In the Parish of St. Martin of Tours, in the Diocese of Rockville Centre (consigned by the Redemptorists to the diocese), the Partners in the Redemptorist Mission have faithfully continued the tradition of the annual feast in honor of St. Gerard Majella.
The Redemptorist tradition has always understood holiness as something lived close to the realities of ordinary human life. Few saints embody this conviction more vividly than St. Gerard Majella, C.Ss.R., whose quiet fidelity, tender compassion, and profound trust in God continue to touch the lives of countless people across the world. To commemorate the 300th anniversary of his birth, a Jubilee Year has been proclaimed, beginning in April 2025 and extending through April 2026.
This Jubilee Year invites us to rediscover St. Gerard not as a distant figure of the past, but as a companion in the struggles and hopes of contemporary life. As a lay Redemptorist brother, St. Gerard lived the Congregation’s missionary call not from positions of authority, but through daily fidelity and compassionate presence—remaining close to those who were wounded, overlooked, or burdened by suffering. In particular, St. Gerard has long been recognized as a powerful intercessor for couples longing for children, for women experiencing difficult pregnancies, and for families navigating infertility and loss, including the complex journey of adoption.
This pastoral legacy finds expression at St. Martin of Tours Parish, a former Redemptorist parish that was returned to the pastoral care of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in August 2019. Even after this transition, Partners in Mission have faithfully carried forward the annual feast day tradition honoring St. Gerard Majella—a testament to the enduring influence of Redemptorist spirituality beyond formal administrative structures. Through this continued presence, the Redemptorist charism of missionary accompaniment remains alive, attentive to the real hopes and struggles of families today.
Each year, St. Martin of Tours Parish celebrates a Special Feast Day Mass of St. Gerard Majella, C.Ss.R., for those seeking pregnancy, adoption, or a safe delivery. This year’s celebration took place on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the noon Mass, gathering families, couples, and individuals from across the wider Long Island community, all drawn together by shared hope and by intentions often carried quietly in their hearts. At the conclusion of Mass, those who wished were invited to remain and receive an individual blessing with the relic of St. Gerard.
In a spirit consistent with St. Gerard’s own pastoral sensitivity, participants were encouraged to share their intentions with Deacon Thomas Hennesey, a Redemptorist Associate and Redemptorist Oblate celebrating twenty-five years of diaconal ministry. Those present received prayerful accompaniment and were invited to spend time in a designated prayer space, where an icon of St. Gerard stands alongside Our Mother of Perpetual Help—an image inseparable from Redemptorist identity. Each participant received a blessed medal depicting St. Gerard and Our Mother of Perpetual Help, along with a prayer card and a brief narrative of St. Gerard’s life. Family members and friends were also invited to pray for loved ones unable to attend, reinforcing the communal dimension of intercessory prayer.
Building on this ministry, an additional opportunity for prayer, education, and accompaniment was coordinated in collaboration with the Diocese and the Gianna Center for Women’s Health and Fertility. Reflecting on this second expression of accompaniment, the following was shared about the evening:
“On November 18, the Diocese of Rockville Centre and the Gianna Center for Women’s Health and Fertility hosted a special evening in honor of married couples struggling with infertility and miscarriage. The event took place at St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church in Bellmore, New York, where Father James Mary Ritch, OP, of the Dominican Friars, celebrated Holy Mass.
Following the Mass, a married couple shared their personal journey with the Gianna Center, reflecting on their experience of infertility and the compassionate care they received. They spoke particularly of Dr. Carpentier, who accompanied them faithfully for two and a half years throughout their struggle. The couple also brought with them a relic of St. Gerard Majella from St. Martin of Tours Church in Bethpage, New York, where they had previously prayed and sought his intercession for their family. They reflected on the significance of both St. Gerard and St. Gianna Beretta Molla, and the important roles these saints played in their path through infertility and their eventual pregnancy.
Dr. Jennifer DeMarco then addressed the gathering in her role as physician lead for the Gianna Center’s Rockville Centre location. Dr. DeMarco outlined the range of services the Gianna Center offers to couples experiencing infertility and miscarriage. She also reviewed many common medical causes of infertility and discussed lifestyle changes that can positively impact the fertility of both men and women.
The evening concluded with a question-and-answer session, during which couples in attendance were able to raise concerns and topics affecting their own lives and marriages. Father James then offered individual blessings, praying over attendees and blessing them with the relics of St. Gerard Majella and St. Gianna Beretta Molla.”
Taken together, these celebrations reflect the living heart of Redemptorist spirituality: a commitment to missionary accompaniment, to remaining close to the wounded, and to honoring the dignity of human longing through compassionate presence. As the Jubilee Year continues through April 2026, both the annual feast day celebration at St. Martin of Tours and the collaborative evening with the Diocese and the Gianna Center are planned to continue next year, further deepening their pastoral reach. May St. Gerard’s gentle yet powerful witness continue to inspire communities rooted in love, understanding, and spiritual growth—and may all who seek his intercession find themselves drawn ever more deeply into the hope that comes from God alone.
Lucy Burich McNamara
Lay Missionary of the Most Holy Redeemer
