erard Majella, My Saint and Namesake by Alicia von Stamwitz Do you know anyone named Geraldine, Gerard, Majella—even Deena or Geri? If so, it’s likely that your friend or family member is named after a humble Redemptorist brother born nearly 300 years ago in an obscure Italian village. According to countless couples who have turned to St. Gerard Majella for help, his heavenly prayers have helped them conceive a child. Others say that St. Gerard watched over their families and kept their children safe from harm. Some adoptive parents credit St. Gerard with helping them find the very child God had destined for their loving home. Today, St. Gerard’s birthplace is no longer obscure. Each year, more than a million pilgrims visit his shrine in the mountainous region of Materdomini, Italy to thank him for favors received and pray before his tomb. Thanks to the Internet, those of us far from his homeland can pay a “virtual visit” to The Mothers’ Saint as he is popularly known, by checking out the official English-language website and Facebook Page: themotherssaint.org/ and facebook/saintgerardmajella Every day, women and men from around the world visit these online sites to post private and public intentions, light animated votive candles, pray for one another, and give thanks for answered prayers. Sometimes, grateful parents name their children after the Redemptorist saint. Intrigued by the growing number of testimonials, the Redemptorists invited St. Gerard’s online fans to share their naming stories. We present below a small selection of these stories, testifying not only to St. Gerard’s powerful intercession, but also to the unwavering faith of young couples, parents, and grandparents from all walks of life. Wherever there is a baby in danger, a mother in need, a child who is sick, or a family in distress, St. Gerard stands ready to help! Stories and Testimonials “When my mom was pregnant with me, she started hemorrhaging. She was about fifteen weeks along. She had had previous miscarriages and clearly was having one again. She pleaded with St. Gerard to save the child. She promised to name the child, boy or girl, after St. Gerard. After finding out there was still a heartbeat she considered it a miracle, and so I was named Gerri.” Gerri Ann, USA My mother asked me to send this story to you. My mother had four girls and then she was told it was impossible for her to have any more children. She tried for many years and visited many doctors, but each told her the same. After seven years she started a novena to St. Gerard and promised him that if she were to have another baby she would put Gerard to his name if it was a boy and Gerardine if it was a girl. About five weeks after finishing her novena, my mother found out she was pregnant. The doctors couldnt believe it or explain how it happened. They said it was a miracle. All in our family were over the moon. Throughout her pregnancy my mother continued to pray to St. Gerard. On the 27th of October 2003, fifteen days overdue, my mother gave birth to a healthy baby boy and called him Patrick (Paddy) Gerard. He is age 10 this October and my parents call him their miracle baby. My mother firmly believes that having my brother was through St Gerard Majellas intercession, and she will be forever thankful to him. Melissa McDonagh on behalf of her mother Julie McDonagh, Ireland My fourth baby (just six weeks old now) is Majella Catherine. The vast majority of people comment what a beautiful name it is, and it gives me the opportunity to share who St. Gerard Majella was. Of course, there are the occasional negative people too. A woman asked her name yesterday and when I told her and explained who St. Gerard was, she said, I always named mine after people I know. I dont go for these different names. To which I replied, Oh! I agree! I know St. Gerard very well. Mary Therese, USA My father was named Gerard Majella...fitting, really, since my mother had 7 daughters! Fiona Sankey, England My son is Noah Gerard. I went into labor at 18 weeks and I had to have an emergency surgery to try to carry him as long as I could. I was on complete bed rest for 14 weeks - until I delivered him at 32 weeks. He was 4lbs 7 oz and healthy! I prayed for St Gerards intercession every day faithfully, and I truly believe Noah was a miracle. Marie Sandoval, USA My husband and I had been trying to conceive for two years when I heard that St. Gerard helps couples struggling with infertility. I began praying to St. Gerard and I made a necklace with his medal. Three months later, I found out I was pregnant! We were so excited and grateful, we almost couldnt believe the news. We took 10 pregnancy tests, and they were all positive. This is truly a miracle, especially since our last pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. I am now 20 weeks pregnant—half way there! Everything in this pregnancy has been perfect. We found out we are having a boy, and we are naming him Giovanni Gerard. We are so blessed by this baby. I still cant believe that God answered our prayers! A young wife from Texas, USA My mother had trouble conceiving, so she prayed to St. Gerard. My middle name is Gerard. I might not be here today it weren’t for them prayers! Jerry, USA My mother lost her firstborn shortly after delivery. Her second born had Down Syndrome. She then turned to St. Gerard and her third born (me) was a healthy baby! Although the spelling does not match up, I was named Geralda Suzanne and I was told I was named after St. Gerard. Her fourth born, another healthy baby, was named Gerald John, again after praying to St. Gerard. I have prayed to him through my two pregnancies and for my four grandchildren and have been blessed with healthy babies! Suzanne Dartez Reed, USA Gerard Majella was my guide and support from the day I found out I was pregnant. To this day, I always carry my St Gerard medal with me. Our daughter was conceived unexpectedly and I wasnt well. St Gerard was our strength during the pregnancy and my husband and I agreed that we would be naming this child after St Gerard. Being a beautiful little girl, we named her Majella. I never miss the opportunity to spread the word about St Gerard whenever anyone comments on Majellas name. Teresa, Australia There are 10 years between my older brother and me. The reason for such a long gap between us is that my mother gave birth to three children in that time, all of who died