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Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu: Apostle of Christian Unity
(1914-1939)
Each morning Catholics around the world offer their day to God. This "morning offering" comes in various forms. While most of us offer each day to God, some people offer God their lives for a particular intention. I would like to introduce you to one such person. Her name is Maria Gabriella Sagheddu. She was a Trappist nun who gave her life to the Lord for Christian Unity.
Born in 1914, Maria grew up in the eastern part of Sardinia, Italy. As a young girl, she was both generous and strong willed, but had very little interest in practicing her religion. In fact, she would often stay at home while her mother went to Church or attended Sunday vespers.
Yet grace builds upon nature. At the age of eighteen, Maria experienced a conversion of heart. Her disregard for religion and the Church came to an end and she started to immerse herself in prayer. She was often found in Church kneeling before the tabernacle adoring and loving the Eucharistic Lord.
Her initial conversion led to a deeper conversion. Maria wanted to give Jesus everything, so she decided to enter religious life. Her spiritual director recommended that she enter a contemplative community and suggested the Trappists. In October of 1935, she entered the Trappist monastery of Grottoferrata, located just south of Rome.
In the mid 1930's numerous pamphlets and leaflets were produced and distributed throughout Europe encouraging people to make novenas, say prayers and offer sacrifices for the restoration of Christian Unity. Many of these pamphlets and leaflets made their way to monasteries and convents, including Grottoferrata.
When these leaflets eventually reached Grottoferrata, the entire community participated in a novena for Christian Unity. After the novena, Our Lord spoke to Maria's heart. She went to the superior of the monastery and asked permission to offer her life to the Lord for Christian Unity. The mother superior gave her consent. That night Maria experienced severe pain in her shoulder. Her health slowly began to fail and after an initial medical examination, Maria was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Maria had always been robust and healthy, but after the life-offering she made for Christian Unity her health was broken. Shortly after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, Maria was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Resembling Our Lord who spent 40 days in the desert preparing Himself for His public ministry, Maria spent 40 days in the hospital where God purified her heart and soul. Her sufferings in the hospital were great. She endured physical pain from the treatments she received. Rather than helping her, they seemed to make her condition worse. She also suffered spiritually from the noise within the hospital, its fast-paced environment and the irreligious words and actions of those around her.
After her month long stay in the hospital, Maria returned to the monastery. Her health continued to decline and in 1939, just four years after entering Grottaferrata, Maria was called back to God to receive her Heavenly reward.
Maria gave her life for Christian Unity. Her prayers and sufferings were not in vain; rather, they were gloriously accepted by the Holy Trinity and poured out upon the Ecumenical Movement, which has grown dramatically since the 1930's.
From the time Maria entered the monastery she lived a hidden life. After her offering to God, she never looked back. She followed the light of the Holy Spirit and walked the path of faith, always trusting the Lord. By generously saying, "yes," in imitation of the Blessed Virgin, Maria became a beautiful and pleasing sacrifice to God.
During her illness and final days, Maria never uttered a complaint. Nor did she ever regret her decision to give her life to God. She was a true apostle of Christian Unity and a faithful daughter of the Church.
During the upcoming week of prayer for Christian Unity, let us remember Bl. Maria Gabriella and the sacrifice she made. Let us unite our prayers with her prayers in Heaven for greater unity amongst the various Christian denominations, but especially for the reunification between the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches.
God bless.
For more information on the life of Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu, read or visit:
Book: A Silent Herald of Unity - The Life of Maria Gabriella Sagheddu by Martha Driscoll
Website: Maria Gabriella.org