Last night, I was sharing about my cousin, who found out when she was two month pregnant that she has breast cancer, to a friend and I thought about St. Gianna.
I have been to Magenta Italy and visited the tomb of St. Gianna. I even have a niece who is named after this wonderful woman. A simple woman who was a wife, mother and doctor. I'm sure that she would have never imagined the inspiration her life would be to the world. She did the most natural thing that mothers do- she sacraficed herself for her child. Gianna sacraficed everything for her child. She gave her own life so that her daughter would live.
My cousin, Bre, has fought this cancer that has been attacking her body and she has given birth to a beautiful baby girl. I admire both these women so much! The week I lost my own little angel, Paul Joshua, was when my cousin found out about the cancer. We prayed to both my P.J. and St. Gianna for her healing and the protection for both mama and baby. Now we are continuing to pray for Bre's healing. I ask that you join us in praying for her.
I love these picture of Bre and her miracle baby. Please check out the website that was created for them. There are great pictures at the bottom of the page. http://www.brestrong.giving.officelive.com/
Also, if you do not know much about St. Gianna, look her up. There are beautiful books and dvds about her. I loved reading the book of love letters that she wrote to her husband before they were married.
While engaged to Pietro Molla, Gianna wrote to him while reflecting on their vocation to marriage: “With God’s help and blessing, we will do all we can to make our new family a little cenacle where Jesus will reign over all our affections, desires and actions. … We will be working with God in His creation; in this way we can give Him children who will love Him and serve Him”.
Love it!!!!!
PRAYER COMPOSED BY SAINT GIANNA
Jesus, I promised You to submit myself to all that You permit to befall me, make me only know Your will. My most sweet Jesus, infinitely merciful God, most tender Father of souls, and in a particular way of the most weak, most miserable, most infirm which You carry with special tenderness between Your divine arms, I come to You to ask You, through the love and merits of Your Sacred Heart, the grace to comprehend and to do always Your holy will, the grace to confide in You, the grace to rest securely through time and eternity in Your loving divine arms."
SOURCE: Una Santa Della Quotidianita
Jesus, I promised You to submit myself to all that You permit to befall me, make me only know Your will. My most sweet Jesus, infinitely merciful God, most tender Father of souls, and in a particular way of the most weak, most miserable, most infirm which You carry with special tenderness between Your divine arms, I come to You to ask You, through the love and merits of Your Sacred Heart, the grace to comprehend and to do always Your holy will, the grace to confide in You, the grace to rest securely through time and eternity in Your loving divine arms."
SOURCE: Una Santa Della Quotidianita
St. Gianna, pray for us!
1 comment:
I love the love and life of St. Gianna. There is a common misconception, though. She is a hero because of her WILLINGNESS To offer her life to save her baby---but she did not actually die from the cyst. Most people think she actually died from the cyst that threatened the baby's life at early pregnancy. She was willing to die and at the time she found out about the cyst and was offered abortion, she made the choice "For my baby"...but in the end that's not why she actually died. Rather, the cyst was removed and she went on to have a normal pregnancy. But at the end, they induced too early, her body didn't respond to the induction (as often happens when one is induced too early) and had rushed for a c-section (a major and dangerous procedure, especially back then when they didn't give the correct antibiotics), then she died from complications with the c-section.
Please don't get me wrong...This does not undo the good that she did or the love that she had. She was constantly willing to lay down her life for her child. She refused pain medicine after the c-section, and so offered all her suffering for her baby. She is still my hero!
But I do find it interesting that this is a little known fact that not many people know. It is in her biography book, if you read closely. Given how strongly I feel toward natural childbirth, I just have to point this out:)
I will pray for Bree- what a beautiful witness at her choice for life so early in the pregnancy. What a beautiful beautiful witness to her child, too!....he will grow up knowning his mom chose REAL love for him.
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