Saint Peter Chanel, Missionary and Martyr
Saint Peter Chanel[Priest and Martyr] 1803-1841
Peter Louis Mary Chanel, Priest M (AC)

Saint Louis Mary de Montfort, Priest
Optional Memorial
April 28th

from a 1905 Prayer card

History:

Missionary in Brittany and Vendee; born at Montfort, January 31, 1673; died at Saint Laurent sur Sevre, April 28, 1716. From his childhood, he was devoted to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. At the age of 12, he was sent as a day pupil to the Jesuit college at Rennes, he never failed to visit the church before and after class. He joined a society of young men who during holidays ministered to the poor and to the incurables in the hospitals, and read for them edifying books during their meals. At the age of nineteen, he went on foot to Paris to follow the course in theology, gave away on the journey all his money to the poor, exchanged clothing with them, and made a vow to subsist thenceforth only on alms. He was ordained priest at the age of twenty-seven, and for some time fulfilled the duties of chaplain in a hospital. In 1705, when he was thirty-two, he found his true vocation, and thereafter devoted himself to preaching to the people. During seventeen years he preached the Gospel in countless towns and villages. As an orator he was highly gifted, his language being simple but replete with fire and divine love. His whole life was conspicuous for virtues difficult for modern degeneracy to comprehend: constant prayer, love of the poor, poverty carried to an unheard-of degree, joy in humiliations and persecutions. The following two instances will illustrate his success. He once gave a mission for the soldiers of the garrison at La Rochelle, and moved by his words, the men wept, and cried aloud for the forgiveness of their sins. In the procession which terminated this mission, an officer walked at the head, barefooted and carrying a banner, and the soldiers, also barefooted, followed, carrying in one hand a crucifix, in the other a rosary, and singing hymns. Father de Montfort 's extraordinary influence was especially apparent in the matter of the calvary at Pontchateau. When he announced his determination of building a monumental calvary on a neighbouring hill, the idea was enthusiastically received by the inhabitants. For fifteen months between two and four hundred peasants worked daily without recompense, and the task had just been completed, when the king commanded that the whole should be demolished, and the land restored to its former condition. The Jansenists had convinced the Governor of Brittany that a fortress capable of affording aid to persons in revolt was being erected, and for several months five hundred peasants, watched by a company of soldiers, were compelled to carry out the work of destruction. Father de Montfort was not disturbed on receiving this humiliating news, exclaiming only: "Blessed be God!"

This was by no means the only trial to which Father de Montfort was subjected. It often happened that the Jansenists, irritated by his success, secure by their intrigues his banishment form the district,in which he was giving a mission. At La Rochelle some wretches put poison into his cup of broth, and, despite the antidote which he swallowed, his health was always impaired. On another occasion, some malefactors hid in a narrow street with the intention of assassinating him, but he had a presentiment of danger and escaped by going by another street. A year before his death, Father de Montfort founded two congregations -- the Sisters of Wisdom, who were to devote themselves to hospital work and the instruction of poor girls, and the Company of Mary, composed of missionaries. He had long cherished these projects but circumstances had hindered their execution, and, humanly speaking, the work appeared to have failed at his death, since these congregations numbered respectively only four sisters and two priests with a few brothers. But the blessed founder, who had on several occasions shown himself possessed of the gift of prophecy, knew that the tree would grow. At the beginning of the twentieth century the Sisters of Wisdom numbered five thousand, and were spread throughout every country; they possessed forty four houses, and gave instruction to 60,000 children. After the death of its founder, the Company of Mary was governed for 39 years by Father Mulot. He had at first refused to join de Montfort in his missionary labors. "I cannot become a missionary", said he, "for I have been paralysed on one side for years; I have an affection of the lungs which scarcely allows me to breathe, and am indeed so ill that I have no rest day or night." But the holy man, impelled by a sudden inspiration, replied, "As soon as you begin to preach you will be completely cured." And the event justified the prediction. Louis de Montfort was beatified by Leo XIII in 1888.

St. Louis de Montfort was canonized by Pius XII in 1947.

