SAINT GELTRUDE COMENSOLI
SPIRITUALITY
A life nourished by the Eucharist that becomes bread for love
“...in your presence I want to live and dwell forever”, are the words with which St Gertrude summarises the essence of her spirituality: constant adoration to Jesus present in the Eucharist and in history, where she can perceive the dream of God for her life.
With a heart overflowing with love for Christ she gives herself totally to her brothers and sisters. “To love you is enough for me, and to make many souls love you”: this is how she expresses herself, wishing that everyone could experience the joy of encountering God.
She fulfils her desire to live for Jesus only in praise, in thanksgiving, in giving love where it is lacking and in caring for the weakest.
“I want to become a saint, to be a faithful image of the Crucified Christ, my Good ... another Jesus”: Jesus is for her a source of true freedom, peace and joy even in the most painful situations.
“Burning charity” towards God and the neighbours became the source and nourishment for the life of the Sacramentine Family she founded.
BIOGRAPHY
(A woman fascinated by the Eucharist, enthusiastic educator of young people)
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The Foundress of our religious family is a woman deeply incarnated in the social and religious reality of her time.
Caterina Comensoli was born in Bienno (Bs) on 18 January 1847 into a modest and deeply religious family. From an early age, she learnt to share the joys and hardships of simple people.
She feels very attracted to Jesus present in the Eucharist: she frequently goes to church where she remains in prayer, thinks about Him during the day and finds a way to receive Him 'furtively' for the first time at the age of seven.
More and more fascinated by the contemplation of the Eucharistic Mystery, she involved other girls in the foundation of a religious Institute dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration and to the education of young female workers, at that time among the most disadvantaged.
Her dream came true on 15 December 1882, in Bergamo. Under the new name of Sister Geltrude, she guided the Institute of the Sacramentine Sisters with faith and love, despite hardships and sufferings. She died on 18th February 1903.
On 26 April 2009, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed her a saint. He emphasising the relevance of her testimony said, “In a lost and often wounded society, as is ours, to today's youth who are in search of values and of a meaning to give to their existence, Saint Gertrude indicates, as a firm point of reference, the God who in the Eucharist has become a companion on our journey’.
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The stages of the recognition of her sanctity
The large attendance at Mother Gertrude's funeral is already a sign of the recognition of her holiness.
On 9 August 1926, the body was transferred from the municipal cemetery to the chapel of the Institute, where it remained on display for more than a month for the veneration of the faithful, some of whom said they had already received graces.
Two years later, the ordinary process was opened on Mother Gertrude's reputation of holiness and on the miracles, and on 26 April 1961, she was declared “Venerable” by Pope John XXIII for her «heroic virtues».
Pope John Paul II, on 1 October 1989, proclaimed her “Blessed” after recognising a miracle that had taken place in Brazil: the healing of Solano Favarin, a child who was incurably ill due to a congenital malformation.
A second miracle, the scientifically inexplicable healing in Agnosine (BS) of Vasco Ricchini, a child suffering from fulminating meningitis, enabled Pope Benedict XVI to proclaim her a “Saint” on 26 April 2009.
Santa Geltrude IN PILLS
(A saint who speaks to the heart of the humanity of all times)
For us, Sacrament Sisters, it is a great gift to be able to read texts written by our Foundress.
The freshness and spontaneity with which she addresses especially those closest to her involves us, allowing us to establish a spiritual dialogue that still challenges and stimulates our existences.
We have the fortune to have several of her letters written to bishops, spiritual directors and sisters, but we also keep in our archives notebooks with intense intimate notes, leaflets with intelligent exhortations and advice to her sisters, a short autobiography and the First Draft of the Constitutions.
We collect on this page some quotations that well express the human and spiritual richness of Saint Gertrude.
Dear sister!
Your Jesus does not cease to love you even for a moment: every instant of your life is a sign of love; and will you spend a single moment without thinking of Him, without loving Him? [...] Immerse yourself in that Heart and you will find reasons to love always.
