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 GERTRUDE

535

GERVAISE

and we feci she has here a free hantl unhampered by the deep humility which made it so repugnant for her to disclose favours personal to herself. The "Exer- cises", which are seven in number, embrace the work of the purification and sanctification of the soul from the reception of baptismal grace to the preparation for death. Her glowing language deeply impregnated with the liturgy and Scriptures exalts the soul imper- ceptibly to the heights of contemplation. When the "Legatus Divinae Pietatis" is compared with the " Liber Specialis Gratiir" of St. Mechtilde, it is evident that Gertrude is the chief, if not the onlj-, author of the latter book. Her writings are also coloured b_v tlie glowing richness of that Teutonic genius which found its most congenial expression in symbolism and alle- gory. The spirit of St. Gertrude, which is marked by freedom, breadth, and vigour, is based on the Rule of St. Benedict. Her mysticism is that of all the great contemplative workers of the Benedictine Order from St. Gregory to Blosius. Hers, in a word, is that ancient Benedictine spirituality which is simply the spirit of the Church and which Father Faber has so well depicted (.411 for Jesus, viii).

The characteristic of St. Gertrude Vpiety is her devo- tion to the Sacred Heart, the symbol of that immense charity which urged the Word to take flesh, to in- stitute the Holy Eucharist, to take on Himself our sins, and, dying on the Cross, to offer Himself as a victim and a sacrifice to the Eternal Father (Congre- gation of Rites, 3 April, 1825). Faithful to the mission entrusted to them, the superiors of Helfta appointed renowned theologians, chosen from the Dominican and Franciscan friars, to examine the works of the saint. These approved and commended them through- out. In the sixteenth century Lanspergius and Blo- sius propagated her writings. The former, who with his confrere Loher spared no pains in editing her works, also wrote a preface to them. The writings were warmly received especially' in ,Spain, and among the long list of holy and learned authorities who used and recommended her works may be mentioned: St. Teresa, who chose her as her model and guide, Yepez, the illustrious Suarez, the Discalced Carmelite Friars of France, St. Francis de Sales, M. Olier, Fr. Fabei, Dom Gueranger. The Church has inserted the name of Gertrude in the Roman Martyrology with this eulogy: "On the 17th of November, in Ciermany (the Feast) of St. Ciertrude Virgin, of the Order of St. Bene- dict, who was illustrious for the gift of revelations."

Life of St. Gertrude the Great (C. T. S., London); de Vere in The Month, 1865, III, 221; Cath. World, 1865, II, 405; Legatus Divince Pietatis, passim in Revelationes Gertrudiance ac Mechtildi- ante, I (Poitiers. 1875). Passim in St. Mechtilde, Liber Spe- cialis Gratiw; Revelations de Ste Gertrude {Paris, 1906); Ledos, Ste Gertrude (Paris, 1907); Kaulen in Kirchenlex.t s. v.; Preger, Gesch. deutsch. Mystik im Mittelalt. (Leipzig, 1893); ZiEGELBAuBR, Hist, Lit. Bened. (Vienna, 1754); Michael, Zeitschr. kath. Theol. (XXIII, 1899); Gesch. deutsch. Volkes im Miitelalter (Freiburg, 1899), II: Gueranger, Annee liturgique, le temps apres ta Pentecdte, t. VI; Eng. tr. Liturgical Year, VI. Gertrude Casanova.

Gertrude van der Oosten, Venerable, Beguine; b. at Voorburch, Holland; d. at Delft, 6 Jan., 1358. She was born of peasant parents, and was remarkable from childhood for her piety and prudence. Later, in order to gain a livelihood, she entered into service at Delft, where she likewise devoted herself to practices of piety and charity. Her surname of " van Oosten", or "of the East", is due to her custom of singing a hymn which began: " Het daghet in den Oosten", i.e., " Day breaketh in the East", the composition of which is attributed to herself. She lived devoutly in the world, spending much time in exorcises of pietv and works of charity, and finally determined lo abandon all human ties and give herself to the service of (iod. With this intent she begged, and with difficulty ob- tained, entrance into the Beguinage of Delft. Here, though not a religious, nor bound by vows, she profited by the ample opportunities afforded for the exercise of

her zeal and charity, as well as by the atmosphere of prayer and seclusion, to attain to a verj' high degree of virtue and contemplation. Gertrude evinced great de- votion to the m^'steries of the Incarnation, especially to the Sacred Passion, on which account she merited to receive on her bod)' the impression of the sacred stigmata, from which the blood flowed freely seven times a day at each of the canonical hours. Dis- tressed and alarmed at the multitude that flocked to witness such a wonder, she begged that the favour might be withdrawn, and her prayer was so far granted that the blood ceased to flow, but the marks of the sacred stigmata remained. At the same time the great spiritual consolation she had enjoyed was succeeded by drj-ness and desolation. Gertrude was favoured with the gift of prophecy, having knowledge, at the actual time, of what took place at a distance as well as of what was to happen in the future.

At length, after many years passed among the Be- guines in great fervour, austerity, and devotion, the time of her death approached. She had been wont to speak with great delight of this day, to meditate on it devoutly, and even to make it a subject of her frequent songs. She died on the feast of the Epiphany and was buried in the church of St. Hippolytus, Delft, the Be- guines having neither a church nor a cemetery of their own at the time. Her name has never been inscribed in the Roman Martyrology, though she is commemo- rated in various others, and her cultus is merely a local one. Her private dwelling is still preserved with ven- eration, and the cross before which she received the stigmata is annually exposed on the anniversary of her death.

^c/a S.S., Jan., I; Kessel in iCiVcften/cr., s. v. ; SuRius, Vitce SS., I; MS. 9364 of tlie emperor's private library. Vienna.

Gertrude Casanova.

Gervaise, Dom Francois Armand, Discalced Car- melite, b. at Paris, 1660; d. at Reclus, France, 1761. After completing his humanities with brilliant success, he joined the Discalced Carmelites, and having been nominated prior of a convent, he chanced to meet Bossuet, who recognized in him a fervent religious, a learned writer, and an eloquent orator. Anxious to embrace a more austere life, he entered La Trappe in 1695, where he became the privileged disciple of the Abb^ de Ranc#, and made his profession in 1696. In the same year Dom Zozime, who had succeeded the Abbe de Ranee after his resignation, died after a few months of administration, and de Ranee then asked the king, with the pressing recommendation of Bos- suet, for Dom Gervaise as his second successor.

Dom Gervaise had given unequivocal proofs of his religious spirit and his eloquence; these qualifications led to the hope that his appointment would be of the greatest advantage to the reform, and consequently on 20 October, 1696, he received the abbatial blessing. But his turbulent administration, which in several points was opposed to that of the Abb^ de Ranee, soon procured for him numerous enemies who to well- founded accusations added some that were baseless. Dom Gervaise yielded before the storm and tendered his resignation in 1698. Soon, however, he regretted this step and tried to withdraw his resignation, but without success. Under the abbot chosen to fill his place he left La Trappe and began his wandering life from monastery to monastery, exercising to good pur- pose his talent as a writer. His style is always well- turned and flowing, but he is reproached for being sometimes wanting both in exactitude as to his infor- mation and in polemical moderation.

We .shall mention only a few of his works: the lives of several Fathers of the Church and ecclesiastical writers ; the life of Abi-lard ; the life of Abbot Joachim, Prophet; the life of Suger; a criticism on Mar-solier's "Lifeof the Abb^de Ranee", in which he makes his own apology; finally, the history of the Reform of Cifeaux in France, a work in which he does not treat with suffi-