A statue of St. Gerard Majella is pictured at the historic St. Mary's Church in Annapolis, Md., July 1, 2021. The 18th-century Redemptorist lay brother is the patron saint of expectant mothers and their unborn children and also is known for interceding on behalf of infertile couples. His feast is Oct. 16. (CNS photo/Bob Roller) “People get a great sense of belonging,” a Redemptorist priest told The Irish Catholic, as a triduum marking the 300th anniversary of St Gerard Majella drew strong crowds in Dundalk this week.
Fr Brendan Callanan CSsR said the celebrations, held to mark the saint’s birth in 1726, reflected a devotion that has endured locally for more than a century and continues to draw people from across the region.
“We could have up to an average of eight or 900 people at each session” during the October novena, he said, describing it as a major moment in the local Church calendar. While attendance during the triduum was smaller, it was still “four or five times what it usually is on a weekday”, with a strong turnout of parishioners and local schoolchildren.
The devotion dates back to the 1890s, when the Dundalk church was opened shortly before Gerard’s beatification. “From the start, there was great devotion to him in relation to pregnancy and giving birth safely,” Fr Callanan said, noting that the saint is widely regarded as patron of expectant mothers.
The triduum reflected on themes including trust in God, brotherhood and inspiration for young people. Fr Callanan said St Gerard’s life continues to resonate today because of his “dedication and perseverance”, as well as his prayerfulness and care for others.
Reflecting on the continued appeal of the devotion, he said such gatherings offer something increasingly needed in modern life. “In current society, where there can be so much individualism, the sense of belonging is ever more important,” he said.
He added that the community continues to support families through prayer, with people writing in to enrol loved ones in the ongoing weekly novena. “We pray with and for one another,” he said, pointing to the role of faith in sustaining families and communities.