An Extraordinary Grace on St Gemma's Feastday

A remarkable story of a souls return to the Eucharist and Confession

Below is a email conversation that took place in the week leading up to the feast of St Gemma on May 16, 2009. It is printed here with the kind permission of the author, Mandy, for the greater glory of God and His servant, Saint Gemma.

From: mandy [deleted}@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com

Date: Wed, 13 May 2009 07:58:50 -0400

Subject: Re: St Gemma Galgani

Dear Glenn,

I am Mandy from the Philippines. My niece is in grade one at a Catholic School here in the Philippines. She once went home very excited telling me the story of Saint Gemma. I became curious of this newly heard of Saint that I read her life story. I was so facinated about her heroic life and told my niece to always call on her every time she needs some help.

A couple of days ago, while I was composing an email to the Order of Preachers to request for a relic of Blessed Margaret de Castello, she immediately asked me if she can also have the relic of Saint Gemma.

I told her yes, if God and Saint Gemma allow her to become a care taker of the Saint's relic. I reminded her to pray hard and ask Saint Gemma for what she wished for.

If I may ask... to whom should I request for a 1st class relic of Saint Gemma...Honestly I am also attracted to her heroic virtues and I made a resolution to go to confession this coming weekend.

Thanks Saint Gemma for the inspirations!

my best regards

mandy

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From: mandy [deleted]@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com Glenn Dallaire

Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 06:07:29 -0400

Subject: Re: St Gemma Galgani

Thank you very much Glenn....Your reply meant a lot to me...Thanks to Saint Gemma, she became our link and I hope to hear more from you soon.

I know, Saint Gemma has started working miracles on me...Though I am a practicing Catholic and goes to church every Sunday and holidays of obligations, I dont receive the Holy Communion for several years... that is because of pride...I dont go to confessions thinking that if I go to confession today, I will again commit sin over and over again...but reading the life of our Patroness [St Gemma], and her love for the Eucharist... its a shame if I would not follow her examples...

I would like to ask for your permission to reproduce the picture of Saint Gemma posted in you blog...I will share them to my family members, my niece's classmates and friends, my friends and relatives. I will also print her brief life story to go with the picture.

Please pray for me so that I could have the strength to encourage my friends to go to confession and receive our Lord.

God bless!

my best regards,

mandy

Saint Gemma, Pray for us!

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From: mandy [deleted]t@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com Glenn Dallaire

Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 08:16:21 -0400

Subject: Re: St Gemma photographs and Holy Communion

Dear Glenn,

Thank you very much for your message. I am excited tomorrow night.... my date with Jesus in the sacrament of reconcillation.I have already made a good examination of conscience...please pray for me...

BTW, Letters to Father [deleted] and to the Sisters in the monastery are ready and will send them on Monday morning. Please pray for our intention of having Saint Gemma's relic approved by Padre [deleted].

[Mandy is writing here of his desire to receive a relic of St Gemma -editor]

Thanks again for accomodating my emails.

my best regards,

mandy

Saint Gemma, Pray for us!

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From: mandy(deleted)@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com Glenn Dallaire

Date: Sat, 16 May 2009 08:48:18 -0400

Subject: Re: St Gemma photographs and Holy Communion

Dear Glenn

Saint Gemma really wanted me to be reconcilled with God...It was through her that my confession this afternoon was made possible.

I went to our Parish at around 1730hrs. and had my conscience examined. Joined the people in the recitation of the Holy Rosary. It was almost 1800hrs, no sign of the priest coming into the confessional room. People prayed the Regina Coeli, the anticipated mass started... still no priest coming in the confessional... I got so worried and continously ask Saint Gemma to please send a priest... couple of minutes passed... there was a priest coming over and I was so thankful....Salamat Sa Diyos! Salamat Santa Gemma! (Thank you God! Thank you Saint Gemma!)

Did you know that after my confessions... the priest told me that there was no schedule of confessions this afternoon and it was through God's mercy and grace that he was driven to the confessional room......same thing that I was driven to go to that room also.

You are right! -"Jesus anxiously waits to unite with us in Communion, so why hurt Him and deny Him what He ardently desires?"

Im very excited to recieve Jesus tomorrow morning...

Thank very much for your prayer,,,

my best regards,

mandy

Saint Gemma, Pray for us!

[Dear Reader: -Note the date [May 16] that is included with the above email. How beautiful it is to note that Mandys "meeting with Jesus" in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) was on St Gemma's feast day, that is, the evening of Saturday, May 16th. It was a present to God in honor of Gemma's feastday. God arranges everything with the help of His Saints. Dear God, how wonderful are Your works! St Gemma, pray for us! -Editor]

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From: mandy [deleted]@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com Glenn Dallaire

Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 06:47:03 -0400

Subject: Re: St Gemma photographs and Holy Communion

Dear Glenn,

I received our Lord Jesus this morning and it was indeed a great experience! With His grace, I resolve to receive Him at least once a week for the rest of my life... (My Jesus, Holy Mary my queen and mother, Saint Joseph my father, Saint Gemma my patroness I beg, please help me to carry out this vow to the end!) ........

my best regards,

mandy

Saint Gemma, Pray for us!

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From: mandy [deleted]@yahoo.com Mandy

To: gdallaire1@gmail.com Glenn Dallaire

Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:34:18 -0400

Subject: Re: How St Gemmas example inspired you

Dear Glenn,

[...]....I made my confession last May 16 and have my communion on the 17th, that's Philippine time...

...My best regards,

mandy

Santa Gemma, Ipanalangin mo kami!

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[In the email above, I asked Mandy to verify the date to be sure that the date of the grace received was indeed the feast of St Gemma, May 16th. -How wonderful are Your works, oh Lord. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints! -Editor]

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In giving his permission to publish these emails, Mandy states "If publishing my story would inspire more people to love Jesus and Saint Gemma, you could do what pleases God......May God thru the prayer of Saint Gemma inspire more people to go to the sacrament of reconcillation and receive our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Thank you. God bless. Mandy"

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"Today I have recieved Jesus, and now I posess Him entirely in my miserable soul. In such moments my heart and the Heart of Jesus are one. Oh, if only I could make it remain so always! It would mean that I would not commit anymore sins. Oh, what precious moments are those at Holy Communion! Communion is a happiness, Father, that seems to me cannot be equalled even by the beatitude of the Saints and Angels. They admire the face of Jesus, and are certain of not comitting sin or of being lost; and I admire those two things, and I should like to be of their company, but I too have reason for exaulting, for Jesus enters everyday into my heart. Jesus gives me all of Himself, though I give Him nothing worthy in return. I always ask Him for so many things, and to tell the truth, I am afraid of wearying Him, but He says no and not to worry. Blessed be Jesus!" -St Gemma Galgani