to thank him I
kissed his habit." [Autobiographia, pp. 48, 49]
Thereupon St. Gabriel gave her the sign of the Passion which Passionists wear upon their habits. 'And
again,' continues Gemma, ' he called me " Sorella mia " and then disappeared.' On the following morning
after Holy Communion she pronounced her vows. That day was for her a heavenly feast.
RECOVERY HOPELESS. NOVENA SUGGESTED
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