(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)

Collect:
O God, who willed to direct the steps of the Priest Saint Louis
along the way of salvation and of the love of Christ,
in the company of the Blessed Virgin,
grant us, by his example,
that, meditating on the mysteries of your love,
we may strive tirelessly for the building up of your Church.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

or

Almighty and eternal God, who made the Priest Saint Louis
an outstanding witness and teacher
of total devotion to Christ your Son
through the hands of his Blessed Mother,
grant us that, following the same spiritual path,
we may constantly spread your Kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

Rosary Page

JESUS LIVING IN MARY: HANDBOOK, SPIRITUALITY OF ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT, ROSARY [Ecumenical]
St. Louis de Montfort Apostle of Mary for Today
St. Louis de Montfort's teaching on genuine Marian devotion [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
St. Louis Mariei de ontfort
Letter to the Friends of the Cross (St. Louis de Montfort)

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, A Model for Mothers - 1922-1962

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla
A Model for Mothers - 1922-1962
Beatified 1994 -- Canonized 2004

Memorial
April 28

Prayer of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla | Quote from Pope John Paul II | Vatican Links to Biography and John Paul II's Homily | Helen Hull Hitchcock's Introduction to Saint Gianna Molla -- Wife, Mother, Doctor

Prayer of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla
Jesus, I promise 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.

Amen+

Quotes from John Paul II

“Gianna Beretta Molla was a simple, but more than ever, significant messenger of divine love. In a letter to her future husband a few days before their marriage, she wrote: "Love is the most beautiful sentiment the Lord has put into the soul of men and women".

“Following the example of Christ, who "having loved his own... loved them to the end" (Jn 13: 1), this holy mother of a family remained heroically faithful to the commitment she made on the day of her marriage. The extreme sacrifice she sealed with her life testifies that only those who have the courage to give of themselves totally to God and to others are able to fulfil themselves.

“Through the example of Gianna Beretta Molla, may our age rediscover the pure, chaste and fruitful beauty of conjugal love, lived as a response to the divine call!”

-- From the canonization homily of Pope John Paul II, May 16, 2004

Link to Vatican website: Saint Gianna's biography and Pope John Paul II's homily:

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040516_beretta-molla_en.html

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2004/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20040516_canonizations_en.html

Introduction by Helen Hull Hitchcock:
Saint Gianna -- A Model for Mothers

"A woman of exceptional love, an outstanding wife and mother, she gave witness in her daily life to the demanding values of the Gospel”. In his homily on the occasion of her beatification, April 24, 1994, Pope John Paul II proposed Gianna Beretta Molla as a model for all mothers: “By holding up this woman as an exemplar of Christian perfection, we would like to extol all those high-spirited mothers of families who give themselves completely to their family, who suffer in giving birth, who are prepared for every labor and every kind of sacrifice, so that the best they have can be given to others".

In canonizing Gianna Beretta Molla this spring (2004), the Church officially recognized the extraordinary sanctity of a woman who chose to live an ordinary life – as a professional and, later, as a wife and mother. Though she had once considered entering a religious order, instead she practiced medicine (receiving her medical degree in 1949, and her specialty in pediatrics in 1952). She devoted herself to caring for her patients, and her selflessness and dedication as a physician endeared her to the people. But it was not only her practice of medicine that influenced them. She regarded her profession as a mission through which she could aid and nurture both bodies and souls. The young doctor’s devotion to her Catholic faith was well known in her community, and especially her instruction of young Catholic girls in their faith.

Gianna meditated long and prayerfully on God’s will for her. “What is a vocation?”, she wrote: “It is a gift from God – it comes from God Himself! Our concern, then, should be to know the will of God. We should enter onto the path that God wills for us, not by ‘forcing the door’, but when God wills and as God wills” (in Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla: A Woman’s Life. Boston: Pauline Books, 2002, p 71, 72). Gianna believed she was called to marriage and family life, but she waited patiently for God’s will to be revealed.

Gianna Beretta did not marry until she was thirty-three years old – to an engineer ten years her senior, Pietro Molla, whose sister had earlier been a patient of the young Dr. Beretta. Letters Gianna wrote during their year-long courtship reveal her deep commitment to this new vocation. The couple married in September 1955. Several days before their wedding, Gianna wrote to Pietro, 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”.

Gianna’s faith and her communion with Christ were profound, and from this grace she drew deeper understanding of the dedication and self-giving love that is fundamental to Christian marriage and family life.

After her marriage and even after she had children Gianna continued her medical practice, extending her gifts beyond her immediate family to the children of others. Three children, a son and two daughters, were born between 1956 and 1959, and Gianna had two miscarriages before conceiving another baby in 1961. Pietro and Gianna referred to their children as their “treasures”.

In his own account of these years, Pietro Molla says that he did not object to Gianna’s continuing her medical practice, because she was so deeply attached to her patients, though after she became pregnant with their fourth child, Pietro and Gianna had agreed that she would stop working outside the home after the baby was born.

