The Autobiography of St Gemma Galgani

Details on the Autobiography of St Gemma Galgani and how the devil tried to destroy it.

From February to May 1901, St Gemma was ordered to write a "General Confession" (Autobiography) by her Spiritual Director, Father Germanus C.P. , in order that he might be able to better direct her spiritual life. It filled 93 pages of a notebook, all hand written.
-She calls it "The notebook of my sins".

The original handwritten Autobiography still exsists, and is on display at Saints John and Paul Basilica in Rome, Italy. Gemma's beautiful handwriting is still very legible, however the remarkable thing is that each page has the appearance of having been burned.

Father Germanus (Germano) C.P., St Gemma's Spiritual Director, explains this phenomenon in his work, "The Life of St. Gemma Galgani":
"Gemma manuscript, when finished, was by my orders given to the charge of her adopted "mother", Signora Cecilia Giannini, who kept it hidden in a drawer awaiting the first opportunity of handing it to me.

Some days elapsed and Gemma thought she saw the Demon pass through the window of the room where the drawer was, laughing, then disappearing into the air.

Accustomed as she was to such apparitions, she did not think too much of it. But he (the devil) having returned shortly thereafter to molest her with a repulsive temptation, as often happened, and having failed once again, left gnashing his teeth and declaring exultantly 'War! War! Your book is in my hands!' After this, she immediately wrote to tell me. Then, owing to the obedience I gave her to disclose to her adopted mother (Cecilia Giannini -editor) everything extraordinary that happened to her, she therefore was obliged to tell her what had just occurred.

They then went together and opened the drawer, and discovered that the notebook was indeed missing. I was written to at once, and one can easily imagine my consternation at the loss of such an important treasure. But, what was to be done? I thought a great deal about it and just then, while at the tomb of Blessed Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin (now St Gabriel Possenti -editor), a fresh idea came to my mind. I resolved to exorcise the devil and thus force him to return the manuscript if he had really taken it.

With my ritual stole and holy water I went to the tomb of Blessed Gabriel and although nearly 400 miles from Lucca, I pronounced the exorcism in the regular form. God seconded my ministry and at the very same hour the notebook was restored to the place from which it had been taken several days before. But in what a state! The pages from top to bottom were all smoked and some parts were burned, as if each one had been separately exposed to strong fire. Yet, they were not so badly burned as to destroy the writing. This document, having thus passed through a hell fire, is in my hands."
(From "The Life of St. Gemma Galgani" by Father Germanus C.P., -St Gemma's Spiritual Director)
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Here is a picture of the original handwritten Autobiography that is on display at Saints John and Paul Basilica in Rome, Italy. Gemma's beautiful handwriting is still very legible.




Given the extraordinary spiritual treasure contained in the Autobiography, one can rightly understand why the Devil sought so earnestly to destroy it.

"Learn how to love"
From "The Autobiography of St. Gemma Galgani":
"....but my greatest affliction was not being able to love Jesus as I wished. I tried eagerly not to offend Him, but my bad inclination to evil was so strong that without a special grace from God I would have fallen into hell. Not knowing how to love Jesus caused me much concern, but He, in His infinite goodness, was never ashamed to humiliate me in order that He might become my Master. One evening when I was at prayer, He came to bring peace to my soul. I felt myself entirely recollected and I found myself for a second time before Jesus Crucified. He said to me "Look Daughter, and learn how to love" and He showed me His five open wounds. "Do you see this cross, these thorns, these nails, these bruises, these tears, these wounds, this blood? They are all works of love; of infinite love. Do you see how much I have loved you? Do you really want to love Me? Then first learn how to suffer. It is by suffering that one learns how to love". On seeing this, I experienced a new sorrow, and thinking of the infinite love of Jesus for us, and all the sufferings that He had undergone for our salvation, I fainted and fell to the floor, and I remained thus for several hours. All that happened to me during these times of prayer brought me such great consolation, that although they (ecstasies -editor) were prolonged for several hours, I was not at all tired. I continued to make a Holy Hour every Thursday, but sometimes it happened that it lasted until around 2:00am, because I was with Jesus, and almost always He would give me a share in the grief that He suffered in the Garden at the sight of my many sins, and those of the entire world. It was such a deep sorrow that it could well be compared to the agony of death. After all this I would experience so sweet a calm and consolation that I had to give vent to it in tears. And these tears made me taste an incomprehensible love, and increased in me the desire to love Jesus, and to suffer for Him."
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The entire Autobiography of Saint Gemma Galgani can be read here:
http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2008/11/autobiography-of-saint-gemma-galgani.html
For those interested, the "Autobiography of Saint Gemma Galgani" can be obtained from the Passionists for a $5.00 donation here:
Passionist Press
526 Monastery Place
Union City, NJ 07087
Website: http://crossplace.com/store/page18-ss2.html
Toll free phone 888-806-6606
Email: crossplace@cpprov.org


For more info on the devils attacks against St Gemma see "Satan wages war against St Gemma and tries to seperate her from her loved ones"
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"My heart, Father, is the victim of Love, and I shall soon die of love. These flames of love consume my body, as well as my heart, and I shall be reduced to ashes. Yesterday, as I drew near to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I felt myself burning so violently, that I was obliged to move away. I was burning all over; it rose even to my face. Blessed be Jesus! How does it happen that so many who are standing so close to Jesus do not burn to ashes?" -St Gemma Galgani