BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

'I saw with my own eyes the wounds on both sides of her hands and that they were truly torn open. At the
end of the ecstasy everything healed up, leaving the scars alone remaining. How could such a wound heal
thus instantaneously by natural means? I do not venture to say that it is the work of God but I am inclined to
think that it is, for this girl is most humble, obedient, innocent, and a lover, in a particular way, of suffering. All
the same I still think that you ought to place her for a short time in a Convent for the reasons I have given
you.'
This new attestation united to that of Father Gaetano, far from freeing Monsignor Volpi from the doubts he
had in regard to the mysterious phenomena which had manifested themselves in his holy penitent, perplexed
him all the more. He felt it to be a very delicate position. He knew Gemma's humility and sincerity better than
anyone else. But could she not be the victim of a diabolical illusion? And yet how could Satan rule over such
a soul?
Monsignor Volpi, however, must not be blamed for this hesitation. If he had acted precipitately in such an
important matter, he would have been lacking in prudence. He himself had seen the Stigmata in Gemma.
This fact is mentioned in the Processes by Palmira Valentini :
‘One day Gemma came to my home and I saw that she had the Stigmata. Monsignor Volpi, who was also my
spiritual director, had told me that when Gemma had the Stigmata I was to bring her to him. . . . I did not like
to go into the presence of Monsignor with Gemma, but he said: " You also come along." And then in my
presence also he saw Gemma's Stigmata. They were clearly visible as on other occasions. With an
ingenuous simplicity which is more than rare Gemma showed him the Stigmata. Monsignor Volpi, however,
said nothing except these words: " Gemma, do not let your hands be seen; keep them covered ; you
understand, the children would only laugh at you."‘
Aunt Cecilia had to speak to him frequently after this, in order to get advice as to the way she ought to act
with regard to Gemma. According to Cecilia, Monsignor told her to speak to a certain doctor whom he
named. She did so. The doctor listened in silence, but gave her no other answer or satisfaction than saying
that persons suffering from hysteria could easily manifest those things.
To say that Monsignor Volpi alone was unhappy because of this state of affairs would be a mistake. Because
her confessor was in doubt, Gemma was also worried, fearful, as she was, to deceive or be deceived. She
felt she owed a great deal to Monsignor Volpi, who since she was a little child had helped her in all her
spiritual difficulties, and there-fore the fact that he suffered because of her could not fail to make her suffer
also. On his side, without knowing it, he was the cause of great sorrow to Gemma. For he had commanded
her to ask God to take away every external manifestation of these extraordinary things, and to lead her
henceforth along the common path. This was exactly what Gemma herself desired, and God heard her
prayer and granted her request. But God is not obliged to obey His creatures, and after a short time these
singular manifestations reappeared. Gemma, mindful of the command she had received, endeavored to
reject them. It was a struggle which only a soul on fire with the love of God can really understand. This
martyrdom was increased when she heard Monsignor say that if God would not make things clear, he would
never believe in her imaginings. 'I have asked Jesus,' she wrote to him, 'to let you understand things, if He is
really the cause of these happenings, and to take them away because I don't want them if the devil is the
cause. Were my imagination to blame, I would not allow these things to happen any more.' And she prayed
to Jesus: ‘If it be You, 0 Jesus, who cause these things, in Thy mercy, make it known. Otherwise we cannot
go on thus, neither I, nor my confessor, nor those who know about these things.' [Lettere ed estasi]
RECOURSE TO SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION
To resolve his perplexity Monsignor Volpi decided to submit the phenomena to a scientific investigation. He
therefore told Cecilia Giannini that on the following Friday, September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the
Blessed Virgin, he would bring a doctor along with him to examine Gemma. This was the same doctor to
whom Cecilia Giannini had already spoken. Cecilia did not tell anyone about Monsignor's intentions.
As the reader will remember, the Giannini family was then living in the country. Nevertheless Chevalier
Matthew and a few of the family were in Lucca that day.
At ten o'clock in the morning Gemma was in ecstasy. When it was over, Gemma took a pen and wrote a few
lines to Monsignor, telling him that if he wished to come he should come alone, but that he must not bring
anyone with him, that Jesus was not pleased and would let him see nothing. She gave the letter open to Aunt
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