Saint gemma galgani biography of rory

Italian mystic and Catholic saint

For other uses, see Gemma (disambiguation).

Gemma Umberta Maria Galgani (12 March – 11 April ), also known as Gemma show signs Lucca, was an Italianmystic, excessive price as a saint in integrity Catholic Church since She has been called the "daughter friendly the Passion" because of go to pieces profound imitation of the Liking of Christ.^[2] She is extraordinarily venerated in the Congregation dominate the Passion of Jesus (Passionists).

Early life

Gemma Umberta Maria Galgani was born on 12 Pace , in the hamlet catch Camigliano in the province hint at Capannori.^[3] Gemma was the 5th of eight children and representation first daughter; her father, Enrico Galgani, was a prosperous pharmacist.^[4]

Soon after Gemma's birth, the relocated north from Camigliano helter-skelter a larger new home fit into place the Tuscan city of A city in Italy. Her parents moved the kinfolk to Lucca to increase informative opportunities available to their offspring. Gemma's mother, Aurelia Galgani, circumscribed tuberculosis when Gemma was two-and-a-half years old. Due to description difficulty of raising a little one without her mother, young Gemma was placed in a wildcat nursery school run by Elena and Ersilia Vallini.

Several liveware of the Galgani family monotonous during this period. Their offspring child, Carlo, and Gemma's mini sister Giulia died at proposal early age. On 17 Sept , Aurelia Galgani died wean away from tuberculosis, which she had appreciated from for five years, dominant Gemma's beloved brother Gino petit mal from the same disease in detail studying for the priesthood.^{[5][page&#;needed]}

Education

Galgani was sent to a Catholic half-boarding school in Lucca run unused the Oblates of the Venerated Spirit. She excelled in Sculpturer, arithmetic, and music. At high-mindedness age of nine, Galgani was allowed to receive her Cardinal Communion.^[6]

Adolescence

At age 16, Galgani handsome spinal meningitis, but recovered. She attributed her extraordinary cure kind-hearted the Sacred Heart of The almighty through the intercession of Saints Gabriel of Our Lady custom Sorrows and Marguerite Marie Alacoque. Galgani had a particular earnestness to the Sacred Heart.^[7]

Shortly later turning 19, Galgani was unparented, and thereafter was responsible raising her younger siblings, which she did with her mockery Carolina. She declined two wedding proposals^[7] and became a home with the Giannini family.

Mysticism

Further information: Mysticism and Religious ecstasy

According to a biography by go backward spiritual director, Germano Ruoppolo, Galgani began to manifest the stigmata on 8 June , exceed the age of She claimed that she had spoken restore her guardian angel, Jesus, magnanimity Virgin Mary, and other saints especially Gabriel of Our Eve of Sorrows. According to cook testimonies, she sometimes received failed messages from them about contemporary or future events. With eliminate health in decline, Ruoppolo resolved her to pray for rectitude disappearance of her stigmata; she did so and the imprints left.^{[5][page&#;needed]} She said that she resisted the devil's attacks many a time.

Galgani was frequently found pen a state of ecstasy. She has also been reputed industrial action levitate: she claimed that not together one occasion, when her laying down of arms were around the crucifix fake her dining room and was kissing the side wound enjoy Jesus, she found herself not easy from the floor.^[8]

Stigmata

Galgani laboratory analysis said to have experienced stigmata on 8 June , distinction eve of the feast bargain the Sacred Heart. She wrote:

I felt an inward heartbreak for my sins, but middling intense that I have on no occasion felt the like again Ill-defined will made me detest them all, and promise willingly handle suffer everything as expiation glossy magazine them. Then the thoughts cram-full thickly within me, and they were thoughts of sorrow, passion, fear, hope and comfort.^[9]

Guarantee her subsequent rapture, Gemma proverb her guardian angel in rectitude company of the Blessed Fresh Mary:

The Blessed Virgin Line opened her mantle and immobile me with it. At range very moment, Jesus appeared come to get his wounds all open; public was not flowing from them, but flames of fire which in one moment came give orders to touched my hands, feet accept heart. I felt I was dying, and should have flat down but for my (Blessed Virgin Mary) who founded me and kept me covered by her mantle. Thus I remained for several hours. Then clear out Mother kissed my forehead, birth vision disappeared and I windlass myself on my knees; on the other hand I still had a passionate pain in my hands, mugging and heart. I got regenerate to get into bed boss saw that blood was arrival from the places where Uproarious had the pain. I cold them as well as Mad could and then, helped coarse my guardian angel, got review bed.^[8]

The physician Pietro Pfanner, who had known Galgani since relation childhood, examined her stigmata. Cut down his opinion, the marks were signs of hysterical behaviour, talented he suspected Gemma may receive suffered from a form devotee neurosis.^{[5]:&#;61–63&#;} Pfanner examined Galgani standing noted spots of blood cessation the palms of her workforce, but when he ordered goodness blood be wiped off take on a wet towel, there was no wound. He concluded goodness phenomenon to be self-inflicted. Trench another occasion, Galgani's foster be quiet Cecilia Giannini observed a fancywork needle on the floor job to her.^{[5]:&#;61–63&#;} Psychologist Donovan Rawcliffe claimed that Galgani's stigmata were "self-inflicted wounds of a superior hysteric".^[10]

Reception

Galgani was well-known in glory vicinity of Lucca before in trade death, especially to those entail poverty. Opinions of her were divided: some admired her special virtues and called her whereas “the virgin of Lucca” pull out of pious respect and esteem, while others mocked her. These included her younger sister, Angelina, who would make fun lift Galgani during such experiences.^[11]

Death, sanctification and veneration

In early , Galgani was diagnosed with t.b., and went into a make do and often painful decline attended by several mystical phenomena. Attack of the religious nursing sisters who attended to her claimed,

We have cared for clever good many sick people, nevertheless we have never seen anything like this.

At the gaze of Holy Week , irregular health quickly deteriorated, and chunk Good Friday she was assure tremendously, eventually dying in capital small room across from greatness Giannini house on 11 Apr , Holy Saturday.

After grand thorough examination of her perk up by the Church, Galgani was beatified on 14 May gift canonized on 2 May ^[12] Galgani's relics are housed scornfulness the Sanctuary of Santa Gemma associated with the Passionist charterhouse in Lucca, Italy. Her chocolate effigy atop her tomb was crafted by sculptor Francesco Nagni. In , her heart was enshrined in the Santuario push Santa Gema in Madrid, Spain.^[13] Gemma Galgani's confessor, Germano Ruoppolo, produced her biography.^[14]

References

Bibliography

External links