shortly after being born. My mother decided to pray to St Gerard when she became pregnant with me, and I made it. If I had been a girl I wouldve been called Majella. Gerry Keating, USA My brother is called Gerard, because right after delivery my mother was told that there was something wrong with her baby. He was sent to Children’s Hospital to be operated on as he had no windpipe in his neck. He’s now a happily married man with three daughters of his own. Thank you, St. Gerard, for minding my baby brother! Roberta, Ireland My son is Palmer James Gerard. We had several miscarriages and St. Gerard reached out to us through a close friend. We prayed to him every night (and continue to do so) and we were blessed with a beautiful, healthy boy - and now a daughter as well. We owe so much gratitude to St. Gerard and we honor him with our sons name. Shawn Patrick, USA My son is Mark Gerard McKnight. I named him after St. Gerard because I had four miscarriages before someone gave me a St. Gerard medal to wear. She told me not to take it off, and promised that one day I would become a mother no matter what. So I wore the medal for eight years, and now I have two beautiful children. I believe St. Gerard is always with me and helped bring my children into this world. Mary, USA I am named Christina Geraldine. When my mother was pregnant with me, the doctors told her that I would not survive labor. So she prayed to St. Gerard through her whole labour while hiding in the labour ward as they wanted to stop the labour. Now my mother is no longer with me, she is an angel in heaven, but I am fine and I have always prayed to my Saint! Mrs. B., Ireland My mother had 6 children. Her last 3 pregnancies were rough. She always prayed to St. Gerard. My brother, the 6th, was born 2 months premature. He stopped breathing 3 times, and then he also had the RH factor had to have all his blood transfused. Twice. But he turned out fine and healthy. He is a miracle still and such a kind thoughtful man. John Gerald. Sarita Sweeney, USA I had lots of problems keeping a pregnancy, so a nun told me to do novenas to St Gerard and promise to name my child after St Gerard. I finally became pregnant then and managed to have a baby. Her name is Giulia-Maria Geraldine. My miracle baby! Marla Toldo, Australia I have three children. I named my second child Lorcan Gerard and my third child, a girl, I named Aoibheann Majella. Thank you, St. Gerard Majella: I don’t know what I would have done without you! Donnie Donnelly, UK With my second child I suffered hemorrhaging in the first trimester, and I was told I would miscarry the child. I prayed to St Gerard - our priest introduced me to him - and six years later our daughter Mayela (this how it was spelled in my Spanish prayer book) is our most headstrong child. St Gerard has blessed me many times. He is my BFF saint (“Best Friends Forever” saint). Andrea Ortiz Valdez, USA My baby, who just turned one year old, is named Majella Catherine after St. Gerard and St. Catherine Labouré. I have always prayed to St. Gerard and I have always loved the name Majella. I know he was with me during her delivery as it was the easiest of my four children. Mary Therese, USA My mum named me after St Gerard as she had many miscarriages and prayed on my birth to him. She believes he brought me to full term. Im proud to be named after such a wonderful Saint! Gerard Murray, Ireland My son Domenick Gerard is named after St. Gerard. I prayed the novena for many months when I was trying to conceive. In Newark, NJ, there is a national shrine to him, and I was blessed with twin boys after visiting there and pinning two dollars on his gown. A miracle! Suzanne Infantes USA My son was named Isaac Gerard. We waited for 7 years for him. The final 2 years, we went to the Saturday Novenas at Novena Church in Singapore, asking St. Gerard and Mother Mary to intercede for us. Our son was born in March of last year. Thomas Chong Kenn Szee, Singapore We named our second son after St. Gerard. After 12 years of not being able to conceive, and after adopting our first son, we did conceive and named our son Paul Gerard. We prayed for St. Gerards intercession for many years. Now we teach others about him each time we teach the Baptism class at our parish. Cristina Zakis, USA My middle name is Majella, after the man himself. I was born in September but my mum prayed to him all through her pregnancy. I would have been Gerard had I been a boy. I try to make the novena to St. Gerard Majella every year in my parish church. St. Gerard helped me through my own pregnancy 5 years ago, and I now pray now for friends and family who are expecting children or who are trying to conceive. Niamh McAlevey Ireland My grandmother had a very difficult time delivering my dad so she named him Gerard. When my son was born I wanted him to have part of my dads name, Anthony Gerard. It was fitting since I had a horrible delivery myself. But I knew St. Gerard was watching over me. Tracey Striano-Molfino, USA I was named after St. Gerard because when my mother had me she was 39 year old and back in the day, that was old to have a child! Everyone kept giving her St. Gerard medals, so I ended up with my name. I still have the medals—and my mom is in heaven now! Gerardette Mika McCarthy USA I was born on June 3, 1956 in the early morning hours. Shortly after giving birth, my mother was told that I had not survived the birth process. She was told it was over and that they would be putting her to sleep. But she prayed to St. Gerard, and when she woke up I was alive! I am so very honored to be named after St. Gerard, and I feel him in my spirit everyday. Gerard Welch, USA By Alicia von Stamwitz. Originally written for For Reality, a publication of the Redemptorists of Ireland. Reprinted with permission. Signup to receive Hope Magazine in your Email: Whats Inside this Edition: Table of Contents Journey of Peacemakers Reaching Out to the Poor Gerard Majella, My Saint and Namesake Solemn Profession of Vows Interested in helping this ministry and more? Donate today! The Redemptorists of the Denver Province ©2013 MaryPrayForUs.org | All Rights Reserved 1230 South Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231 USA 303-565-5450 | 866-788-0343 Contact Us | Join Our Newsletter | Privacy Policy
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 04:58:08 +0000
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