Early in the pregnancy it was discovered that Gianna had a fibroma, a benign tumor, on her uterine wall. Surgery that would involve aborting the baby was suggested, but the Mollas instantly and firmly rejected this idea, and chose surgery that would remove only the tumor. Because of her medical knowledge, Gianna understood more fully than most the risks involved in this delicate surgery – both to her and to her unborn child. She insisted that the baby be protected at all costs.

The surgery successfully removed the fibroma, and the pregnancy continued, apparently normally, and the family made plans for the future in joy and hope. But all was not well, and a few days before the baby was born, Gianna realized it would be a difficult – possibly life-threatening delivery. She asked her husband to promise that if it were necessary to choose between saving her and saving the baby, he should choose the baby. “I insist”, she said.

On Good Friday, Gianna entered the hospital. And a lovely, healthy baby daughter, Gianna Emanuela, was born the next day, April 21, 1962. But the mother had developed a fatal infection – septic peritonitis. (Modern antibiotics most likely would have saved her.) The inflammation caused immense suffering during her final week on earth. In the midst of her terrible pain, Gianna called to her own mother, Maria, who had died in 1942 – and she prayed. As she lay dying, she repeated, “Jesus, I love you”, over and over.

Her agony ended on April 28 – at home. She was 39. The tiny infant, Gianna Emanuela, was exactly one week old.

The bereft Pietro was left to raise four very young children without their mother: Pierluigi, the eldest, was not yet six; Mariolina, four; Laura, nearly three; and of course the new baby. In this book are Pietro’s own reflections on the difficult years that followed, and how the example of his wife’s serene and joyous faith helped sustain him through his grief at Gianna’s death; when their little daughter, Mariolina, died only two years later; and through all the ordinary difficulties of raising a family alone – with the added extraordinary challenges of raising children whose absent mother had already become a revered public figure.

Almost immediately upon her death a devotion to Gianna arose among those whose lives she had so deeply touched, and who knew her heroic devotion to her faith and her family.

Her “cause” was introduced formally in 1970. She was beatified April 24, 1994; and canonized on May 21, 2004 – forty-two years after her death.

That her husband, now 91, and three children attended her canonization ceremony is one of several historic “firsts” connected with her canonization. (Pierluigi, an engineer, is married; Laura is a political scientist; Gianna Emanuela is a physician who specializes in Alzheimer’s disease.)

Gianna Beretta Molla is the first married laywoman to be declared a saint (though there are many sainted widows). She is also the first canonized woman physician — a professional woman who was also a “working mom” four decades ago, when this was unusual.

Her witness of abiding faith in Christ, and her example of generous, loving, self-donation — wherever and however she was called to serve the Lord — provide particular inspiration for women of our time and in our culture, where conflicting demands and confusing signals are a daily part of our lives.

There is another aspect of this new saint’s life that is worth pondering – and this book affords a glimpse of it. That is, the role of her family – the example of her parents – in her formation as a committed, active young Catholic. Her family was outstanding for its deep Christian faith, expressed not only in worship, in private prayer and family devotions, but in generously extending their gift of faith to others.

Her family’s example of unselfish love set the direction of young Gianna’s life. It gave her the firm foundation upon which, through the grace of God and her trusting acceptance of His will for her, she confidently built her life – a life that would shelter, nurture, guide, and inspire countless others. Gianna’s plans for raising her own children in the faith was influenced by her own experiences growing up. Her understanding of motherhood came from her own mother. Even though her own children could not know her tender motherly presence while they were growing up, she interceded for them. At the very end of her life, as Gianna suffered mortal pain, she sought her mother’s prayers. As we – especially mothers of young families – may now seek hers.

Saint Gianna, pray for us.

Helen Hull Hitchcock
Feast of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne
July 26, 2004
Ignatius Press

Prepare to be amazed! The 2nd miracle of St. Gianna Molla
Daughter of St. Gianna Molla to Visit U.S. for the First Time
A Holy Couple Reunited in Heaven—Death of Pietro Molla, Husband of St. Gianna Beretta Molla ....
Catholic Health Center for Women Opens in Manhattan (Gianna Center)
Daughter of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Attends US March for Life
A patron saint for life (Gianna Beretta Molla)
Pope Canonizes Gianna Molla; Secular Media at a Loss
Bl. Gianna Beretta Molla
Gianna Beretta, Who Died for Her Unborn Child, to Be Canonized (She Refused Cancer Treatment)
Gianna Beretta Molla Offered Life For Her [Unborn]Child
Blessed Gianna[Gianna Beretta Molla]

