In the past few weeks we have looked at the lives of Eucharistic devotees from the ranks of the clergy. This week we are going to look at the life of a saintly female religious, St. Geltrude Comensoli (1847-1903).

Geltrude Comensoli was born in Brescia, Italy, Jan. 18, 1847. She was baptized that day and given the name Caterina. From an early age she was drawn by God to pray and meditate deeply. To those who asked her what she was doing she would answer, “I am thinking.”

Caterina received her First Communion at 7. She had a “heavenly” feeling, and swore eternal love to Jesus. Caterina became more absorbed in the thought of Jesus present in the Eucharist, realizing He was often left alone for many days.

“Jesus, loving You and making others love You,” was the motto of Caterina’s life. She desired Jesus in the Holy Eucharist to be adored by all people.

In 1862, at the age of 15, Caterina joined the Sisters of Charity. Everyone had great hope for this exemplary postulant. However, she became seriously ill and was dismissed from the Institute.

Because of the financial situation in her family, Caterina had to work as a domestic servant after her recovery. She first worked for Father Rota, a parish priest who would later become the Bishop of Lodi, then she worked for the Countess F‚-Vitali.

In 1878, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Caterina made a vow of perpetual chastity. While fulfilling her duties as a domestic servant, Caterina maintained a very strong prayer life and involved herself in the religious education of the children in her parish.

With the death of her parents, Caterina was free from family responsibilities. She had the desire to found a religious institute devoted to the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. She shared her plans with the Bishop of Bergamo while he was a guest of the F‚-Vitalis, The Bishop encouraged and assured her that her plans were according to the will of God.

In 1880, at the age of 33, she travelled with the F‚-Vitalis to Rome, and she talked to Pope Leo XIII about her plans. The Pope supported her plans, and asked her to include the education of young female factory workers as part of her community’s mission.

On Dec. 15, 1882, Caterina and two of her friends began the Congregation of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament of Bergamo (the Sacramentine Sisters) with the first adoration hour of the Blessed Sacrament. On that day two years later Caterina took the name of Sister Geltrude of the Blessed Sacrament.

The life of Sister Geltrude was full of setbacks, but with God’s help she was able to make great progress on her spiritual journey.

At one point the sisters had to leave Bergamo, the birthplace of the congregation, and take refuge in Lodi. Sister Geltrude’s former employer, Father Rota, had become the Bishop of Lodi. He welcomed the sisters and, after overcoming innumerable difficulties, gave canonical recognition to the Institute Sept. 8, 1891. Mother Geltrude returned to Bergamo in 1892.

Under the leadership of Mother Geltrude, the first objective of the Institute was perpetual adoration. Sustained by a profound prayer life, the sisters reached out to the neediest.

Mother Geltrude died Feb. 18, 1903, and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI April 26, 2009.

Sister Geltrude wrote, “Jesus Christ lives in our midst to be close and ready to help us always. Love keeps Him a prisoner in the Host, hidden night and day in the holy tabernacle. He has His delight in the inaccessible light of the Father and yet delights to be with men.”