BORN 1922; DIED 1962 �t. Griannaia di Micheli in a middle-class home in Magenta, WIFE AND MOTHER northern Italy on October 4, 1922. Both of her FEAST DAY: APRIL 28 parents were devout Franciscan tertiaries (lay people who lived in the world according to the ODAY SUFFERING is thought to be the greatest Franciscan rule). She was the tenth of thirteen evil, to be avoided �e at all cost. Divorce,retta abor- children,�o five of whomlla died young and a sixth who Ttion, euthanasia, in-vitro fertilization, and em- died at the age of twenty-six, when Gianna was bryonic stem-cell re- fourteen. search are tolerated and The family shunned even encouraged in the the fascism of 1930s name of alleviating psy- Italy. Initially an in- chological or physical different student and suffering. Some of these in frail health during practices are seen as her high-school years, positive goods — who, Gianna began then for example, doesn’t to seek God’s plan in empathize with a child- her life. She became less couple or a person involved in the youth suffering from an incur- section of Catholic Ac- able disease? For many tion, a lay organization, married couples, the soon began excelling in solution to a bad mar- school, and developed riage is ending it. For a mastery of the piano. a woman who has been In 1942, at the height raped, the best way to of World War II, her deal with a pregnancy parents died within might seem to be ending four months of each it. For a physician car- other. One brother ing for a person facing was interned in a con- a slow death from Lou centration camp but Gehrig’s disease, eutha- survived.

nasia might seem mer- PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, OF MOLLA BERETTA GIANNA BLESSED OF SOCIETY THE OF COURTESY PHOTO Catholic Action be- ciful. But when St. Gi- came the principal ve- anna Beretta Molla was faced with a choice to either hicle for Gianna’s spiritual growth into young remove a life-threatening tumor and kill her child or womanhood, focusing on prayer, grace, and the endure suffering and possibly death, she firmly and Eucharist. For her, it was an active apostolate that deliberately chose to risk her life for the sake of her required personal witness of heroic virtue and sac- as yet unborn child. She believed that only God, the rifice. She also mapped out a career of service as a author of life, might take a life, and that preventing physician (a calling several of her siblings also fol- the grief of her husband and motherless children — lowed), completing her studies in 1949 at the age should she die — could not justify an evil act. of twenty-seven and her specialty in pediatrics two Gianna was born to Alberto Beretta and Ma- years later. As a mature adult, she had attained vi-

The Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM) grants the original purchaser (parish, local parochial institution, or individual) permission to reproduce this handout. brant good health, and be- “Without hesitation, than you loved the baby come athletic. She especial- in your womb.… It was ly loved skiing and hiking. she chose to save her child.” your complete trust in the Gianna saw herself as Lord’s providence, your a healer and went beyond her tasks as a phy- certainty in the efficacy of prayer, and your aban- sician to help troubled patients and their fami- donment to the will of God that gave you strength lies. When a patient sought an abortion or had and support.… With your decision, you offered had one, she pleaded with her to understand the the holocaust of your life. And you offered it with enormity of this action and to respect the sanc- the anguish of a wife and a mother who must leave tity of life. behind her children and family and everything Pietro Molla, an engineer, first knew Gianna dear that God had given you.… You would not as the physician whose office faced his have carried out the heroic act of saving family’s home. They married when the life of your unborn baby if you she was thirty-two, and had a had considered it an act of injus- son and two daughters within tice toward our family … You four years. Pietro was often knew very well that no one away on business trips but, could equal your mater- with live-in help, Gianna nal love in raising, edu-

continued her medical cating, and forming our

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practice. In July 1961, O children. But in your

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pregnant with her O humility, you trusted

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fourth child, she de- T E that the Lord would

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veloped a large uter- O make up for the ab-

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ine tumor. Her op- E sence of your visible S

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completely removing O Gianna’s young-

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B her uterus, very likely L est child, the one she E

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E saving her life but cer- D gave her own life to

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I A tainly killing the baby; N save, is named Gianna

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a therapeutic abortion B Emanuela in honor of E R E T and surgical removal of T her heroic mother, and A M the tumor, which might O has since grown up and L L A O allow her to have oth- F become a physician her- P H IL er children; and having as A self. Gianna Emanuela was D E L P H much of the tumor removed IA present in Rome for the can- , P EN NS as was possible while putting the YL onization of her mother by Pope VA baby at minimal risk. Without hesi- NIA John Paul II in May of 2004. In tation, she chose to save her child. After 1997, she gave a testimony in Brazil at a the birth of her daughter, she developed an abdom- family conference, and said the following prayer: inal infection unresponsive to all treatment and, af- “Dear Mom, thank you for having given me life ter seven days of intense suffering, she died. two times: when you conceived me and when you Pietro raised the four children with the help of permitted me to be born… My life seeks to be the his mother, one of his sisters, and one of Gianna’s natural continuation of your life, of your joy of liv- sisters. He suffered an additional grievous be- ing, of your enthusiasm, and it finds its full mean- reavement with the death of his oldest daughter, at ing in the engagement and dedication to whoever the age of six, two years after her mother’s death. lives in suffering. Dear Mom, intercede always for After Gianna’s death, Pietro wrote of her decision: all mothers and all families who turn to you and “You loved our three precious children no less entrust themselves to you.”

St. Gianna Beretta Molla ~ Page 2