Happy Feast of St. Gianna!

Today is the Feast of St. Gianna Beretta Molla who was canonized on May 16, 2004 by soon-to-be (as of Sunday!) Bl. Pope John Paul the Great.  St. Gianna is a superb example of what it means to be a holy woman of God, a wife, a mother, a doctor, a daughter, etc. 

She lived a heroic life of love and service to God and others making a gift of herself to her family, the sick and the poor.  She died in 1962 about a week after giving birth to her fourth child as a result of septic peritonitis.  It was discovered during the pregnancy that there was a tumor on her uterus and it was suggested to her that she have an abortion.  Being a doctor herself, she, of course, knew the risks, but she decided to simply have the tumor removed and carry on the pregnancy praying fervently that God would keep her child safe.  She delivered a healthy daughter on Holy Saturday.  Because of her decision to choose life she is considered the patroness of the pro-life movement. 

In the following video you can see three of her four children toward the end carrying flowers and a relic of their mother in procession: on the left is Laura, in the middle is the youngest child, Gianna (named obviously after her mother - and who also became a doctor) and on the right is Pierluigi.  St. Gianna's other daughter, Mariolina, passed away in 1964 when she was six years old. St. Gianna's husband just recently died a few months ago at the age of 97.  Can you imagine what it must have been like for her children and her husband to attend the canonization Mass?  So cool.  You can learn more about St. Gianna here. Sancta Gianna, ora pro nobis!