Westminster: Relics of St Gerard Majella tour

St Gerard Majella

Source: Westminster Diocese

This year is the 300th anniversary of the birth of St Gerard Majella. A lay brother, born in 1725, in Basilica, Italy, Gerard trained and worked in his father's trade as a tailor before joining the Redemptorist noviciate at Deliceto, in 1749. St Alphonsus Liguori recognised his extraordinary spirituality and ordered that he be professed early. Although he worked in ordinary jobs, as a porter and a gardener, his life was marked by a series of extraordinary phenomena, including ecstasies, bilocation, prophesies, healings and the ability to read people's hearts. He was exceptionally caring to the poor and those with troubles. Though he never became a priest, clergy and communities of nuns came to seek his advice and spiritual direction.

Gerard died of TB in 1755, when he was just 29. He was beatified in Rome on January 29, 1893, by Pope Leo XIII, and canonised less than twelve years later on December 11, 1904, by Pope Saint Pius X. Pope Pius X praised him as the patron and model of lay brothers in their humble hidden lives. Paradoxically, he was acclaimed the 'most famous wonder worker of the 18th century.'

His intercession is sought for children, unborn children, women in childbirth, mothers, expectant mothers, motherhood, falsely accused people, good confessions, lay brothers and Muro Lucano, Italy.

One miracle in particular explains why Majella became known as the special patron of mothers. A few months before his death, Gerard visited the Pirofalo family and accidentally dropped his handkerchief. One of the Pirofalo girls spotted the handkerchief moments after he'd left the house, and she ran after Gerard to return it. "Keep it," he said to her. "You may need it some day".

Years later when the girl--now a married woman--was on the verge of losing her life in childbirth, she remembered the words of the saintly lay brother. She asked for the handkerchief to be brought to her. Almost immediately the pain disappeared and she gave birth to a healthy child. This was no small feat in an era when only one out of three pregnancies resulted in a live birth, and word of the miracle spread quickly. Because of the miracles God worked through Gerard's prayers with mothers, the mothers of Italy took Gerard to their hearts and made him their patron. At the process of his beatification one witness testified that he was known as "il santo dei felice parti"- the saint of happy childbirth.

This devotion has become very popular in North America, both in the United States and Canada.

In 1977, St Gerard's Chapel in St Lucy's Church, Newark, New Jersey, was dedicated as a national shrine. Each year during the Feast days which include October 16, there are the traditional lights, music, food stands and the street procession. Devotees visit the Shrine also throughout the year to pray to and petition the help of St Gerard.

The St Gerard Majella Annual Novena takes place every year in St Josephs Church, Dundalk, Ireland.

As part of the celebrations of 300th anniversary this year, the relics of St Gerard Majella will be touring around England and Wales. In May, his relics will be visiting a number of parishes across Westminster. Dates below:

2nd May - Kilburn - Sacred Heart Of Jesus And Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church Quex Road Kilburn London NW6 4PS
Mass At 12.00 Noon

Tuesday 5th May - Southall - St Anselm Church, St Anselm's Rectory The Green Southall UBW 4BE
Mass At 09.15am

Tuesday 5th May - Enfield - Our Lady Of Mount Carmel And St George Church 45 London Road Enfield EN2 5DS
7.00pm Mass

Wednesday 6th May - Hayes - Immaculate Heart Of Mary Church Botwell House. Botwell Lane, Hayes, Middlesex B3 2AB
7.00pm Mass

Thursday 7th May - Harrow - North St John Fisher Church 80 Imperial Close, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 7LW
7.00pm Mass

Friday 8th May Marylebone - Our Lady Of The Rosary Church, 211 Old Marylebone Road, London NW1 5QT
6.30pm Mass

Saturday 9th May - Watford - Holy Rood Church Holy Rood House, Exchange Rd, Watford WD18 0PJ
11.00am Mass

Monday 11th May - Notting Hill -St Francis Of Assisi Church Pottery Lane, London, W11 4NQ
7.00pm Mass

Tuesday 12th May Willesden - Shrine Of Our Lady Of Willesden Church 1 Nicoll Rd, London NW10 9AX
7.00pm Mass

Wednesday 13th May - Tower Hill - Church Of The English Martyrs 30 Prescot St London E1 8BB
1.00pm Mass

Wednesday 13th May - Hounslow - Sts Michael and Martin Church 94 Bath Rd, Hounslow TW3 3EH
6.00pm Mass

Friday 15th - St Albans - St Alban And St Stephen Church 14-16 Beaconsfield Rd St Albans Al1 3rb
7.00pm Mass

Saturday 16th - Edmonton - St Edmund's Church 115 Hertford Rd London N9 7EN
12.00 Noon Mass