Blessed Gianna Molla - She Gave Her Life That Her Child Might Live
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...Tim Drake
Can you imagine a saint so recent that her husband and children attended her beatification? Can you imagine a saint so contemporary that color photographs, her wedding dress, and a home movie of her wedding still exist? Can you imagine a saint so devoted that she gave selflessly of herself to the end?
Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla, the devoted Italian wife, mother and physician who gave her own life for that of the daughter within her womb, is such a saint.
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Born near Milan, Italy on October 4, 1922, Gianna was the thirteen children born to Alberto and Maria Beretta. Gianna’s childhood was remarkable for her works of charity and her participation in Catholic Action and St. Vicent de Paul Society. At age 15, after a course of spiritual exercises, Gianna prophetically wrote, “I promise You, Jesus, to submit myself to all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your Will.”
Gianna obtained a medical degree in surgery from the University of Pavia and three years later received her certification in pediatrics. After medical school in June 1954, while discerning her vocation, Gianna traveled to Lourdes, France. During the trip, she asked the Blessed Mother whether she should marry or travel to Brazil as a doctor, where her brother had established a hospital. She wrote, “I went to Lourdes to ask our Lady what to do: go to the missions or marry? I reached home and Pietro came in!.”
Gianna had met Pietro Molla, and engineer through Catholic Action and was struck by his apostolic spirit, but it was not until after Gianna’s to Lourdes that she realized she was in love with him. The married in February 20, 1955 and blessed with three children Pieluigi (1956), Mariolina (1957), and Laura (1959).
A Life and Death Situation
After two miscarriages, she became pregnant with her last child in 1961. Two months into her pregnancy she develop a painful uterine tumor that threatened both her life and the life of her developing child.
Gianna and Pietro were faced with three choices: removing the tumor and terminating the pregnancy and all hope for future pregnancy; removing the tumor and terminating the pregnancy but leaving open the possibility for future pregnancies; or removing the the tumor in such a way that it would not interrupt the pregnancy but would put Gianna’s life in grave danger.
Pietro recalls that Gianna chose the third solution. “She did it through charity and maternal responsibility, and great respect she had for the child in her womb, “ says Pietro. On September 6, 1961, Gianna underwent surgery to remove the large uterine tumor that was causing her pain and pressing on the baby in the womb. She stated: “Yes, I have prayed so much in these days. With faith and hope I have entrusted myself to the Lord… I trust in god, yes. But now it is up to me to fulfill my duty as a mother. I renew to the Lord the offer of my life. I am ready for everything to save my baby.”
Carrying the child to full term, Gianna antered Monza Maternity Hospital on Good Friday, 1962. She told Pietro, “If you must choose between me and the baby, let there be no hesitation: choose – I demand it – the baby.” A daughter, Gianna Emmanuela was born on Holy Saturday. Pietro remembered that on Easter Sunday, Gianna took the baby in her arms and kissed her, gazing at her with a sadness and suffering, which was the proof of her awareness that she would be leaving her withou a mother.” For the next seven days Gianna suffered constant pain, offering it up to Christ. In the early hours of April 28, 1962, she was brought home and died of septic peritonitis at age 39.
Gianna is Declared Blessed
On Christmas Eve, 1962, Gianna received a posthumous award from the province of Milan. Cardinal Montini was in attendance at that ceremony and took an inerest in her case. A few month later, Cardinal Montini became Pope Paul VI.
In the spring of 1970 that Bishop Carlo Colombo asked for Pietro’s consent to promote Gianna’s beatification cause, thus beginning the official beatification process. The officially recognized miracle for her beatification tokk place in 1977.
On Mother’s Day in 1994, the Year of the Family, Pope John Paul II beatified Gianna Beretta Molla in the presence of her husband, siblings and children. He propsed her as a model for all mothers. Blessed Gianna’s daughter, Gianna Emmanuela, herself a medical docotr, gave the following testimony during the 2nd International Celebration of the family in 1997.
“Dear mom, thank you for having given me life two times: when you conceived me and when you permitted me to be born…My life seeks to be the natural continuation of your life, of your joy of living, of your enthusiasm… Dear mom, intercede always for all mothers and allfamilies who turn to you and entrust themselves to you. "
Reportedly, her words brought tears to Pope John Paul II.
(Source: Celebrate Life January February 2000 issue.)
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