The daughter of St. Gianna Beretta Molla traveled to North America recently to speak of her mother's legacy.
Laura Molla, accompanied by her husband Giuseppe Pannuti, visited a community outside of Toronto for the blessing of a maternity home dedicated to St. Gianna.
At the dedication, Laura described her mother as "an extraordinarily normal person who loved life and all the beautiful things of life."
Laura noted the appropriateness of St. Gianna's patronage of the maternity home, as she was a pediatrician in charge of a childcare facility from 1956-1962. She asked for her mother's intercession to protect the home and to instill "in all those who suffer her strength of soul, hope, boundless confidence in Divine Providence, courage and joy of living."
St. Gianna's confidence in God, sacrifice, and love of the Father's will was the focus of a talk the two presented at a Eucharistic Congress, sponsored by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, held September 11th and 12th at the Basilica of the (United States) National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington, D.C.
Laura described the heroic sacrifice her mother made, choosing to bring her baby to term after a tumour threatened both lives. One week after the birth of her child, Gianna died at 39 years old.
"Her gesture was an extreme act of love for life and unshakable confidence in God," explained Laura. "In this she imitated Jesus as much as a human being is able to. [...] I am certain that in Heaven up above, mother blesses us all with her marvelous smile." |
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