(Exhortations and Advice)
Oh how good is our Jesus; but we must pray to him, with love, liveliness, with freedom and confidence, eh? (Letters)
I want You only: You alone in my thoughts, You alone in my words, You alone in my actions.... (Note Intime)
The graces that, in the course of my life, I received from the Lord are so many and so great that it would be impossible to describe them. He always took a loving care of me […] with special love. I was still a child, I was five years of age, when He made me feel a great desire to love Him with all my heart; (short autobiography)
All the sisters are more committed than I am to the observance of the Holy Vows, to the Rule and to Adoration; besides, they all wish to do hours of Adoration. Unity, charity and peace reign in every house; it seems incredible that in one all year I have never seen a sister angry or in a bad mood. Oh! Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! It is He who is the King of Peace, it is He who unites hearts in charity! (Letters)
My Jesus, grant me this very grace: that I may see your altar always surrounded by souls [...] Oh, yes, my love in the Blessed Sacrament. You know that I find no other consolation than to see you exposed on your throne of love!!... I ask no other grace than to love you and to make others love you!... (Note Intime)
THE MUSEUMS AND THE SANCTUARY
MUSEUM Mu.Ge.C – MOTHER HOUSE
ADDRESS
Via S. Antonino 14, 24122, Bergamo
VISITING HOURS
Book your guided tour on +39 035 247333
In the Mother House, in Bergamo, we offer you the opportunity to visit the MUGEC: Museum Geltrude Comensoli.
Here it is possible to admire testimonies of the life and spiritual experience of St. Gertrude and of our Institute: artistic and liturgical artefacts and ancient objects of common use that tell of how the Congregation from its origins and at every latitude has done its best to serve its brothers and sisters.
Films and photos from the past allow us to understand the cultural worlds our religious family has passed through to the present day.
Holiness is life and it is real life; it is life that is always new and relevant; it is life that animates, enlightens, inspires, opens to hope and stimulates to goodness. This is the message you will carry in your heart.
BIRTHPLACE OF SAINT GELTRUDE COMENSOLI
ADDRESS
Via Contrizio, 10, 25040 Bienno (BS)
VISITING HOURS
Book your guided tour on +39 0364 300335
In Bienno (BS), in the ancient and simple house where Caterina Comensoli was born and grew up, we propose a thematic itinerary to meet her as a woman of the 19th century who was able to follow an authentic path of holiness starting from the real life lived in her family.
The three floors of the house allow the visitor to experience the fundamental aspects of her experience.
The first floor, “On the Path to the Good”, narrates her birth, growth, formation and above all her choice of religious life, up to the foundation of the Institute of the Sacramentine Sisters.
The second floor, “Jesus, loving you and making others love you”, delves into the spiritual experience she lived and passed on to her sisters.
SANCTUARY DEDICATED TO ST GELTRUDE COMENSOLI
ADDRESS
Rodovia Municipal Santa Gertrudes S/N - São Bento - Morro Grande - Santa Catarina, 88925-000, Brazil
OPENING HOURS AND CELEBRATIONS TIMES
Come and pray with us!
The Sanctuary opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.
Every day, 6 pm: Celebration of the Liturgy, of the Hours and of the Word.
Every Sunday at 9 a.m.: Eucharistic Celebration.
Contact us on: +55 31 9394-3511
In Brazil, in the Pastoral Community of São Bento SC, Parish of Meleiro, there has been a Sanctuary dedicated to “Saint Gertrude” since 1989. There is also a statue of the Saint carved in wood by a sculptor from Ecuador.
The miracle that led our Foundress to be declared Blessed occurred here.
We welcome the pilgrims in an atmosphere of prayer and fraternity, we present our spirituality, we offer our listening and support.
The Sacramentine Lay People provide a valuable contribution to our work with the organisation of the activities at the Sanctuary, besides they also provide social support to families in need.
On the 18th of every month we organise a participative and engaging celebration that begins with a Holy Mass. In October we organise a 25 km pilgrimage that ends with a Eucharistic celebration and lunch.
SAINT GELTRUDE AND HER SPIRITUALITY
IN THE ARTISTS' WORK
Over the years, we have understood with increasing depth the richness of Mother Gertrude's personality, so we felt the need to make her human and spiritual story known through mediums that could better express her depth and richness.
Art has given us the opportunity to use beauty in order to narrate the human and Christian values that have emerged from the life of our Foundress.
We propose some significant artistic works to encourage the soul to lift its eyes to God, the origin of all beauty.