Saint Gemma Galgani

Saint Gemma was born on March 12, 1878 near the town of Lucca, in Italy.  Even from her earliest childhood, she loved the gospel stories of the Passion that her mother would tell her.  She lost both her parents during her youth and was lovingly welcomed into the Giannini home, a good Christian family, fervent in the Catholic faith.

As a young woman, she consecrated herself by vow of virginity to God.  Saint Gemma was blessed with the visible presence of her guardian angel throughout her life, and she spoke with him as with a dearest friend.  She also had visions of Jesus, Our Lady, and St. Gabriel, CP.  Her intense love for Jesus Crucified prepared her to receive the great grace and gift of the stigmata--she bore the wounds of Jesus in her body.

Saint Gemma died on Holy Saturday, April 11, 1903.  She showed us how to fulfill the call to holiness in the midst of the world.

From Saint Gemma's writings:
"I wish that my heart could beat, that I could live and breathe only for Jesus.  I wish that my tongue could utter no other name than that of Jesus; that my eye could see only Jesus; that my pen could write only about Jesus, and that my thoughts could soar to nothing but Jesus. . . . Let us recall, my dear Sister, that we are disciples of this Jesus who suffered so much.  It is not enough to look at the cross, or wear it, we must carry it in the depth of our heart. . . . May it never be said that we would fail Jesus and leave him alone on the road to Calvary.  Let us stay with him, not only as far as Calvary but to the cross and death. . . . I am the fruit of your passion, Jesus, born of your wounds.  O Jesus, seek me in love; I no longer possess anything; you have stolen my heart."