Information: St. Peter Chanel

Feast Day: April 28

Born: July 12, 1803, Cuet, near Belley, France

Died: April 28, 1841, Futuna Island

Canonized: 12 June 1954, Rome by Pope Pius XII

Major Shrine: Futuna

Patron of: Oceania

Information: St. Louis de Montfort

Feast Day: April 28

Born: 31 January 1673 at Montfort-La-Cane, Brittany, France

Died: 1716 at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sovre, France

Canonized: 1947 by Pope Pius XII

Information: St. Gianna Beretta Molla

Feast Day: April 28

Born: October 4, 1922, Magenta, Italy

Died: April 28, 1962, Monza, Italy

Canonized: May 16, 2004 by Pope John Paul II

Patron of: mothers, physicians, preborn children

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Peter Chanel

Feast Day: April 28
Born: 1803 ::Died: 1841

Peter Louis Mary Chanel was born at Cluet, Belley in France. From the time he was seven, he took care of his father's sheep. He was poor but intelligent and loved God and his Catholic faith.

One day, a good parish priest met him and was so impressed by Peter that he asked Peter's parents if he could educate the boy. They gratefully agreed and in this priest's little school, and later in the seminary, Peter studied hard.

At the age of twenty-four Peter Chanel became a priest and he was sent to a parish at Corzet where just a few Catholics still practiced their faith. Father Chanel spent hours in prayer each day and was kind and patient with everyone. Within three years there was a big improvement in that parish. Many people became full of love for Jesus and his Church again.

Father Chanel had a great wish to become a missionary. When he was twenty-eight, he joined a religious order called the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers). He hoped he would be sent to bring the Good News of Jesus to people who did not yet believe in God. After a few years, his wish came true.

He and a group of Marist missionaries were sent to the islands of the South Pacific, Oceania. Father Chanel and one brother were assigned to the island of Futuna in New Hebrides. There the people happily listened to Father Chanel preach. "This man loves us," one man said. "And he himself practices what he teaches us to do."

Sadly though, the chief of this tribe became jealous because the priest had so many followers. When the chief's own son was baptized and became a Christian, he was furious. He sent a band of his warriors to kill the missionary.

As Peter Chanel lay dying, all he said was, "It is well with me." He was killed on April 28, 1841 for his faith. A short while after he died a martyr, the whole island became Christian.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Monday, April 28

Liturgical Color: White

Today is the optional memorial of St. Louis
de Montfort, priest, born in 1673. St. Louis is
best known for his total devotion to Jesus
through the Blessed Virgin. He consecrated
his life to her service, preaching on the rosary
wherever he traveled.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:April 28, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who for the spreading of your Church crowned Saint Peter Chanel with martyrdom, grant that, in these days of paschal joy, we may so celebrate the mysteries of Christ's Death and Resurrection as to bear worthy witness to newness of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

O God, who willed to direct the steps of the Priest Saint Louis along the way of salvation and of the love of Christ, in the company of the Blessed Virgin, grant us, by his example, that, meditating on the mysteries of your love, we may strive tirelessly for the building up of your Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Honeyed Sweet Potatoes

o Maple Baked Chicken Breasts

ACTIVITIES

o Namedays

o What is a Nameday?

PRAYERS

o Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven)

o Easter Season I Table Blessing 1

o Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

o Novena to St. Catherine of Siena

LIBRARY

o God Alone Is My Every Good, My Life | Pope John Paul II

o The Rosary | St. Louis De Montfort

o True Devotion: The Book and the Practice | Fr. Joseph F. Beckman

o Under the Banner and Protection of Mary | Alberto Rum

· Easter: April 28th

· Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, priest and martyr (NZ, Feast); Optional Memorial of St. Louis Mary de Montfort, priest; Gianna Molla, mother (Italy)

Old Calendar: St. Paul of the Cross, confessor

St. Peter Chanel was born in France in 1802. He was ordained a priest in 1827, and engaged in the parochial ministry for a few years; but the reading of letters of missionaries in far-away lands inflamed his heart with zeal, and he resolved to devote his life to the Apostolate. He joined the Society of Mary (Marists), and in 1836 he embarked for Oceania. He died a martyr's death on the island of Futuna, Melanesia. He is called the apostle of Oceania where he spread the Gospel.

St. Louis Mary de Montfort during his relatively short life as a missioner, especially among the poor, had to overcome considerable setbacks and opposition. He founded the Daughters of Wisdom and before his death established a society of priests, the Company of Mary, to carry on his work. His book on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin has been widely diffused in many languages.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Paul of the Cross. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on October 20.

