Gianna Beretta Molla

Gianna Beretta Molla

Gianna Beretta Molla (4 October 1922 – 28 April 1962) was an Italian Roman Catholic saint, pediatrician, wife, and mother who is best known for refusing both an abortion and a hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child, despite knowing that continuing with the pregnancy could result in her death. She was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church on 16 May 2004 by Pope John Paul II.

Early Life and Education

Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta, Italy, as the tenth of thirteen children in her family. From a young age, she was deeply involved in Catholic Action, a movement of lay Catholics dedicated to living and spreading the Gospel in their daily lives. She went on to study medicine and surgery at the University of Pavia, recognizing early on her calling to help children, the elderly, and the poor. She received her medical and surgical degree in 1949, and subsequently opened a medical clinic in Mesero, near her hometown.

Career and Personal Life

Gianna Beretta Molla specialized in pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and was deeply committed to her profession, viewing it as a means to express her Catholic faith. In 1955, she married Pietro Molla, and together they had three children. Throughout her marriage, Gianna was a devoted wife and mother, balancing her family life with her demanding medical career.

Illness and Death

In 1961, during her fourth pregnancy, Gianna was diagnosed with a fibroma in her uterus. She was given three choices: an abortion, which would save her life and allow her to have more children but take the life of the child she was carrying; a complete hysterectomy, which would preserve her life but result in the death of the child she was carrying and prevent any future pregnancies; or removal of only the fibroma, with the potential of further complications that could endanger her life. Gianna opted for the removal of the fibroma, expressing her wish to save her child's life over her own.

After the operation, complications continued throughout her pregnancy, but Gianna remained steadfast in her decision to give her child every possible chance at life. On 21 April 1962, Gianna Emanuela Molla was born via Caesarean section. However, Gianna Beretta Molla developed septic peritonitis and died a week later, on 28 April 1962, at the age of 39.

Canonization

Gianna Beretta Molla was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 24 April 1994, and canonized on 16 May 2004. Her canonization process was expedited due to the miraculous healing of a Brazilian mother who prayed to Gianna Molla for intercession and recovered from a severe infection after giving birth. Saint Gianna Beretta Molla is celebrated for her heroic virtue, her professional dedication, and her profound love for life. She is often invoked as a patron saint for mothers, physicians, and unborn children.

Legacy

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla's legacy is one of love, sacrifice, and faith. Her life and choices continue to inspire many across the world, especially those within the Catholic Church, to uphold the sanctity of life at all stages. Her feast day is celebrated on 28 April, the anniversary of her death.