Following Saint Gerard’s death unsurprisingly there were several miracles. The first of these was shortly after his internment. The Priest at Materdomini and Gerard’s former Rector, Father Goivenale was called to the bedside of a woman in labour.
The birth was going badly wrong, the woman was unbearable pain and all expected that she would soon die from her struggles. However Father Giovenale prayed with her and gave her a small picture of the deceased Gerard. The woman’s pain ceased and both she and the baby came through the birth in good health and happiness.
This was merely the beginning and during the investigations for Gerard’s Canonization he was openly referred to as ‘the little saint of happy delivery’.
He was finally beatified on January 29th 1893 by Pope Leo XIII, his canonization followed shortly afterwards on December 11, 1904 by Pope Pius X.
Saint Gerard's feast day is on October 16th. In Dundalk
in Ireland this is celebrated by a nine day Novena beginning on
the 8th and ending on the 16th itself. This consists of 10 sessions
a day beginning at 7am. Important events within the Novena are
the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation and the blessing
of babies brought to the Novena.
This is one of many celebrations around the world to the little saint of happy delivery.
