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Gianna Beretta, Who Died for Her Unborn Child, to Be Canonized (She Refused Cancer Treatment)
http://www.zenit.org/english/ ^ | DEC. 21, 2003

Posted on 12/21/2003 9:56:23 PM PST by cpforlife.org

Gianna Beretta, Who Died for Her Unborn Child, to Be Canonized

She Refused Cancer Treatment

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 21, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II will canonize Gianna Beretta Molla, who accepted death at age 39 rather than submit to treatment that would result in the abortion of her unborn child.

The announcement was made Saturday in the presence of the Pope by the Congregation for Sainthood Causes, in the course of recognizing a miracle attributed to her intercession. Molla, an Italian pediatrician, was beatified in 1994.

Molla (1922-1962), of the Archdiocese of Milan, was a member of Catholic Action. She said of her work: "As the priest touches Jesus, so we doctors touch Jesus in the bodies of our patients."

She loved skiing, played the piano, and attended concerts at the Milan Conservatory with her husband. Pietro Molla, an engineer, described his wife a few years ago as a completely normal person.

"She lived her marriage and motherhood with joy, generosity and absolute fidelity to her mission," said Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Sainthood Causes, during the ceremony to promulgate the decree.

Gianna Molla decided not to have an operation for cancer, which led to her death when she was pregnant with her fourth daughter. The baby lived.

The miracle attributed to Gianna Molla's intercession was experienced by Elisabete Arcolino Comparini. At the start of 2000, the third child she had conceived began to have serious problems.

In the third month, Comparini lost all the amniotic fluid. Without the natural protection, the unborn child normally would have died, yet the girl was born in May 2000. The birth is scientifically inexplicable. Her parents, who prayed to Molla, called the baby Gianna Maria. ZE03122105


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cultureoflife
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1 posted on 12/21/2003 9:56:24 PM PST by cpforlife.org
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To: ELS; Askel5
You need to see this story.
2 posted on 12/21/2003 10:01:52 PM PST by Fred Mertz
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To: cpforlife.org
God is great!
3 posted on 12/21/2003 10:03:59 PM PST by semaj ("....by their fruit you will know them.")
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To: cpforlife.org
bump
4 posted on 12/21/2003 10:04:20 PM PST by TEXOKIE (Hold fast what thou hast received!)
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Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla

"After an exemplary existence as a student, as a girl fully engaged in the ecclesiastical community, as a wife and a happy mother, She offered and sacrified her life in order that the creature she was carrying could live. Today she is here with us! As a doctor and moreover as a surgeon, she was conscious about what she had to face but she did not fell back in front of any sacrifice".

With these words John Paul II has synthesized all the existence of Gianna Beretta Molla, during the solemn Beatification rite on April 24th 1994, the year consacrated to the Family.

Showing her as a model of perfection "we want to homage - the Pope said - all the courageous mothers devoting themselves to their families without reserve, those who suffer in giving birth to their children and afterwards facing any sacrifice, to transmit all the best they guard in themselves to them."

As it often happens, an heroic deed can just be accomplished if it is the result of a long inner maturation, above all if it is a fully consciuos and deliberate action.

The profoundly christian Gianna's Family had been for all the numerous children, a suitable background for a progressive deeprooted faith values in the every day actions. And from this "good tree" many excellent fruits arose.

She was born in Magenta, province of Milan (north Italy), on October 4th, 1922. After high school she enrolled in the Medicine surgery faculty at Pavia University. Graduated in November 1949 she specialized in Paediatrics at the Milano University and - while practising medecine - she continued studying gynaecology specia-lisation. She got ahead with all her tasks with the will and enthousiasm necessary for being in conformity to the grace of God, with the everyday Holy Communion and God's word support, by becoming an active part in the Catholic Action Group, by the concrete parti-cipation in all the "Saint Vincent" activities.

The study of medicine was not a novelty in her family, but in her case it gave her the opportunity of a particular apostolate: the Latin America Missions, collaborating with her brother who was a priest there.

For a long time, she cultivated the missionary ideal, but very slowly she understood that God's will was different.

When she clearly understood that God called her to the marital status she did not hesitate and the fields of her "missionary action" were the "fellow creatures" coming every day at her consulting room. She opened a surgery in Mesero, a little village near Magenta and in a short time she earned the respect of all the people as they appreciated her spirit of self-sacrifice and disinterestedness.

