IMPORTANT FACTS:
The Beretta family,Gianna's parent’s 25th wedding anniversary,October 12, 1933.
From left, front row, Gianna, her mother, Virginia, Amalia, her father and Joseph,
and,in the top row, Ferdinand, Francis, Zita and Enrico.
She was known for her great faith in Jesus.She loved life and everything that came with it even
the sufferings she had to bear.She was a life giver to everyone and to her family.When she
was young,she knew her prayers well and loved Jesus.
the sufferings she had to bear.She was a life giver to everyone and to her family.When she
was young,she knew her prayers well and loved Jesus.
Of the 8 remaining, 4 became medical doctors; 2, priests; and the others a nun, a pharmacist,
an engineer and a pianist.
She grew up in a Catholic Family who loved and gave her proper education.Her parents love formed
her into a loving and beautiful child.She was eager to receive her first Holy Communion.At age 5,
Gianna received her first Holy Communion.She was dressed up well for Jesus.
Gianna had a big family who was filled with the Catholic Faith.Her mother led the children to
Daily Mass.They prayed the Rosary together daily as a family and consecrated their home to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Age 15,she attended an Ignatian retreat that gave an impacted in her life.That was the time she wrote
down certain resolutions for living.She resolved:
1.) To do everything for Jesus—every work,every trouble would be offered to Him.
2.) To avoid viewing movies unless they were modest and not scandalous.
3.)To die rather than commit a mortal sin.
Then Gianna prayed that the Jesus would make her understand how great is his mercy.She also
composed a prayer:
“O Jesus, I promise you to submit myself to all that you permit to happen to me;
only make me know your will.”
- Pray in the morning and evening on your knees.
- Attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion.
- Meditate every day for ten minutes and make frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
- Pray the holy rosary to ask the help of Our Lady.
In 1954 Gianna made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, to ask our Lady to guide her in her vocation.
Should she become a lay missionary in Brazil and assist her brother,Father Alberto, who was the only physician in the impoverished area of Grajaù? Or should she marry and have a family?
December 8, 1954,the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the young woman attended the first Mass of a Franciscan priest, where she met an engineer named Peter Molla. In his diary that night Peter wrote: “I feel certain I have made a good encounter. The Immaculate Mother has blessed me.” They were engaged the following April.
Having chosen the vocation of marriage,she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly
dedicated herself "to forming a truly Catholic family." They promised each other to have a proper
Catholic Family and to have constant and daily prayers even during their busy hours.They will make
time to spend with Jesus and Mary.They both desired to have Jesus and Mary in the centre of their
family as the Head who will rule and guide their family to Heaven by living a Holy Marriage.
She loved children and their family soon began to grow in a Catholic environment.Their son Pierluigi
was born in November 1956,daughter Mariolina in December 1957 and daughter Laura in July 1959.
Gianna wanted to have a big family. She and Peter had a son, Pierluigi, then two daughters,Mariolina
and Laura, followed by two miscarriages. In the summer of 1961 Gianna became pregnant with
another child.However,Gianna developed a large, painful uterine tumour that threatened her life and
the baby in her womb.The surgeon suggested that she have an abortion,in order to save her own life.
Gianna instead ask for a riskier surgery that would simply remove the tumor to protect the baby while
leaving her own life at risk.Gianna pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was
carrying, and entrusted herself to Prayer and Providence.She prayed the Rosary daily and seek
Mother Mary for help.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.
On April 21,1962,the baby was born and they named her Gianna Emmanuela. She was a healthy
baby but her mother Gianna Beretta's life was in danger.She soon contracted septic peritonits,an
infection in her abdominal cavity.
After several days of ineffective treatment and prayerful suffering,she fell into a coma on April 27
but before that Gianna had told Pietro that she wished to die at home,and in accordance with her
will,she was taken home,where she died on the Saturday in the Octave of Easter,at about
8 o’clock in the morning.
Pope John Paul II beatified Gianna in 1994,the International Year of Family.
Many saints are not formally recognized by the Church until centuries after their death.
But Gianna’s cause for canonization began within three decades after she died.The miracles
necessary for the process occurred in a relatively short period of time,so that her husband,
three surviving children and siblings were able to attend her canonization by
Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.
O Joyful St.Gianna,protector of unborn babies;protect children and babies inside the womb from
physical and spiritual harm.May the child growing in the womb;be secured by the loving hands of
Jesus.Please pray to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for pregnant mothers and their child,that they
may both grow in holiness together.St.Gianna pray also to Our Lady and ask her to guide them
in teaching the child the ways of Jesus.May children grow in knowing and loving Jesus and Mary.
Amen.
Saint Gianna,whose sufferings was surrendered to Jesus and Mary's loving care,pray for us!
baby but her mother Gianna Beretta's life was in danger.She soon contracted septic peritonits,an
infection in her abdominal cavity.
After several days of ineffective treatment and prayerful suffering,she fell into a coma on April 27
but before that Gianna had told Pietro that she wished to die at home,and in accordance with her
will,she was taken home,where she died on the Saturday in the Octave of Easter,at about
8 o’clock in the morning.
Pope John Paul II beatified Gianna in 1994,the International Year of Family.
Many saints are not formally recognized by the Church until centuries after their death.
But Gianna’s cause for canonization began within three decades after she died.The miracles
necessary for the process occurred in a relatively short period of time,so that her husband,
three surviving children and siblings were able to attend her canonization by
Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.
An Interview with Saint Gianna's Husband,Pietro...
Quotes of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla :
- It is a sin to kill in the womb.
- Why do you not succeed in doing good?It's because you do not pray enough.
- Love is the most beautiful sentiment the Lord has put into the soul of men and women.
- One earns Paradise with one's daily task.
- One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving.
- If one were to consider how much Jesus suffered,one would not commit the smallest sin.
- The stillness of prayer is the most essential condition for fruitful action.Before all else,the disciple kneels down.
- Love your children. In them you can see Baby Jesus.Pray for them a lot and every day put them under Holy Mary's protection.
- Love the Virgin Mary. She is our tender confidant in difficulty.Mary is the mother who cannot ignore our requests.
- Prayer is the search for God who is in heaven and everywhere, since He is infinite..The person who does not pray cannot live in God's grace.
- Let us love the Cross and let us remember that we are not alone in carrying it.God is helping us.And in God who is comforting us, as St. Paul says, we can do anything.
O Joyful St.Gianna,protector of unborn babies;protect children and babies inside the womb from
physical and spiritual harm.May the child growing in the womb;be secured by the loving hands of
Jesus.Please pray to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for pregnant mothers and their child,that they
may both grow in holiness together.St.Gianna pray also to Our Lady and ask her to guide them
in teaching the child the ways of Jesus.May children grow in knowing and loving Jesus and Mary.
Amen.
Saint Gianna,whose sufferings was surrendered to Jesus and Mary's loving care,pray for us!
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