In Italy the feast of St. Gianna Beretta Molla is celebrated today. She is a pro-life doctor and mother who gave her life for her unborn child,

St. Peter Chanel

On April 18, 1841, a band of native warriors entered the hut of Father Peter Chanel on the island of Futuna in the New Hebrides islands near New Zealand. They clubbed the missionary to death and cut up his body with hatchets. Two years later, the whole island was Catholic.

St. Peter Chanel's death bears witness to the ancient axiom that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians." He is the first martyr from Oceania, that part of the world spread over the south Pacific, and he came there as the fulfillment of a dream he had had as a boy.

Peter was born in 1803 in the diocese of Belley, France. At the age of seven, he was a shepherd boy, but the local parish priest, recognizing something unusual in the boy, convinced his parents to let him study, in a little school the priest had started. From there Peter went on to the seminary, where it was said of him: "He had a heart of gold with the simple faith of a child, and he led the life of an angel."

He was ordained a priest and assigned to a parish at Crozet. In three years he had transformed the parish. In 1831, he joined the newly founded Society of Mary, since he had long dreamed of being a missionary; but for five years he was assigned to teach at the seminary in Belley. Finally, in 1836, his dream was realized, and he was sent with other Marists to the islands of the Pacific. He had to suffer great hardships, disappointments, frustration, and almost complete failure as well as the opposition of the local chieftain. The work seemed hopeless: only a few had been baptized, and the chieftain continued to be suspicious and hostile. Then, when the chief's son asked for baptism, the chief was so angry that he sent warriors to kill the missionary.

Peter's violent death brought about the conversion of the island, and the people of Futuna remain Catholic to this day. Peter Chanel was beatified in 1889 and canonized in 1954.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Oceania.

Things to Do:

Learn more about the Society of Mary.
Read a little about the island where St. Peter Chanel suffered martyrdom.

St. Louis Mary de Montfort

Louis's life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the church. Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla chose it as his episcopal motto. Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes (France), as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1700.

Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion (not the custom then!) and imitation of the Virgin Mary's ongoing acceptance of God's will for her life.

Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (for priests and brothers) and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion.

Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre, where a basilica has been erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947.

Excerpted from Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

Things to Do:

Read a longer biography of St. Louis de Montfort's life.
Read some of St. Louis de Montfort's works and/or read articles about his spirituality.
Consider making the consecration to Mary recommended by St. Louis de Montfort.
Resolve to pray the rosary daily starting today.
Learn about the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries) and support their work with your prayers, sacrifices and financial offerings.
From the Catholic Culture Library The Spiritans and Under the Banner and Protection of Mary.

St. Gianna Molla

Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta (Milan) October 4, 1922. Already as a youth she willingly accepted the gift of faith and the clearly Christian education that she received from her excellent parents. As a result, she experienced life as a marvellous gift from God, had a strong faith in Providence and was convinced of the necessity and effectiveness of prayer.

She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith through generous apostolic service among the youth of Catholic Action and charitable work among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. After earning degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in Pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and thereafter gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and poor.

While working in the field of medicine-which she considered a “mission” and practiced as such-she increased her generous service to Catholic Action, especially among the “very young” and, at the same time, expressed her joie de vivre and love of creation through skiing and mountaineering. Through her prayers and those of others, she reflected upon her vocation, which she also considered a gift from God. Having chosen the vocation of marriage, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly dedicated herself “to forming a truly Christian family”.

She became engaged to Pietro Molla and was radiant with joy and happiness during the time of their engagement, for which she thanked and praised the Lord. They were married on September 24, 1955, in the Basilica of St. Martin in Magenta, and she became a happy wife. In November 1956, to her great joy, she became the mother of Pierluigi, in December 1957 of Mariolina; in July 1959 of Laura. With simplicity and equilibrium she harmonized the demands of mother, wife, doctor and her passion for life.

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 decided between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child - I insist on it. Save him”. On the morning of April 21, 1962, Gianna Emanuela was born. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, 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 Servant of God lies in the cemetery of Mesero (4 km from Magenta).

“Conscious immolation", was the phrase used by Pope Paul VI to define the act of Blessed Gianna, remembering her at the Sunday Angelus of September 23, 1973, as: “A young mother from the diocese of Milan, who, to give life to her daughter, sacrificed her own, with conscious immolation”. The Holy Father in these words clearly refers to Christ on Calvary and in the Eucharist.