Virginia, her sister, testifies: "Her great need to do everything for the poor people unabled her to accept her fiance's proposal to renounce medical practice: she firmly refused it without hesitation and also after her marriage she always went to her surgery in Mesero every afternoon. Many other evidencies give us the impression of "how" Gianna practised her profession. Luigia Galli, a nurse, working in Gianna's surgery said: "Visiting sick people, she also teached them."During the last month of pregnancy, even if she was called in the night she promptly attended everyone. She carried on every medi-cal care untill the last day before giving birth to her last daughter. If the patient was poor, Gianna not only would give him free medical examination, but also free medicines or some money.

She would leave the surgery just after her last medical examination: sometimes it was after 9:30 pm."

Mariuccia Parmigiani - a friend of hers - says that by her good and jovial smile she won everybody's confidence... and Maria Barni, living in Mesero, confirms that her generous engage-ments were not only addressed to phisical treatments: "When a patient could not go on in doing the same kind of work for healt-hy reasons, she tried to find for him a more suitable job and very often she succeded in doing it for a lot of people."

This attitude is not taken for granted: we know very well that sick person in a ward are considered as "a number", or quite an enrichement source. "Do your duty well. Study your science well. Today there is a seeking after money", Gianna writes at the beginning of her practise as a doctor. "Today, unfortunately, there is much superficiality even in our work. We cure the body and this, many times, inadequately." Gianna pointed out this concept in the fifties, but even today these deficiencies in medical profession are extremely topical.

In 1923, Saint Joseph Moscati writing to a doctor friend said: "Remember that you have to deal not only with the bodies, but also the moaning souls coming to you. How many suffering people you will more easily soothe by advising and going straight to their souls, instead of giving cool prescriptions to be given to the chemist! Be joyful, because great will be your reward; but you will have to set a good example of your elevation to God."

It is the same aspect advice that Gianna Beretta expressed speaking about the characteristics of a christian doctor: "Never forget the patient's soul." "We have many opportunities which priests do not have. Our mission does not end when medicines fail us; there is the soul which we must bring to God. [...] Every doctor must consign the sick person to the priest. How necessary these Catholic doctors are!" And... besides: "Jesus makes Himself seen in our midst. Many doctors offer themselves for Him."

Our life is always the result of a lot of successive "choices", from the most "important" to the simple ones. Gianna "trained" herself to choose always the best and she also wanted consciously that her married life be devoted to God.

"I want really a christian family - she wrote to her husband - where God is like one of the family; a little cenaculum where He can reign in our hearts, enlighten our decisions and guide our programmes."

Here we find the "secret" of her existence, the key to understand the reason of all her choices and even the conclusive choice in consequence of which she has been now beatified: to see every situation in our life under God's look; to be disposed to understand His will as far as we are concerned, so that it is really God "Who enlightens our decisions."

"I want to create a family with you, with many children like the one in which I was raised", she said to her husband Peter. They had three children: Pier Luigi, Mariolina and Laura - and then another maternity, accepted with joy.

At this point the tragedy occurred: the discovery at the second month of pregnancy, of a fibroma growing near her uterus threatening both her health and her child's life. She sudden realized, as a doctor, of the dramatic alternative: to save herself or the creature she is carrying.

According to the unanimous deposition of both her family and doctors, her first reaction was to privilege the child she was carrying.

The doctor to whom she asked advice said clearly to her: "If we want to save your life we have to interrupt your pregnancy." There it was her prompt answer: "Professor, I'll never permit this! It is a sin to kill babies in the womb."

The doctors pointed out three different types of operation, as her husband testifies: a total laparatomy with the removal of both the fibroma and the uterus, it would certainly have saved her life; therapeutic abortion and the removal of the fibroma, and this would have made possible other pregnancies. Otherwise the removal of the fibroma, trying not interrupting her pregnancy.

Gianna chose the last solution, the most dangerous for her. In fact in those times a childbirth was to be expected very dangerous for the mother, after such an operation. Gianna, as a doctor, knew this very well...

The surgical operation, of just removing her fibroma, took place on September 6th 1961.

Therefore the pregnancy went on and Gianna began working again as long as a doctor up to her childbirth approached. She went into a nursing home on April 20th in 1962 and the following day - the Holy Saturday - she gave birth to a child: a little girl named Gianna Emanuela.

In September 1961, towards the end of the second month of pregnancy, she was touched by suffering and the mystery of pain; she had developed a fibroma in her uterus. Before the required surgical operation, and conscious of the risk that her continued pregnancy brought, she pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was carrying, and entrusted herself to prayer and Providence. 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.

A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her child: "if you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child - I insist on it. Save the baby". On the morning of 21 April 1962 Gianna Emanuela was born. As it was to be expected, a few hours after her childbirth, complications arose and it was a week of horrible sufferings in consequence of septic peritonitis.

Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of 28 April, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you", the mother died. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. The body of the newly blessed lies in the cemetery of Mesero (4 km. from Magenta).

It was a Calvary during which her faith was fully shining. She died at home the following Saturday at 8,00 a.m. on April 28th 1962.

On April 24th 1994, her last daughter, Gianna Emanuela, was present in Saint Peter square at her mother's Beatification ceremony.

The heroic life of Gianna Beretta Molla makes us reflect on a theme that nowadays is topical. The discussion on abortion about the value to be given to the developing creature conceived in the womb. As every believer does, Gianna was deeply convinced that the developing creature in her womb was a complete human person, therefore worthy of the highest respect. It was a gift from God, to be accepted as all the other children.That is indeed love, Gianna forgot herself and generously offered herself to let her creature live, knowing very well that the cost of her offer would require the sacrifice of her life. A priest known by Gianna, Father Marius Cazzaniga, wrote: "I had such a great impression that in my professional moral teaching at the professional nurse school, during the abortion lessons, I always mention Gianna Beretta Molla's case, as a generous and exemplary maternity. I think that nowadays when the maternity is depreciated, this woman doctor's generous act is to be let known by everybody. Society does'nt need to be submerged by a lot of crime news, it needs to know such generous actions."

We conclude with Gianna's words addressed to a young people Catholic Action Group of Magenta in 1946: "God wants to see us near Him, to transmit us in the secret of our prayer the conversion of all the souls approaching us. [...] In every day of our life we should have a moment's time to collect our thoughts in prayer before God. [...] Sowing our little seed incessantly. Let us not stop too much considering what will happen. Even if after having done our best we have a failure, let us generously accept it. A well accepted failure gives more benefit for the salvation of the soul than a triumph".

Words that for those who know Joseph Moscati's works, make them think about his famous thought expressed on October 17 in 1922. Thought that is a summary of his life as a doctor, as a man of science and faith: "Love truth: show yourself as you are, without pretence, wlthout fears and cares. And if the truth means your persecution, accept it; if it means your torment, bear it. And if for the truth's sake you should sacrifice yourself and your life, be strong in your sacrifice".

http://cpforlife.org/id89.htm

5 posted on 12/21/2003 10:07:25 PM PST by cpforlife.org (The Missing Key of the Pro-Life Movement is at www.CpForLife.org)
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To: MHGinTN; Coleus; nickcarraway; Mr. Silverback; Canticle_of_Deborah; TenthAmendmentChampion; ...

Please let me know if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

6 posted on 12/21/2003 10:10:24 PM PST by cpforlife.org (The Missing Key of the Pro-Life Movement is at www.CpForLife.org)
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To: cpforlife.org
BTTT
7 posted on 12/21/2003 10:23:36 PM PST by cyborg
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To: cpforlife.org
I can distill that long piece into a few words. She mirrored Christ's act on the cross. What is more Christlike than to put someone else's life ahead of one's own? Imagine how proud this kid will be to know mom died to save life.
8 posted on 12/21/2003 10:25:53 PM PST by cyborg
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To: cpforlife.org
!
9 posted on 12/21/2003 10:31:45 PM PST by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: cpforlife.org
bump!
10 posted on 12/21/2003 10:36:33 PM PST by Calpernia (Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does.)
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To: cpforlife.org
bump
11 posted on 12/21/2003 10:41:22 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: cpforlife.org
BUMP
12 posted on 12/21/2003 10:53:44 PM PST by nickcarraway (www.terrisfight.org)
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
I see a profound ethical contradiction here. This was a woman in whom society had invested a great deal of time, money and effort to train her in her profession. Additionally, she was clearly a practioner who was dedicated to her patients.

Factor in the three children now left to grow up without both a mother, and the example she set in her daily life and her professional practice, and her willingness to leave three children, And a newborn infant, without a mother rather than act responsibly towards the three already in existance - and I reluctantly must conclude she acted in a less than responsible manner.

While generally pro-life, I am uneasy with canonizing such behavior.
13 posted on 12/21/2003 10:59:15 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon liberty, it is essential to examine principles - -)
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To: GladesGuru
I see your point, and I agree in regards to planning future pregnancies. If a woman knew she could die it would be unethical to attempt to conceive again and potentially leave already living children motherless, IMO.

