St. Lidwina's Suffering

St. Lidwina's, who lived from 1380 to 1433 in the Netherlands suffered from a medical condition that historians believe, was the first known case of multiple sclerosis. She fell while ice skating when she was fifteen years old, breaking a rib. St. Lidwina never recovered from the fall and her condition got progressively worse. She eventually became an invalid and was paralyzed for the rest of her life.

St. Lidwina of Schiedam suffered constantly from her disease. The more pain she had, the more spiritual gifts God bestowed upon her. She prayed often and was able to be in two places at the same time. At one time, Jesus asked her to come to him at Golgotha. St. Lidwina replied, "O Savior, I am ready to accompany you to that mountain and to suffer and die there with you."

The account by J.K.Huysmans in 1923 says, "He took her with Him and when she returned to her bed, which corporeally she had never left, they saw ulcers on her lips, wounds on her arms, the marks of thorns on her forehead and splinters on her limbs, which exhaled a very pronounced perfume of spices."

Patron Saint Lidwina

Because of her thirty-eight years of unbearable suffering and her skating accident, Saint Lidwina was named the patron saint of many sicknesses. Many Catholics who suffer from illness or enjoy skating of any kind, wear a St. Lidwina medal or a St. Lidwina charm asking her to safeguard them from harm and pain.

* Against sickness
* Against ailments of the body
* Ice skating
* Ice skaters
* Prolonged suffering
* Roller skating
* Sick people

St. Lidwina Prayer for Sufferers

Dear Lord Jesus,
Please be merciful to those who suffer from incurable diseases. Give them the strength and faith of your servant St. Lidwina of Schiedam who suffered daily for thirty-eight years, yet remained true to you Dear Lord.
May the courage and endurance of St. Lidwina offer those who suffer the inspiration and the belief that they will be with You in peace and love, forever in paradise. Amen.