Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo

Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo
(Bl. Marie-Madeleine Martinengo)

Feast Day – July 27

Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo came from a prominent family of Bresica. Even as a child she took special delight in the austerities of religious life. Despite many difficulties that confronted her, she joined the daughters of St. Clare when she was only 17 years of age. The young nun soon distinguished herself by her modesty, patience, and cheerful obedience. The hours prescribed for prayer and meditation, as well as the visits to our Lord in the tabernacle, were the most delightful hours of her day.

Her sympathy for our suffering Savior was so deep that she was often found kneeling like one devoid of life. As novice mistress, and later as abbess, she guided the sisters to great sanctity by her admirable example and loving gentleness.

The fame of her sanctity caused many lay persons to appeal to her for consolation and advice. On such occasions she manifested the special gifts God had given her to encourage disheartened souls, to reconcile such as were at variance with each other, and to bring sinners back to the path of duty. Not seldom she read the innermost thoughts of others and foretold future events.

Exhausted by her labor and austerity more than by age, Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo died on July 27, 1737, in the 50th year of her saintly life. Pope Leo XIII beatified her.

Consider that it is proper to make thanksgiving after Communion, for in Holy Communion we have been favored by a distinguished Visitor. The words which were written by the Evangelist then apply to us: "This day is salvation come to this house" (Lk. 19,9). For this reason Blessed Mary Magdalen found it a trying duty to leave the house of God after Holy Communion. St Theresa says: "The moments after Holy Communion are the most precious moments of our life." Let us use them in placing our needs before our dear Lord.

from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm.

Continuously popular since it first appeared in 1977, The Incorruptibles remains the acknowledged classic on the bodies of saints that did not undergo decomposition after death. Many remained fresh and flexible for years, or even centuries. After explaining both natural and artificial mummification, the author shows that the incorruption of the saints' bodies fits neither category but rather constitutes a much greater phenomenon that is unexplained by modern science to this day. The author presents 102 canonized saints, beati, and venerables, summarizing their lives, the discovery of their incorruption, and investigations by Church and medical authorities.

The incorruptible bodies of saints are a consoling sign of Christ s victory over death, a confirmation of the dogma of the Resurrection of the Body, a sign that the Saints are still with us in the Mystical Body of Christ, and proof of the truth of the Catholic Faith—for only in the Catholic Church do we find this phenomenon. Impr. 342 pgs 33 Illus, PB.

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