BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

Perhaps more than one reader, even before reaching this point in the story of Blessed Gemma, will have
asked himself why God should have bestowed His favors upon this humble and confiding soul, in such a
manner and in such profusion, that, to borrow the language of Father Schryvers, it would seem as if He
feared that there would not be sufficient time to complete here below the work of His love.' “ [L'amico divino,
G. Schryvers Marietti, Torino-Roma, 1929, p. 10.]
God is free to give His gifts to whomsoever He desires, to one more and to another less, and no one has the
right to demand the reason of His actions, because He is doing no wrong to anyone. Nevertheless, if we
search for a reason for this preference we shall find it in these beautiful words of St. Bernard : ' Cum sit
candor, delectatur candidis ,that being candor itself, He takes His delight in souls possessing this virtue, and
according to the same holy Doctor, candor of soul means a certain simplicity embracing all the virtues, and
resulting from childlike faith, firm hope, innocence of life, humility, and a pure and perfect love. [St. Bernard,
Super Cantic., Sermo. 71]
Simplicity was the most characteristic virtue of the humble servant of God. It was the spirit, the soul of her
every thought, word and action. Like her great contemporary, St. Therese of Lisieux, she understood
marvelously well the Gospel warning : ‘Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven.' The Promoter General of the Faith, during the discussion on the heroic nature of her
virtues, recognized this resemblance with St. Therese. 'What awakens admiration in the life of Gemma,' he
said, ' is (among other things) her truly childlike ingenuousness, similar to that which was seen to shine forth
so brightly in St. Therese of the Child Jesus.' And the Car-melite, Sister Gesualda, has shown that the way of
Therese of Lisieux and the way of Gemma of Lucca are in substance the same-a way of confidence and of
loving abandonment. While St. Therese fulfils her mission of pointing out to souls the 'little way,' Gemma
shows us that the' little way' is not incompatible with the most extraordinary favors which God sometimes
bestows upon the Saints. Gemma is a child resting in the arms of God, and whilst she lies abandoned upon
His Heart in a sweet and peaceful sleep of love He showers His gifts upon her,
Gemma's simplicity appeared in all she did, enhancing all her actions, and making her lovable and dear. She
was simple in thought, in her manner of speaking, in her manner of acting .. According to Father Germanus
this beautiful quality accompanied her also to the sublime heights of mysticism. She set out upon this
journey, a child in spirit as a child in age, and she never changed. She treated with the majesty of God in a
childlike way, listened to His ineffable secrets, tasted His sweetness. The ease, the naturalness, the
spontaneity with which she acted in the midst of the most extraordinary phenomena, constitutes one of the
best proofs of the soundness of her spirit. By choosing here and there from her writings and from the
Processes, we shall be able to convey some idea of her simplicity, and also some idea of the other virtues
which, according to St. Bernard, proceed from this simplicity, and the perfume of which so delights the
Spouse of souls: 'candore et odore virtutum delectatur.'
All witnesses spoke of this simplicity in the servant of God. Monsignor Volpi said:
'Her ingenuousness and simplicity were extraordinary, so much so that I hold she was absolutely incapable
of pretending or deceiving, and that if this had not been the case, it would have been easy, considering the
circumstances of place and dwelling, to discover any deception. I never noticed in her the least artificiality,
and she performed everything so simply and naturally as to manifest all the candor of her soul; and I am
convinced that the Servant of God was truly an elect soul and maintained a special, intimate and constant
union with God. . . . I never noticed in her anything superstitious or exaggerated in the practice of religion, or
in the exercise of piety, nor any ostentation or levity of mind. On the contrary she was very simple, although
her demeanor was always devout and recollected.'
Brother Famiano deposed: ' She was like a child. Once she even asked me to accompany her to the mission
at S. Concordia, and when I remarked that being a religious it was not the proper thing for me to do, she
answered: " a wretched human respect! " , And because, as we have said, she thought that the extraordinary
phenomena that happened to her were common to all souls who had consecrated themselves to God, she
said one day to the same Brother Famiano that she had seen the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows, and asked him
whether he had seen her also. It was the same simplicity which made her, during her stay with the'
Mantellate' Nuns, speak of her soul and of the. things which happened to her to any religious she met.
When, however, the Mother Superior told Monsignor of this, he commanded Gemma to mention these things
to no one except the Mother Superior, and Gemma as usual obeyed. This ingenuous trust in others recalls
the question she once asked Sister Julia Sestini, at the time when the Stigmata and the other sorrows of the
Passion began. 'She asked me,' said Sister Julia Sestini, 'whether spouses of Jesus could have other signs
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