Gianna was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international Year of the Family. She was canonized on May 16, 2004, by Pope John Paul II.

— Vatican Website

What is the significance of receiving a name in Baptism?

What happens in Baptism?

In Baptism we become members of the Body of Christ, sisters and brothers of our Redeemer, and children of God. We are freed from sin, snatched from death, and destined from then on for a life in the joy of the redeemed.

Being baptized means that my personal life story is submerged in the stream of God's love. "Our life", says Pope Benedict XVI, "now belongs to Christ, and no longer to ourselves ... . At his side and, indeed, drawn up in his love, we are freed from fear. He enfolds us and carries us wherever we may go - he who is Life itself" (April 7, 2007).

What is the significance of receiving a name in Baptism?

Through the name that we receive in Baptism God tells us: "I have called you by name, you are mine" (Is 43:1).

In Baptism a person is not dissolved into an anonymous divinity, but rather is affirmed precisely in his individuality. To be baptized by a name signifies that God knows me, he says Yes to me and accepts me forever in my unrepeatable uniqueness. (YOUCAT questions 200-201)

Dig Deeper: CCC section (1262-1274) and other references here.

Part 2: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (1066 - 1690)

Section 2: The Seven Sacraments of the Church (1210 - 1690)

Chapter 1: The Sacraments of Christian Initiation (1212 - 1419)

Article 1: The Sacrament of Baptism (1213 - 1284)

VII. THE GRACE OF BAPTISM ⇡

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The different effects of Baptism are signified by the perceptible elements of the sacramental rite. Immersion in water symbolizes not only death and purification, but also regeneration and renewal. Thus the two principal effects are purification from sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit.⁶⁵

65.

Cf. Acts 2:38; Jn 3:5.

For the forgiveness of sins... ⇡

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By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.⁶⁶ In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.

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Cf. Council of Florence (1439): DS 1316.

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Yet certain temporal consequences of sin remain in the baptized, such as suffering, illness, death, and such frailties inherent in life as weaknesses of character, and so on, as well as an inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence, or metaphorically, "the tinder for sin" (fomes peccati); since concupiscence "is left for us to wrestle with, it cannot harm those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ."⁶⁷ Indeed, "an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules."⁶⁸

67.

Council of Trent (1546): DS 1515.

68.

2 Tim 2:5.

"A new creature" ⇡

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Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte "a new creature," an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature,"⁶⁹ member of Christ and co-heir with him,⁷⁰ and a temple of the Holy Spirit.⁷¹

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2 Cor 5:17; 2 Pet 1:4; cf. Gal 4:5-7.

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Cf. 1 Cor 6:15; 12:27; Rom 8:17.

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Cf. 1 Cor 6:19.

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The Most Holy Trinity gives the baptized sanctifying grace, the grace of justification:

enabling them to believe in God, to hope in him, and to love him through the theological virtues;
giving them the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit through the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
allowing them to grow in goodness through the moral virtues.

Thus the whole organism of the Christian's supernatural life has its roots in Baptism.

Incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ ⇡

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Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ: "Therefore ... we are members one of another."⁷² Baptism incorporates us into the Church. From the baptismal fonts is born the one People of God of the New Covenant, which transcends all the natural or human limits of nations, cultures, races, and sexes: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body."⁷³

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The baptized have become "living stones" to be "built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood."⁷⁴ By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission. They are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that [they] may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvelous light."⁷⁵ Baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers.

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Having become a member of the Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died and rose for us.⁷⁶ From now on, he is called to be subject to others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to "obey and submit" to the Church's leaders,⁷⁷ holding them in respect and affection.⁷⁸ Just as Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, the baptized person also enjoys rights within the Church: to receive the sacraments, to be nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church.⁷⁹

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Cf. 1 Cor 6:19; 2 Cor 5:15.

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Heb 13:17.

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Cf. Eph 5:21; 1 Cor 16:15-16; 1 Thes 5:12-13; Jn 13:12-15.

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Cf. LG 37; CIC, cann. 208-223; CCEO, can. 675:2.

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"Reborn as sons of God, [the baptized] must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church" and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God.⁸⁰

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LG 11; cf. LG 17; AG 7; 23.

The sacramental bond of the unity of Christians ⇡

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Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church."⁸¹ "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."⁸²

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UR 3.

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UR 22 § 2.

An indelible spiritual mark... ⇡

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Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.⁸³ Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

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Cf. Rom 8:29; Council of Trent (1547): DS 1609-1619.

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Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.⁸⁴ The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.⁸⁵

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Cf. LG 11.

