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Martyrs |
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| St.
Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962), |
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“Each vocation is a vocation to physical, spiritual and moral motherhood, and the preparation for this means to become ready to give life.” Gianna Beretta Molla was born to the large family of Alberto and Maria de Michelli in the Italian town of Magenta. At the age of 18 Gianna took on the job of educator of the youngest girls in the Catholic Action (CA). She revealed herself to be an energetic person, full of fire and initiative. Until her death she remained a member of CA living in its spirit: her life grounded in prayer and apostolic action towards her neighbor, especially those who are far from God. In her work she emphasized the role and the meaning of suffering and sacrifice as the way to holiness. Gianna decided to study medicine. This decision was more a response to her calling than the choice of a career: “This ( i.e. practising medicine,) is a priest-like mission! Just as a priest may touch Jesus [in Holy Communion], we doctors touch Jesus in the bodies of the sick: the poor, the young, the old, the children.” Even as a doctor Gianna Beretta never departed from her dream to become a missionary. She planned to go to Brazil where her brother, Fr. Alberto, was in the missions. He however advised her not to come, as he feared the tropical climate might be harmful to Beretta’s health. Her life reached the difficult question of “my vocation?” She prayed a lot, talked to her spiritual director and undertook a pilgrimage to Lourdes to clarify her thoughts about her vocation. Finally she realized that her happiness and mission lay in family life. In 1955 she married Peter Molla in Magenta. Both were deeply rooted in faith and saw in the grace of the sacrament of marriage the happiness of their family. After giving birth to her first three children (each pregnancy having been difficult), during her fourth pregnancy a tumour in the uterus was discovered and it would have to be removed. Being a doctor Gianna was aware of the high risk of such an operation for her unborn child. Peter Molla remembers her decision: “When the day of birth approached, she was very frank: ‘....if you have to decide between me and the child, there is no hesitation. I insist that you decide for the child. Save the child!’” On Good Friday 1962 the birthing started. On Easter Saturday, just as the Easter bells started ringing, a healthy girl was born – Gianna Emmanuela. Her mother suffered a lot during the following days and her health became worse and one week after giving birth the agony began. Beretta often repeated during her suffering: “Jesus, I love you, Jesus, I love you.” She died on April 28, 1962. On September 23, 1973 Gianna Beretta Molla was beatified by Pope Paul VI. She was called “the mother from the diocese of Mailand, who – in order to give life to her daughter – consciously sacrificed her own.” (Pope Paul VI.) On May 16, 2004 she was declared a saint by John Paul II. During the celebrations the Holy Father said, “Gianna Beretta Molla followed the example of Christ and as a holy, family mother she was heroically faithful to her comitment that she made on her wedding day.... The highest sacrifice, which was sealed by her life, testifies that only one who has the courage to surrender totally to God and his brothers, will truly find himself ... May our time, through the example of Gianna Beretta Molla, be able to discover the pure, chaste and fruitful beauty of conjugal love, which is lived as response to the divine calling!” |
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