This situation seems contradictory though. She did have treatment; removal of the fibroma. A lot of times those are not cancerous and she did die of an infection after the birth. Was the initial surgery a success although dangerous? The story is confusing to me.
14 posted on 12/21/2003 11:06:57 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: GladesGuru
You can not extrapolate hypothetical unpleasantness to inevitable killing. While the living may have suffered hardship, or been somewhat deprived of certain people or things, they lived, and had chances, and choices they could make. Killing one to merely hedge the hypothesis of a better life for the associated living would be morally wrong...
15 posted on 12/21/2003 11:19:04 PM PST by Axenolith (Tagline: (optional, printed after your name on post):)
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To: cpforlife.org
In the third month, Comparini lost all the amniotic fluid. Without the natural protection, the unborn child normally would have died, yet the girl was born in May 2000. The birth is scientifically inexplicable. Her parents, who prayed to Molla, called the baby Gianna Maria.

OK...as a non-Catholic Christian, help me with this one.

With all the saints that have been confirmed -- so to speak -- because of miracles attributed to them, why, with someone's life hanging in the balance, would someone waste their time by praying to someone who wasn't a saint yet?

16 posted on 12/22/2003 12:00:22 AM PST by L.N. Smithee (Just because I don't think like you doesn't mean I don't think for myself)
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To: GladesGuru
I see a profound ethical contradiction here. This was a woman in whom society had invested a great deal of time, money and effort to train her in her profession. Additionally, she was clearly a practioner who was dedicated to her patients.

Factor in the three children now left to grow up without both a mother, and the example she set in her daily life and her professional practice, and her willingness to leave three children, And a newborn infant, without a mother rather than act responsibly towards the three already in existance - and I reluctantly must conclude she acted in a less than responsible manner.


First, I would not credit society with something this woman achieved for herself. Society did not provide Gianna with the will, drive, and persistence necessary to achieve her medical degree. This was something she achieved on her own. She owes "society" nothing in that regard.

However, even if her way through school were paid by "society", though I've seen nothing to indicate it was, what would you consider the debt she then owed? Would a few years of excellent service be enough? Many years? Or would the life of one patient she saved be worth the money spent? In her case, it sounds like she gave all these things.

I can tell you one thing she did not owe society, and that was her soul, the character of which is determined by the values that are faithfully followed. To abandon one of her most basic beliefs, that the life of an unborn child is sacred, for some needs defined by imperfect men on earth rather than adhere to them for a duty set down by God, would have been a rejection of those values. And, as far as the loss of her example in daily and professional life goes, think of the far greater example she has set now. She went from being a role model for one's daily conduct, to a role model in the conduct of one's life in general and, more importantly, advanced the idea of the sanctity of human life by quite a leap.

I would also remind you that this woman did not choose to die; she simply chose to take the path least risky to her child, a path which was unfortunately also the most risky to herself, and left the rest in God's hands.
17 posted on 12/22/2003 12:42:18 AM PST by fr_freak
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To: L.N. Smithee
Well, Gianna Beretta had been beatified, which means that she was practically a saint. Someone has to have two miracles attributed to them to be beatified. Also, since the Comparini's situation was similar to the circumstances surrounding Gianna's case, they probably felt a special connection to Gianna, and trusted that she was in Heaven for her heroic action. They probably also thought that if they were granted a miracle, it would help Gianna's cause for canonization, which would be another incentive to pray to her for help. A beatified person is very nearly a saint, so praying to them isn't entirely a "waste of time." And, you can be a saint - meaning, you're in Heaven - without being officially declared one.
18 posted on 12/22/2003 12:57:32 AM PST by It's me
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To: GladesGuru
I think that saving the life of a child is more important than "acting responsibly" in the eyes of the world. A life for one person is more important than a mother for three - it might seem odd to say something like that, I suppose, but life really is that important.
19 posted on 12/22/2003 1:02:08 AM PST by KeepRight
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To: L.N. Smithee
The most difficult repentance for dyed-in-the-wool Catholics is changing their minds from thoughts of "meriting," "earning," "being good enough," simply to accepting with empty hands the gift of righteousness in Christ Jesus. To refuse to accept what God commands is the same sin as that of the religious Jews of Paul's time, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." (Romans 10:3)



So it is as Christ Jesus Himself said, He died in place of the believer, the One for many (Mark 10:45), His life a ransom for many. As He declared, ...this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). This is also what Peter proclaimed, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God..." (I Peter 3:18).

Paul's preaching is summarized at the end of II Corinthians 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.." (II Cor. 5:21).

This fact, dear reader, is presented clearly to you in the Bible. Acceptance of it is now commanded by God, "...Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).
20 posted on 12/22/2003 1:15:48 AM PST by liberty or death
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