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BL. PAOLA GAMBARA COSTA - 24 JANUARY

 


Paola, of noble blood, born in 1463, desired to become a nun but complied with the desire of her parents to embrace marriage. Herself and her husband Count Lodovico Antonio Costa (the Lord of Benasco) tied the knot in 1485 and the pair travelled to the small Benasco province for the ensuring celebrations. 

She endured her new husband's expensive tastes seeing it as her role to be faithful to him even if she did not live the excessive luxuries. In spring 1486 the couple visited Milan and Alessandria before setting off for Asti. The two also visited Turin where the duke received them. 

Her confessor, Father Carletti, advised her to enroll in the Third Order of Saint Francis while learning to appreciate the poor and to detest the lavishness of the secular world. Paola thus became a religious in 1491 with the permission of her husband. She often deprived herself of food in order to bring it to the sick and on one occasion took off her shoes and gave it to an old woman who walked barefoot over ice and snow during winter.

In 1488 Paola gave birth to her first and only child Giovanni Francesco and named him in honour of Francis of Assisi. Her generosity towards the poor soon annoyed her husband who reproached her for her conduct and ridiculed her in front of their servants. Count Lodovico also took a mistress and allowed her to reside in the castle in 1494 - even though his wife Paola lived there.

In 1495 her son left for Chieri for his education. Father Carletti died on April 11, 1495. She attended his funeral in Cuneo. Her husband's mistress fell ill with abdominal pains and it was Paola who comforted her and forgave her as she died. Her son, now a page, returned to his home and a grand banquet was celebrated for him.

A while later Count Lodovico became ill and Paola began to tend to him. From that time onwards he endorsed her good works and also consented to her wearing the habit of her order in public.  The two travelled to Cuneo to ask for the intercession of her former confessor Father Carletti and when her husband was healed attributed the healing to him. Count Lodovico celebrated yet another banquet in commemoration of this and undertook a pilgrimage to the priest's grave in thanksgiving with his wife at his side. Having repented of his former conduct and reconciled to God, Count Lodovico died in 1504.

On January 14, 1515 Paola was struck with an extreme fever that caused her great pain and she died on January 24, 1515 in the town of Binasco in Milan after having confessed and received the Eucharist for the final time.

Sources:
https://www.santodelgiorno.it/beata-paola-gambara-costa/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paola_Gambara_Costa
https://www.franciscanthirdorderpenitents.com/penitent-saints-who-lived-rule-of-1221

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Blessed Paola may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
































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