Pregnancy is often a time of emotional upheaval, anxiety and nervous anticipation. It can also be a time of physical discomfort sickness. But what if you discovered that along with your pregnancy you had another health issue – a tumour on your uterus.
That’s exactly the scenario that faced Gianna Molla when she was pregnant with her fourth child. The doctors gave her three options: an abortion which would save her life and allow her to have more children in future; a complete hysterectomy which would save her life but take her child’s or; remove the tumour only with a risk of further complications.
Faith-filled origins
Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta, Milan on October 4, 1922 and was always a faith-filled child. She was a diligent student and yet a generous volunteer and charity worker.
She worked hard and earned degrees in Medicine and Surgery and opened her own Medical Clinic near Magenta in 1950 and two years later she specialised in Paediatrics and thereafter gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and the poor.
Gianna saw her work as a mission and approached it as such. She was also still very active in Catholic Action and spent time in prayerful discernment of her vocation: “What is a vocation? It is a gift from God and therefore comes from God. If then it is a gift from God, it is up to us to do all in our power to know God’s will. We must go along that way, if God wills it, not forcing the door; when God wills it, how God wills it.”
Gianna had always felt a call to be a missionary and had dreamed of joining her brother, who was a missionary priest in Brazil, as a lay missionary. Unfortunately, ill health prevented this and instead she focused on her practice.
In December 1954 she met Pietro Molla, an engineer, and in April the following year they were engaged. On September 24, 1955 they were married in the Basilica of San Martino in Magenta.
Gianna and Pietro’s married was soon crowned by the blessing of Pierluigi in 1956, Maria Zita in 1957, and Laura in 1959. Following Laura’s birth, Gianna suffered two miscarriages before falling pregnant again in 1961.
Said Gianna of her family: “With God’s help and blessing we will do our best to make our new family a little Cenacle where Jesus reigns over all our affections, desires, and actions… There are only a few days to go and I feel moved at the thought of approaching and receiving the “Sacrament of Love”. We will become collaborators with God in His creation and so we will be able to give him children that love and serve him”.
After the birth of each child, Gianna donated money to the missions as a way of thanking God for the safe arrival of her child. The amount was equal to six month’s wages.
In 1961, only two months pregnant, Gianna was diagnosed as having a tumour on her uterus. Her options were bleak.
A terrible choice
Gianna, confronted with this decision was more aware of the dangers of any of these options due to her own background in medicine. But she also knew that she must preserve her child’s life, she could not terminate her pregnancy in order that she might live.
And so she decided to have the tumour removed and to continue the pregnancy. Following the removal of the tumour, Gianna suffered complications and she knew that the delivery of her baby would be a difficult one. She was clear about her wishes however, if anything should happen and a choice should be made between the two – the baby must be saved.
On April 21, 1962, which happened to be Good Friday that year, Gianna was taken to the hospital where Gianna Emanuela was born by caesarean section. Gianna continued to suffer severe pain and died of septic peritonitis (an infection in the membranes of her abdomen) a week later.
In 2004 Gianna was canonised by Pope John Paul II and became a patron saint of physicians, mothers and unborn children. This is remarkable because, Gianna was just an everyday person like you or I. A devoted mother and a qualified paediatrician who had an immense faith and trust in God who has been canonised a saint for her love of her unborn daughter.
She is an example of the vocation of motherhood; the selfless love and sacrifice mother’s make. Gianna Molla is a real woman, who made a heroic decision, and let God’s strength guide her along the way.
Originally posted 2014-08-25 22:30:47.
Wow!!
Gianna is the Saint I chose when I was confirmed (through the RCIA programme) in 2008. I feel like she was a great choice for me, a good role model and likely a good intercessor. A modern woman, educated, compassionate, family and faith focussed.
I hadn’t seen a couple of the pictures you have here on this article – nice to see them.