St. Gertrude

In the mid-13^th century, St. Gertrude entered the world at the height of the Middle Ages, the Black Plague, and great turmoil within her church. She was born in Saxony in a small town that is nestled in the gentle German countryside. At about the same time that St. Francis of Assisi was converting the rich by walking barefoot through the high mountains of Italy and donning the leper's coat in lieu of the fashionable textiles created by his locally famous father, a silent nun in Germany was living the strict Rule of St. Benedict, so that she might be able to pray the poor souls of purgatory on to heaven.

There is little known about the family life of St. Gertrude. For all we know, she could easily have been an orphan, as no record of her having parents, for any significant amount of her life, has ever existed. She came to live in a monastery when she was only five years old. However, she could easily just have had poor parents, unable to care for her, who are simply no longer remembered. Either way, the stock she came from was nowhere near the fame of her contemporary in Italy, who was busy helping Italian Catholics visualize the Way of the Cross. Francis' father was a wealthy textile merchant, and his mother was well-respected throughout the region. However, Gertrude simply was. We know she was born. We know she died. We know that, in between, she dedicated her life to one of the most austere orders within the Roman Catholic Church. She became a Benedictine nun and spent her days in silence, fasting, praying, kissing her scapular, making regular prostrations and venias (a very physical form of prayer and bowing), and dedicating herself to the constant and regimented study of sacred truth and Scripture. She took vows of abstinence, wore her habit from the moment she was received into the convent until the day she died, and felt the internal and compelling tug to focus her life on death.

Purgatory is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as being, "purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven," which is experienced by those "who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified" (CCC 1030). It notes that "this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1031). Gertrude made it her mission to pray for these souls.

Always, there are attributes that we can learn from each Saint. After all, these mere humans become Saints for a reason. Gertrude's life can inspire our faith life in some very practical ways:

1) Charm and Hospitality: From an early age, St. Gertrude is described as having been extremely charming and had the ability to win the hearts of even the hardest skeptics simply by loving them and accepting them for who they were. She allowed people to be people, and enjoyed their quirks and imperfections along with all their commendable traits. She was said to have had a worthy sense of humor that inspired all those around her. Gertrude was not a knuckle-cracking nun. She was the kind who gave you warm hugs and remembered your name.

2) Friendship: St. Gertrude understood the need for deep personal interconnections. Early on in her ministry, she formed a tight female bond with her assistant and confidant, St. Mechtilde, who would go on later to write Gertrude's biography. Gertrude once noted that she was able to share even her deepest thoughts with this best of friends. Life in the convent was not always easy. Such is the nature of the religious life, but unlike a lot of religious who have not gone on to become Saints, Gertrude had a friend with whom she shared the life she did not always share with others. They were truly sisters.

3) A Written History: Gertrude was a prolific writer, and she began journaling and keeping diaries very early on in her life as a nun. She, also, wrote many published works, but only three have survived: Legatus Divinae Pietatis, Exercises of St. Gertrude, and Liber Specialis Gratiae of St. Mechtilde. She wrote constantly, documenting her thoughts, her prayers, and her divine visions. Her works are not only a testament to her enduring faith, but also to what was happening to the common man during these years in Saxony. She kept a written history of the struggles and triumphs of Sainthood. Her words are a lesson and an encouragement to us today.

4) Abandoned the Unimportant: Gertrude was an eternal student. She spent about half her time serving her community and the other half of her time reading Sacred Scripture and studying the written works of the Church. She had always had a deep interest in study and education, but the more she studied Sacred Scripture, the more she realized that her life required that she spend her time reading and focusing on what was important rather than what was profane and what could lead her heart away from the things of God. This gave her a discipline that the sisters around her began to notice and desire for themselves. Quickly, her fasting of all that did not edify, encouraged the faith of those around her and began a trend of serving God in all areas of life, even in the materials and works of literature that is brought into the mind.

5) Skilled Prayer: As part of her Benedictine order, Gertrude naturally had a set of Rules that she adhered to on a daily basis, but she also developed the most important aspect of her Christian faith daily. She spent many hours each day in silent prayer, seeking the will of God in all matters. She became very skilled at hearing and recognizing the still, small voice of God in everything. Eventually, this diligence manifested in what Gertrude called "visions" and she has been documented as prophesying correctly over many who came seeking her aid, and God's direction. Many claimed to have been healed from her prayers over them, and she became known as a nun whose prayers for healing were heard by God. The sick and wounded sought her often.

6) Recognized Emptiness: Gertrude spent daily time before the Blessed Sacrament and lived a life dedicated to Christ through all the Sacraments. She did not approach God or the Church only when she needed something. She was dedicated to Christ in every aspect of her life, with every movement of her being. Though, she was humble and would openly admit her own human failings and weaknesses. She wrote about being thankful for the sense of emptiness that came to her whenever she was away from God's Presence in the Eucharist. It reminded her of why she had become a nun, and what it meant to be a Catholic Christian. To be without the Eucharist, is to be without the fullness of the Gospel, and St. Gertrude wanted nothing less than God's Presence fully, and at all times. It was difficult for her, sometimes, to leave the sanctuary. Though, her love for people did draw her out into the world quite often until the day she died.

7) Charity: Gertrude was extremely giving and sacrificial, holding back no love or affection for the people of her community and those who came seeking her help. It was said of her that she loved everyone equally - rich or poor, learned or ignorant, Christian or non-believer. If you came to St. Gertrude with a need, she would fill it any way she could and with great joy. God first, and His creation next. This was how St. Gertrude lived her life. Serving both as commanded and with great love and compassion.

8) Poor Souls: Eventually, Gertrude became deeply concerned for the souls in Purgatory -not because she feared they'd fall to hell. Scripture is clear that this does not happen, and Gertrude did not believe that either, but because she wanted that every soul to allow itself the opportunity to accept God's love fully. This is the purpose of Purgatory, the true reason for the refining fire - to be cleansed of all imperfections and to be made perfect to live eternally in God's presence and to accept His love completely. St. Gertrude prayed diligently that each soul would know the face of Christ Eternal as soon as possible.

Shortly after her death, the King of Spain made her the Patroness of the West Indies. Her feast day is the 16th of November. Today, her prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory is the most commonly recited prayer for those who have died. We can learn much from the life of every Saint, but St. Gertrude is a very special case indeed.

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great:

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen.