Geltrude Comensoli
| Saint Geltrude Caterina Comensoli | |
|---|---|
| Foundress | |
| Born | January 18, 1847 Bienno, Brescia |
| Died | February 18, 1903 Bergamo, Italy |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | October 1, 1989, Vatican City Saint Peter's Basilica by John Paul II |
| Canonized | April 26, 2009, Vatican City Saint Peter's Basilica by Benedict XVI |
| Feast | February 18 |
| Attributes | holding a Monstrance, Genuflecting or Kneeling to the Blessed Sacrament |
| Patronage | Val Camonica, Youths, Relic Custos |
Saint Geltrude Caterina Comensoli, also known as Mother Geltrude (January 18, 1847 - February 18, 1903) is the Patron of Youth, Val Camonica and Relic Custodians.
Saint Gertrude was born in Italy. At the age of seven, she was unable to resist the pressing invitation of Jesus any longer. One day, in the very early morning, she wrapped herself in her mother’s black shawl and went to the nearby Saint Mary’s Church. Standing at the balustrade, she secretly made her First Communion. Caterina experienced a “heavenly” feeling and swore eternal love to Jesus. The child became more serious, meditative, and more absorbed in the thought of Jesus present in the Eucharist who, she realized, was often left alone for many days. While still young, she became an Apostle of the Eucharist: she would have liked to take Jesus present in the Holy Sacrament onto the top of a high mountain so that everyone could see and adore Him. She chose some among the girls she knew to establish the Guard of Honor. Her idol was Jesus. The motto: “Jesus, loving You and making others love You”, became the programme of her life. Attracted by a more perfect life, she left her family in 1862 and joined the convent of the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Bartolomea Capitanio in Lovere, Bergamo. Everyone had the highest hopes for her but the wonderful and mysterious ways of Providence were different. The Postulant became seriously ill and was dismissed from the Institute.
After her recovery, she left her village due to the financial situation of her family and, surely not by chance, entered into domestic service, first with Rev. G. B. Rota, parish priest of Chiari, who a few years later was to become the Bishop of Lodi, and afterwards with the Countess Fé-Vitali. These meetings and experiences were to be very important to Caterina. During the Christmas season of 1876 she reaffirmed her dedication to Jesus and wrote a very demanding way of conducting her life, to which she remained faithful.
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