St. Gerard Majella: The Humble and Faithful Brother

The Catholic Church honors individuals who lived remarkable lives of faith and virtues. Others have offered their lives even to death for the cause of our faith in Jesus Christ; we call them saints. We know a good number of them and consider them as patrons of our parishes, GKKs and even in our personal Christian lives. St. Gerard Majella is one of them – a humble Redemptorist brother who desired nothing else but to do the will of God.

Born and raised in a little town south of Italy, Gerard Majella grew in faith and piety. He lost his father at the young age of twelve and assumed the role of family breadwinner by working as a tailor. With all his earnings, the young Gerard helped his family and shared what he had to the poor and offered masses for the departed.

In his prime years, Gerard witnessed mission conducted by the Redemptorist missionaries. Seeing their life and work, Gerard decided to join them in their missions and be one of them. However, the superior of the mission deemed Gerard to be physically unfit. So, when the missionaries were about to leave, his family, as suggested by the superior of the mission, locked him up in his room. Despite all the odds, this did not stifle Gerard’s willingness to be a servant of God, preaching the good news to the poor and the most abandoned in his humble ways. Gerard tied his sheets, climbed out of the window and followed the missionaries. From then on, he persevered as a humble and faithful Redemptorist brother.

His was a life well lived in prayer and humble service. Unfortunately, Gerard’s life of faith and service did not last long. On the 16th of October 1755, Gerard breathed his last at the age of 29.

St. Gerard Majella is known around the world as a wonder worker. His intercession is often sought by people who ask God for a child. Testimonies abound on how he has become instrumental in receiving grace such as the gift of bearing a child. Pregnant women seeking safe pregnancies and deliveries ask St. Gerard’s intercession. Stories of healing through the intercession of St. Gerard were also accounted. Various family and counseling centers are also dedicated to him in his honor.

May the inspiration and intercession of St. Gerard, a Redemptorist brother who aspired nothing else but to do the holy will of God, continue to guide and intercede for the increase of religious vocations in the Redemptorist brotherhood.

Know more about Gerard, our humble and faithful brother. We, the Redemptorist Community in Davao, invites the faithful to join us in the novena to St. Gerard Majella. It will be held in the Redemptorist Church, Bajada at 5:30 in the afternoon beginning this October 7 until his feast on October 16. See you! (Rey Julo Biliran, CSsR and Paolo Ray Bataller, CSsR)