For those of you TTC -- St. Gerard
In case you didn't know ...
Saint Gerard Majella - Patron of pregnancy, expectant mothers, childbirth, unborn children.
St. Gerard was a 18th century Redemptorist lay brother. Known for his purity and unfailing obedience, Gerard suffered significantly for a period after a a young woman who had quit the convent accused him of having an affair with a townswoman. He did not respond to the accusation and retreated into silence accepting severe penances. His accuser, fearing God's judgement later recanted and cleared him. Among his gifts it is said he could bilocate and 'read' consciences, bring to light the secrets of sinners they were to embarassed to confess.
There is only one specific reference to St. Gerard in relation to pregancy. It is the 'Handkerchief' story. As it is told, Gerard dropped his handkercheif while leaving the house of a family he was visiting. It was retrieved by a young woman who was told by Gerard as she handed it to him, that she should keep it, because one day it would be of service to her. While his comment was mysterious, she did as he said and years later as she suffered with serious complications during childbirth she remembered the handkerchief and held it to her womb, relieving the pain and allowing her to deliver a health child. The handkerchief was passed from woman to woman as each was to deliver a child and as many families kept a small portion of it, it was only a a few threads at the time of Gerard's canonization in 1904
His feast day is December 11th
Saint Gerard Majella - Patron of pregnancy, expectant mothers, childbirth, unborn children.
St. Gerard was a 18th century Redemptorist lay brother. Known for his purity and unfailing obedience, Gerard suffered significantly for a period after a a young woman who had quit the convent accused him of having an affair with a townswoman. He did not respond to the accusation and retreated into silence accepting severe penances. His accuser, fearing God's judgement later recanted and cleared him. Among his gifts it is said he could bilocate and 'read' consciences, bring to light the secrets of sinners they were to embarassed to confess.
There is only one specific reference to St. Gerard in relation to pregancy. It is the 'Handkerchief' story. As it is told, Gerard dropped his handkercheif while leaving the house of a family he was visiting. It was retrieved by a young woman who was told by Gerard as she handed it to him, that she should keep it, because one day it would be of service to her. While his comment was mysterious, she did as he said and years later as she suffered with serious complications during childbirth she remembered the handkerchief and held it to her womb, relieving the pain and allowing her to deliver a health child. The handkerchief was passed from woman to woman as each was to deliver a child and as many families kept a small portion of it, it was only a a few threads at the time of Gerard's canonization in 1904
His feast day is December 11th
