Saint of the Month - November 2014: Blessed Grimoaldo Santamaria

Bl. Grimoaldo Santamaria

Youthful Disciple of the Passion

Memorial: November 18th

Ferdinando Santamaria was born on May 4, 1883 in Pontecorvo, Italy; the oldest child of five siblings born to a middle class family.  From a very early age, he stood out from other children through his love of prayer and his attraction to spiritual matters.  He was highly regarded by his townsmen for his religious example and his gentle, personable demeanor.  It was also during his childhood, that the Lord confirmed his favor with Ferdinando through a miracle witnessed by his family.

It’s recorded that on one occasion, while the boy was absorbed in prayer, Ferdinando was suddenly surrounded by a radiance then levitated about a foot off the ground!  Following this remarkable event, it wasn’t a surprise to his family when the 15-year-old teen left home to enter the Passionist Congregation in their novitiate at Paliano.  There, he took the religious name of Bro. Grimoaldo of the Purification of the Virgin Mary in honor of the Blessed Mother to whom he was deeply devoted. 

The young novice rapidly progressed in sanctity by conscientiously doing all things - big and small - as perfectly as he could for the love of God.  He was professed a member of the Passionists in March 1900, at the age of 17. Grimoaldo then went on to train for the priesthood in the Passionist Seminary at Ceccano, but it wasn’t God’s will that he become a priest.  In 1902, the seminarian contracted acute meningitis, which quickly undermined the normally healthy young man.  Although every effort was being made to save him, Grimoaldo announced that he would die from the illness on November 18th of the same year.  Sadly, his prediction proved to be true - Grimoaldo was only 19-years-old when entered into his Eternal Reward.

Given his reputation for heroic virtue, the Passionists promoted Grimoaldo’s Cause for Sainthood with the enthusiastic support of his religious brethren and his family members.  After authenticating a miraculous cure attributed to his intercession, the Church proclaimed him Blessed on January 29, 1995.  

A Reflection

True devotion to Mary leads to JESUS CHRIST.

A Short Prayer

Dearest Blessed Mother, in the same way by which you led Bl. Grimoaldo Santamaria, lead us, too, on the surest and quickest path to your Divine Son, Jesus Christ.   Amen.