38. BITESIZE CATECHISM: ST. GERARD MAJELLA & THE RIGHT TO LIFE

 St. Gerard Majella - Feast Day October 16

APPETIZER: "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:  "You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish." (The Didache, ancient Christian document from the 2nd century) and "God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes." (Teaching of Vatican II). The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his or her origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being's right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death. (see CCC #2258-2273)

MAIN COURSE:  Our saint of the week is one who is not celebrated on the worldwide liturgical calendar but who has been extremely popular in private devotion in the USA: St. Gerard Majella. His nickname is "The Mother's Saint" because his special patronage seems to be on behalf of mothers, for those finding it difficult to conceive, for help in difficult pregnancies, and as an intercessor for the Pro-Life Movement. I myself have personally blessed many pregnant women with a first-class relic of St. Gerard and have seen amazing things. On of them even took place recently within our own parish.

It may seem odd that a male should be the saint for mothers, mothers-to-be and those wanting to become mothers. The origin comes from an incident that happened in the last months of his short life. As St. Gerard was leaving the home of his friends, the Pirofalo family, one of the daughters called after him because he had forgotten his handkerchief. In a moment of prophetic insight Gerard said: “Keep it. It will be useful to you some day.” The handkerchief was treasured as a precious souvenir of Gerard. Years later the girl to whom he had given it was in danger of death during childbirth. She remembered his words and called for the handkerchief. She began asking Gerard to pray for her from Heaven and  almost immediately the danger passed and she delivered a healthy child. This wonderful story was the beginning of devotion to and belief in the miraculous intercession of St. Gerard in favor of women who are soon to become mothers, who long to be mothers or who already are mothers.

Gerard was born the son of a tailor on April 6, 1726. He grew up about fifty miles south of Naples in Muro Lucano, Italy in a large, poor family. When St. Gerard was only 12, his father Dominic Majella passed away. Upon the death of his father, his mother, beholden to poverty, sent St. Gerard away to live with his uncle where he became an apprentice-tailor. After serving as a sewing apprentice for a couple years, he instead became a servant in the household of the bishop of Lacedonia, who was a cranky master. Upon the death of the bishop in 1745, Gerard returned home and eventually opened his own tailor shop.

Gerard discerned that God was calling him to religious life. So he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (called the Redemptorists) in 1749 and professed of his vows under the order's founder, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, in 1751.  Gerard did not have a vocation to the priesthood but to the brotherhood. A Brother is a Christian man who, like a nun makes vows and remains single, so as to dedicate his life to the service Christ and his people through various good works.  Gerard served as tailor and care-giver for the sick and became known for his extraordinary supernatural gifts of bilocation, prophecy, ecstasies, visions, and infused knowledge. His spiritual direction and advice were sought by many among the clergy and communities of nuns, to which he also gave conferences. He was most successful in bringing spiritually alienated people to Christ, and was widely known for his sanctity and charity.

In 1754, he was falsely accused of sexual impropriety by a woman named Neria Caggiano. Caggiano later admitted her charge was a lie. Until her lie was exposed, Gerard's superiors put him under surveillance and excluded him from communion for months. As St. Gerard bore this calumny with such humility and patience, Saint Alphonsus said, "Brother Gerard is a saint."  Gerard was sent to Naples soon after, but when the house was inundated by visitors wanting to see him, he was sent to a different town where he served as the doorkeeper and ministered to the poor of the town. 

St. Gerard died of tuberculosis on October 16, 1755 at the age of 29 in Caposele, Italy. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on January 29, 1893, and was canonized a saint on December 11, 1904 by Pope Saint Pius X. He is the patron saint of mothers, motherhood, expectant mothers, childbirth, children, pregnant women, unborn children, the pro-life movement, the falsely accused, good confessions, and religious brothers.

St. Gerard’s life and example should lead us to value and protect the dignity of each and every human life, from the innocent unborn to the frail, elderly and dying and everyone in between. We must cherish each child and work to ensure that they have the physical, emotional and spiritual nourishment necessary to flourish in life. St. Gerard leads us to all those in need, to an all-embracing pro-life stance, regardless of character, age, gender, race, ethnicity, social status, economic ideology, political opinion or anything else that makes us different one from another. After a child is born, it still needs loving parents who are justly remunerated for their work in order to support their family. Once born, a child still needs clean air and water and adequate and affordable nourishment, decent housing, access to health care, clothing and educational opportunity. Life is to be protected and promoted from “womb to tomb.” This is the culture of life, the civilization of love, that every Christian is commanded by Christ to help build on planet Earth.

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Quotes from St. Gerard Majella

"Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy your heart?"

"Consider the shortness of time, the length of eternity, and reflect how everything here below comes to an end and passes by. Of what use is it, then, to put your hopes in that which does not last?"

"The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible. One and the same Christ to be loved and served."

A Couple's Prayer to St. Gerard for the Gift of Parenthood

Good St. Gerard, powerful intercessor and wonder-worker, we call on you and seek your help. You know that we have not been blessed with a child and how much we desire this gift. Please present our pleas to God, from whom all life and parenthood proceed, and beseech the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier of Life to bless us with a child whom we may raise as an heir of heaven. We make our prayer through the name and the power of Jesus who is Lord forever and ever. Amen

Here is a photo of my personal First Class Relic of St. Gerard Majella. A frist-class relic if a particle of the saint's body. A  second-class relic is an item they wore or used. A third-class relic is something that has been touched to a first or second class relic.

I do not think I can count the number of unborn (now born!) children that have been blessed with it! If anyone is in need of such relic blessings please do not hesitate to ask me.

For Biblical approval for the use of items that have been touched to saints to seek miracles see our Scripture Verse to Memorize (below). 

Scripture Verse to Memorize: "People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them." (Acts 9:12)