View source for Gerard Majella

{{Infobox Saint
|name=Saint Gerard Majella 
|birth_date={{Birth date|1726|4|6|mf=y}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1755|10|16|1726|4|6|mf=y}}
|feast_day=October 16
|venerated_in=[[Roman Catholic Church]]
|image= 
|imagesize= 
|caption= 
|birth_place=[[Muro Lucano]], [[Basilicata]], [[Kingdom of Naples]]
|death_place= [[Caposele]], [[Campania]], [[Kingdom of Naples]]
|titles=Confessor 
|beatified_date=January 29, 1893
|beatified_by=[[Pope Leo XIII]]
|canonized_date=December 11, 1904
|canonized_by=[[Pope Pius X]]
|attributes=
|patronage= Children (and unborn children in particular); childbirth; mothers (and expectant mothers in particular); motherhood; falsely accused people; good confessions; lay brothers; and Muro Lucano, Italy.<ref name="sqpn">[http://saints.sqpn.com/saintg06.htm Patron Saints Index: ''St. Gerard Majella'']</ref>
|major_shrine= Shrine of St. Gerard Majella, Materdomini, Campania
|suppressed_date=
|issues= 
}}

'''Saint Gerard Majella''' (April 6, 1726, [[Muro Lucano]], [[Basilicata]] – October 16, 1755, [[Caposele]], [[Campania]]) is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[saint]]. He is the saint whose intercession is requested for [[children]] (and unborn children in particular), [[childbirth]], mothers (and expectant mothers in particular), motherhood, falsely accused people, good confessions, lay brothers and [[Muro Lucano]], [[Italy]].

==Background==
When he was born, he was given the name Gerard. He was the son of a [[tailor]] who died when Gerard was twelve, leaving the family in [[poverty]]. His mother then sent him to her brother so that he could teach Gerard how to sew and help the business. During this time, he was abused by a man whom his uncle sent to help him. He kept silent, but soon his uncle found out and the man who taught him resigned from the job. He loved to be like Jesus Crucified and tried at all costs to suffer. He tried to join the [[Capuchin order]], but his health prevented it. He joined the [[Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer]] in 1749.<ref name="cathency">{{CathEncy|id=06467c |title =St. Gerard Majella |author =J. Magnier}}</ref> When falsely accused by a [[pregnant]] woman of being the father of her child, he retreated to silence. She later recanted and cleared him, and thus began his association as patron of all aspects of pregnancy. He was reputed to have [[bilocation]] and read consciences. His last will consisted of a small note on the door of his cell saying, "''Here the will of God is done, as God wills, and as long as God wills.''" He died on October 16, 1755 in Caposele of [[tuberculosis]]. He was aged 29.<ref name="sqpn"/>

==Veneration==
Gerard Majella was [[beatified]] in [[Rome]] on January 29, 1893, by [[Pope Leo XIII]]. He was [[canonised]] less than twelve years later on December 11, 1904, by [[Pope Saint Pius X]].<ref name="cathency"/> The [[feast day]] of Saint Gerard Majella is October 16. He was featured on an Italian 45-[[euro]] [[postage stamp]] in May 2005. The [[St. Gerard Majella Annual Novena]] takes place every year in St. Josephs Church, [[Dundalk]], Ireland. This annual nine-day novena is the biggest festival of faith in [[Ireland]].

The League of St. Gerard (Redemptorists, Clapham, London) provides spiritual support and prayers for all expectant mothers and families.

Two towns in Quebec, Canada, are named in his honour: [[Saint-Gérard-Majella, Quebec|one in the Montérégie region]] and [[L'Assomption, Quebec|another in the Lanaudière region]].

== The International Prize for poetry St. Gerard Majella ==
The ''International Prize for poetry'' is how St. Gerard Majella initiative to promote culture, the written expression of feelings and emotions that express the figure of St. Gerard Majella. To give voice to those colors that often, for a thousand reasons, remain locked within the soul of each one .... The event is 'organized by volunteer Cuorimuresi of [[Muro Lucano]], location of' [[Basilicata]]. The first edition of 2009, was attended there about a hundred participants.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

==Quotations==
Some quotations attributed to Gerard Majella include:
*''"The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible."'' 
*''"I see in my neighbor the Person of Jesus Christ."''
*''"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 to lean upon that which cannot give support?"''
*''"Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart?"''

== Further reading==

*His life story and prayers can be found at [http://www.saintgerard.com SaintGerard.com]
*Chapin, John, "A Treasury of Catholic Reading"
*Farrelly Jr, Peter, "Hope in the Handkerchief of a Saint"
*Rabenstein, Katherine, "For All The Saints"
*Karelse, Theun, "The Field Guide To Flying Saints"
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.jesus-passion.com/SAINT_GERARD_MAJELLA.pdf Saint-Omer, Edward, "Life, Virtues, Miracles of Saint Gerard Majella"]}}
*Heinegg, Peter (translator), "Saint Gerard Majella, His Writings and Spirituality" - ISBN 0-7648-0788-9

==External links==

*{{it}} [http://www.sangerardo.it/ Santuario ''San Gerardo Maiella'' - Materdomini]
*{{it}} [http://www.cuorimuresi.it/?page_id=1241 ''Premio Internazionale di poesia San Gerardo Maiella'' - Muro Lucano]
*[http://www.saintgerard.co.uk League of St Gerard]

==References==
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[[Category:1726 births]]
[[Category:1755 deaths]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic saints]]
[[Category:Italian saints]]
[[Category:Redemptorists]]
[[Category:18th-century Christian saints]]

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[[pt:São Gerardo Magela]]
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