ST. GERARD MAJELLA – THE SAINT WHO ENTRUSTED HIMSELF TO GOD’S LOVING CARE
An envious young woman once accused St. Gerard of sexual misbehavior with another girl. His superior, St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, was notified and he investigated the accusation. Because the accusations could not be proven untrue, he summoned St. Gerard and read to him the letter with the accusations. St. Gerard said not a word, he offered no defense. Because of the gravity of the accusations, St. Alphonsus had no choice but to punish St. Gerard with restrictions and prohibitions, even prohibiting him from receiving Holy Communion. St. Gerard had made it a rule of life to never excuse himself even he was completely in the right and he had made a vow to do always the more perfect thing. To St. Gerard the more perfect thing to do in this case was to offer no defense, but to humbly accept his punishment as thought guilty as charged.
Sometime later, the young woman came to her senses and admitted she had made a mistake in falsely accusing St. Gerard and could not live with the guilt. St. Gerard was exonerated. When St. Alphonsus asked him why he did not defend himself, St Gerard pointed to the Redemptorist Rule which states: “When accused in the wrong, they will not defend themselves” (see graphic). For this reason, St. Gerard is considered the patron saint of all those falsely accused. Though we might first suffer a while, sometimes greatly, in the end the truth will never fail to set us free! Let us always follow St. Gerard’s example and entrust ourselves to God’s loving care when or if ever wrongly accused, or in every situation and circumstance of life when we might feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless, especially in trying to become pregnant, during pregnancy and childbirth and as mothers responsible for children.
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Saint Gerard is known throughout the world as a mighty intercessor for young women and mothers, especially women who are trying to conceive, have difficult pregnancies, have faced pregnancy loss, or have other special needs or prayer requests for their families.
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