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Cf. LG 10.

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The Holy Spirit has marked us with the seal of the Lord ("Dominicus character") "for the day of redemption."⁸⁶ "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life."⁸⁷ The faithful Christian who has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith,"⁸⁸ with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God — the consummation of faith — and in the hope of resurrection.

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St. Augustine, Ep. 98,5:PL 33,362; Eph 4:30; cf. 1:13-14; 2 Cor 1:21-22.

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St. Irenaeus, Dem ap. 3:SCh 62,32.

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Roman Missal, EP I (Roman Canon) 97.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Acts 4:23-31

Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr

As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 4:31)

Did you know that sand dunes can sing?

It’s true! Sand dunes around the world have been recorded making up to nine different notes in several frequencies. Sometimes, the sound can be such a loud boom that it is heard up to six miles away and can cause avalanches! Scientists don’t know exactly how the dunes sing, but most agree that the grains of sand must somehow move together at the same frequency to form vibrations that then synchronize to become a musical note.

In a way, we are a lot like those grains of sand. God wants to guide us along his special frequency so that we can sing his praises together and start “avalanches” of grace that change our environment.

Who me? Yes, you! How can God do anything significant through me? You may feel as insignificant as a grain of sand, but you can make a big difference.

Look at today’s story of Nicodemus as an example. He was one of the Pharisees, and he was surrounded by many other Pharisees who would not accept all the signs pointing to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. But Nicodemus was moved by the Spirit to seek Jesus out. Many of the Pharisees around him refused to move to the frequency of the Spirit, but not this man. He let the music move him. He sought out the source of the vibrations in his heart. And as a result, he became one of the many grains of sand capable of singing and announcing the good news of the gospel.

Remember that God can move the smallest particles of sand and tune them to his own special frequency. If he can use these little pieces of rock to sing his praises, he most certainly can make you into an instrument that will carry his name to the ends of the earth!

Today, think of something that is blocking the Spirit’s frequency in your life. How can you make yourself more tuned in to his movements?

“Lord, you can make beautiful music out of me. Take me, form me, and teach me to move with your Spirit so that I can sing your praises.”

Psalm 2:1-9; John 3:1-8

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for April 28, 2014:

Imagine you are absolutely broke. (Maybe you are.) What could you and your beloved do for a fun date? Walk? Bike? Read? Watch the stars? Play a game? Could this weekend be a time to experiment?

Regnum Christi

Eyes of Faith

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

John 3:1-8

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother´s womb and be born again, can he?" Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ´You must be born from above.´ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, you know my needs better than I do. I turn to your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in this prayer. I want to fulfill your holy will over my life. I love you, Lord and I place all my hope in you.

Petition: Lord, increase my sensitivity to your Spirit.

1. Human Eyes: What do the eyes of our head see? They see the work of God in creation telling us that he loves us. They see creatures as a means to know and respond to our loving Creator. Our eyes see opportunities to exercise the love that we learn from this Creator. They see the mystery of Christ’s love in the Eucharist. They see around us the work of the Spirit in the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. The eyes are the apparatus of faith and serve us well on our way to the everlasting Kingdom. Is this the case for my own eyes?

2. Eyes of the Heart: If the things that flow from the heart can defile a man, so too the things that flow from the heart can sanctify a man. The eyes are also the apparatus of the heart. The eyes will focus on what the heart treasures. Christ stated it so clearly: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in your eye is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22).

3. Eyes of the Soul: “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, speaks to our souls without the noise of words. The eyes of the soul, guided by the same Spirit, help us to see -- to relish what is right and always rejoice in his consolation. In this Easter season, the Spirit begins to stir, and the Church begins to chant more fervently: “Veni Sancti Spiritus! Come Holy Spirit!” As members of this Mystical Body it is a compelling duty and a delightful right for us to join in this prayer.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, you promised to send your Holy Spirit upon your Church, and you prepared the disciples on multiple occasions to make themselves ready. Just as the Israelites quickly made ready for the Passover as people prepped for a journey, guide me to be prepared to journey with your Spirit.

Resolution: I will invoke the Holy Spirit in short prayers at three different times today.

Homily of the Day

April 28, 2014

The gospel narrative presents an interesting person Nicodemus, a learned man. He visited Jesus by night when Jesus could give him full attention. Or perhaps, he visited him at night because he avoided inquisitive people seeing him go to Jesus and listening to their conversation. There were no appointments made at that time so full attention was given by the one visited to his visitor. As a learned man Nicodemus believed and affirmed that Jesus is from God to teach the people about God. These nightly visits were very helpful to Nicodemus. Jesus’ availability gave Nicodemus a chance to learn things he did not understand. Jesus spoke to him about being born from above, from the Holy Spirit and water.

