Saint 2 - St. Gianna Beretta Molla


On this day, 47 years ago, St. Gianna passed from this life to the eternal.

And alongside Peter Chanel, we celebrate her feast today as well.

As a beautiful reminder to a world where, sadly, many mother's choose convenience over the life of their child, Gianna, who had complications with her pregnancy proclaimed to her doctor, “If you must decided between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child - I insist on it. Save him”

I have to do this quick, but an excerpt from her husband's memories of her:


“Many times I relive them almost as if they were the present. I still see Gianna when, on Easter morning in 1962, in the maternity ward of the Monza hospital, she took the child in her arms with great effort, she kissed her and looked at her with a sadness and an anguish that to me are the proof of her awareness that she would soon orphan her. From that day, her pain became constant. She invoked her mother to stay near her and help her because she could not make it, such was her pain. It seemed like a slow, dramatic sacrifice, accompanying that of Christ on the cross.
...
Wednesday morning it took a temporary turn for the better and she told me “Pietro, I was on the other side already and if I could tell you what I saw! One day I will. But since we were too happy with our wonderful children, full of health and grace, with all of heaven’s blessings, they sent me back here, to suffer more, because it is not right to knock at the Lord’s door without having suffered greatly.” This was the last time I was able to speak with my wife. Afterwards, she said a few more words, but for me this was her testament of joy and suffering, of devotion and faith in God.”

Visit the stgianna.org website for more information.

Hit the jump for a bio - if you have never read her story it is amazing, and you should!


From McNamara's Blog:

St. Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962)
Today marks the death of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, who was canonized in 2004. The following is taken from the Vatican website:

Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta (Milan) October 4, 1922. She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith through generous apostolic service among the youth of Catholic Action and charitable work among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. After earning degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in Pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and there after gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and poor.
While working in the field of medicine-which she considered a “mission” and practiced as such-she increased her generous service to Catholic Action, especially among the “very young” and, at the same time, expressed her joie de vivre and love of creation through skiing and mountaineering. Through her prayers and those of others, she reflected upon her vocation, which she also considered a gift from God. Having chosen the vocation of marriage, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly dedicated herself “to forming a truly Christian family”.
She became engaged to Pietro Molla and was radiant with joy and happiness during the time of their engagement, for which she thanked and praised the Lord. They were married on September 24, 1955, in the Basilica of St. Martin in Magenta, and she became a happy wife. In November 1956, to her great joy, she became the mother of Pierluigi, in December 1957 of Mariolina; in July 1959 of Laura. With simplicity and equilibrium she harmonized the demands of mother, wife, doctor and her passion for life.
In September 1961 towards the end of the second month of pregnancy, she was touched by suffering and the mystery of pain; she had developed a fibroma in her uterus. Before the required surgical operation, and conscious of the risk that her continued pregnancy brought, she pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was carrying, and entrusted herself to prayer and Providence. The life was saved, for which she thanked the Lord. She spent the seven months remaining until the birth of the child in incomparable strength of spirit and unrelenting dedication to her tasks as mother and doctor. She worried that the baby in her womb might be born in pain, and she asked God to prevent that.
A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her child: “If you must decided between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child - I insist on it. Save him”. On the morning of April 21, 1962, Gianna Emanuela was born. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you», the mother died. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. “Conscious immolation», was the phrase used by Pope Paul VI to define the act of Blessed Gianna, remembering her at the Sunday Angelus of September 23, 1973, as: “A young mother from the diocese of Milan, who, to give life to her daughter, sacrificed her own, with conscious immolation”. The Holy Father in these words clearly refers to Christ on Calvary and in the Eucharist. Gianna was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international Year of the Family.

There you have it, two great feasts, for two great saints, who to many did ridiculous things - giving their lives for a joy unseen.

'Tis a powerful reminder to us "faithful" living today, who give in so easily to convenience, or comfortability, or apathy, that what matters not is the draws of the temporal, but the joy of the eternal... They chose life, even when it meant their own death.

Be God's, brother and sisters.

2 saints for Today: Saint 1 - St. Peter Chanel


Not enough time to do these saint's justice, but I just wanted to point you to two heroes of our faith quickly.

Today is the feast day of St. Peter Chanel. He was a Marist missionary who by many accounts was not successful at what he did [at least while he was alive]. 3 years into his mission work, he found himself on the island of Futuna, having converted very, very few people to the Christian faith. The same year he arrived at Futuna, he was martyred. Some would say a very sad, unspectacular life.

This is from his eulogy, from the Office of Readings:


“Because of his labours he was often burned by the heat of the sun, and famished with hunger, and he would return home wet with perspiration and completely exhausted. Yet he always remained in good spirits, courageous and energetic, as if he were returning from a pleasure jaunt, and this would happen almost every day.
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Quietly he preached Christ and the Gospel, but there was little response. Still with invincible perseverance he pursued his missionary task on both the human and religious level, relying on the example and words of Christ: There is one who sows and another who reaps.
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On the day before his martyrdom he had said: “It does not matter if I die. Christ’s religion is so deeply rooted on this island that it cannot be destroyed by my death.”


He may have not converted many people before he died, but within a short while after his death all the natives of Futuna were baptized, and soon all of Oceania, all benefits of this martyr's blood.

Read more about St. Peter Chanel after the jump


From Catholic Online:

St. Peter Chanel
Feastday: April 28
1803 - 1841

In St. Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr (Feast day - April 28) The protomartyr of the South Seas, St. Peter Chanel was born in 1803 at Clet in the diocese of Belley, France. His intelligence and simple piety brought him to the attention of the local priest, Father Trompier, who saw to his elementary education. Entering the diocesan Seminary, Peter won the affection and the esteem of both students and professors. After his ordination he found himself in a rundown country parish and completely revitalized it in the three year span that he remained there. However, his mind was set on missionary work; so, in 1831, he joined the newly formed Society of Mary (Marists) which concentrated on missionary work at home and abroad. To his dismay, he was appointed to teach at the seminary at Belley and remained there for the next five years, diligently performing his duties.

In 1836, the Society was given the New Hebrides in the Pacific as a field for evangelization, and the jubilant St. Peter was appointed Superior of a little band of missionaries sent to proclaim the Faith to its inhabitants. On reaching their destination after an arduous ten month journey, the band split up and St. Peter went to the Island of Futuna accompanied by a laybrother and an English layman, Thomas Boog. They were at first well received by the pagans and their king Niuliki who had only recently forbidden canabalism. However, the kings jealousy and fear were aroused when the missionaries learned the language and gained the people's confidence; he realized the adoption of the Christian Faith would lead to the abolition of some of the prerogatives he enjoyed as both highpriest and sovereign.

Finally, when his own son expressed a desire to be baptized, the king's hatred erupted and he dispatched a group of his warriors to set upon the saintly head of the missionaries. Thus, on April 28, 1841, three years after his arrival, St. Peter was seized and clubbed to death by those he had come to save. And his death brought his work to completion - within five months the entire island was converted to Christianity.

Saint #2 coming up.