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Novena to St. Gemma Galgani

Day 4

10 min
Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Novena to St. Gemma Galgani

Opening prayer:

O St. Gemma Galgani, who loved the crucified Jesus with a heart on fire and gave your whole life to His Passion, look kindly upon me from heaven. Take my petition into your wounded hands and lay it at the feet of your beloved Lord. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 4: Victim of love

Gemma offered herself to God as a victim of love for the conversion of sinners and for the souls suffering in purgatory, begging to make up in her own flesh what was lacking in their reparation. She desired not suffering for its own sake but to console the wounded Heart of Jesus, so little loved by men. Her whole life became an oblation, poured out quietly that other souls might be saved and the Lord be loved.

O St. Gemma, who offered yourself as a victim of love to console the Heart of Jesus and save souls, obtain the conversion of hardened sinners and rest for the holy souls in purgatory, and teach me to offer my small sufferings for them. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the conversion of sinners and the holy souls in purgatory.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

St. Gemma, victim of love and friend of the suffering, obtain for me the grace I seek in this novena, if it serve God's glory and my salvation. Above all, teach me to love the Passion of Christ and to trust His will in every cross. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

About this prayer

A nine-day novena to St. Gemma Galgani, the young mystic of the Passion who bore the stigmata.

History

St. Gemma Galgani (1878–1903), the 'Flower of Lucca,' was a poor and sickly young woman who burned with love for the crucified Christ. Refused entry to the Passionist convent because of her illness, she lived as a hidden victim of love, bearing the stigmata each week and conversing intimately with her guardian angel. She died of tuberculosis on Holy Saturday at twenty-five; this novena commends our needs to her, the patroness of the suffering and the tempted.

How to pray it

Pray once each day for nine consecutive days. Begin with the Sign of the Cross and the opening prayer, prayerfully read the meditation and offer the day's intention, then conclude with an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, and the closing prayer.

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