This conversation teaches us about our sacramental baptism. We were baptized as babies and we are told of its importance in catechism but oftentimes the importance is easily forgotten. We need to renew our baptismal vows as adults in confirmation by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus uses the wind which we hear and feel, but we do not know where it comes from and where it is going. We know about God but are we always conscious of him? Our faith is such that we take many things for granted or even pretend we know or do not know it according to our convenience.

How can our baptism and confirmation help us live as daughters and sons of God?

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 3

<< Monday, April 28, 2014 >>

St. Peter Chanel
St. Louis Mary de Montfort

Acts 4:23-31
View Readings

Psalm 2:1-9

John 3:1-8
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THE MEANING OF LIFE

"I solemnly assure you, no one can enter into God's kingdom without being begotten of water and Spirit." —John 3:5

When Nicodemus talked of signs and wonders, Jesus spoke of Baptism, of being begotten of water and Spirit. When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, He promised her the "living water" of Baptism, a fountain within her "leaping up to provide eternal life" (Jn 4:10, 14). Even when the dead body of Jesus was hanging on the cross, His body language spoke of Baptism, as blood and water flowed from His pierced side (Jn 19:34). Before Jesus ascended, He gave the Church the "great commission" to make disciples of all nations and baptize them (see Mt 28:19). Before Jesus ascended, He also promised: "Within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5). Then the Church was born when three thousand were baptized on the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2:41). In the fifth from the last verse of the Bible, Jesus again refers to Baptism when He invites us to "accept the gift of life-giving water" (Rv 22:17).

The Church got Jesus' point. Therefore, on the greatest day of the year, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday, in every Mass and every Catholic church in the world, we are invited to renew our baptismal promises. Live your Baptism. This is Jesus' will and the meaning of our lives.

Prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I believe in You. By Your grace, I reject Satan, all his works, and all his empty promises.

Promise: "The place where they were gathered shook as they prayed. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's word with confidence." —Acts 4:31

Praise: St. Peter zealously ministered to the sick. His caring love for the ill bore great fruit as he led many families to faith in Jesus.

John
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	John 3
1.	AND there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.	Erat autem homo ex pharisæis, Nicodemus nomine, princeps Judæorum.	ην δε ανθρωπος εκ των φαρισαιων νικοδημος ονομα αυτω αρχων των ιουδαιων
2.	This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him.	Hic venit ad Jesum nocte, et dixit ei : Rabbi, scimus quia a Deo venisti magister, nemo enim potest hæc signa facere, quæ tu facis, nisi fuerit Deus cum eo.	ουτος ηλθεν προς αυτον νυκτος και ειπεν αυτω ραββι οιδαμεν οτι απο θεου εληλυθας διδασκαλος ουδεις γαρ ταυτα τα σημεια δυναται ποιειν α συ ποιεις εαν μη η ο θεος μετ αυτου
3.	Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.	Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei.	απεκριθη ο ιησους και ειπεν αυτω αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη ανωθεν ου δυναται ιδειν την βασιλειαν του θεου
4.	Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?	Dicit ad eum Nicodemus : Quomodo potest homo nasci, cum sit senex ? numquid potest in ventrem matris suæ iterato introire et renasci ?	λεγει προς αυτον ο νικοδημος πως δυναται ανθρωπος γεννηθηναι γερων ων μη δυναται εις την κοιλιαν της μητρος αυτου δευτερον εισελθειν και γεννηθηναι
5.	Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.	Respondit Jesus : Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu Sancto, non potest introire in regnum Dei.	απεκριθη ιησους αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου
6.	That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.	Quod natum est ex carne, caro est : et quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est.	το γεγεννημενον εκ της σαρκος σαρξ εστιν και το γεγεννημενον εκ του πνευματος πνευμα εστιν
7.	Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again.	Non mireris quia dixi tibi : oportet vos nasci denuo .	μη θαυμασης οτι ειπον σοι δει υμας γεννηθηναι ανωθεν
8.	The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.	Spiritus ubi vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat : sic est omnis qui natus est ex spiritu.	το πνευμα οπου θελει πνει και την φωνην αυτου ακουεις αλλ ουκ οιδας ποθεν ερχεται και που υπαγει ουτως εστιν πας ο γεγεννημενος εκ του πνευματος