In Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), he enjoins us to embark on our Christian journey of holiness by embracing the ordinariness of everyday. Throughout his exhortation, Pope Francis calls out more than 40 saints who can assist us on our mission of Christian faith, and to teach us how to rejoice and be glad in all of life’s challenges, mysteries, and joys.
During the next 34 weeks of Ordinary Time, we will introduce you to some of the saints mentioned in Pope Francis’ encyclical. #OrdinarySaints for #OrdinaryTime #HolyOrdinary
Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu
“We can think, for example, of Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu, who offered her life for the unity of Christians.” #5 Rejoice and Be Glad
Blessed Maria (March 17, 1914 – April 23, 1929) was an Italian Roman Catholic professed religious and a professed member from the Trappists. Maria had an intense spiritual devotion to ecumenism – something for which she had offered her life – since she desired that all would become one in Jesus Christ.
Pope John Paul II referred to her in his papal encyclical Ut Unum Sint in which he said:
Praying for unity is not a matter reserved only to those who actually experience the lack of unity among Christians. In the deep personal dialogue which each of us must carry on with the Lord in prayer, concern for unity cannot be absent. …It was in order to reaffirm this duty that I set before the faithful of the Catholic Church a model which I consider exemplary, the model of a Trappistine Sister, Blessed Maria Gabriella of Unity, whom I beatified on 25 January 1983. Sister Maria Gabriella, called by her vocation to be apart from the world, devoted her life to meditation and prayer centered on chapter seventeen of Saint John’s Gospel, and offered her life for Christian unity. …The example of Sister Maria Gabriella is instructive; it helps us to understand that there are no special times, situations or places of prayer for unity. Christ’s prayer to the Father is offered as a model for everyone, always and everywhere.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Gabriella_Sagheddu
http://www.trappists.org/becoming-trappist/modern-saints/blessed-maria-gabriella-sagheddu
