St Gerard Majella, known as the Mothers’ Saint, was an Italian Redemptorist lay brother whose prayers led to the miraculous healing of a mother in a high risk childbirth. He is patron saint of expectant mothers, women in childbirth, children, unborn children, mothers, and motherhood.
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Who Is St Gerard Majella?
St Gerard Majella, “the Mothers’ Saint”, was an Italian Redemptorist lay brother whose intercession led to the miraculous healing of a mother near death from childbirth.
Gerard Majella was born in 1726 in Muro, Italy to a large but poor family.
His father died when he was twelve years old, and his mother sent him to his uncle to learn to be a tailor like his father was.
Gerard was devout as a young man and eventually worked for the bishop of Lacedonia. He fasted and prayed constantly and gave generously to the poor.
He wanted to be a Franciscan (Capuchin), but they rejected his application due to his poor health.
He persevered, and at age 23 he joined the Redemptorist as a lay brother.
As a Redemptorist, he did many different jobs, whatever was needed, no matter how humble.
God gave him miraculous gifts of levitation, bilocation, and the gift of reading souls.
Near the end of his life, he dropped his handkerchief and a girl picked it up. She tried to return it to Gerard, but he told her to keep it because she may need it some day.
Years after Gerard’s death, the girl grew up, got married, and became pregnant, but she went into early, painful labor and her baby’s life was in danger.
She begged for Gerard’s handkerchief to be given to her, and when it was, her pain subsided and the baby was born healthy.
Gerard had died on October 16, 1755 at the age of 29. He had lived for six years a Redemptorist lay brother.
Because of the countless miracles people received through Gerard’s prayers, the Church began the canonization process soon after his death.
Pope Leo XIII beatified him in 1893, and Pope Pius X canonized him as a saint on December 11, 1904.
St Gerard is the patron saint of expectant mothers, women in childbirth, children, unborn children, mothers, motherhood, falsely accused people, good confessions, lay brothers and Muro Lucano, Italy.