Happy Feast of St. Gianna!
Today is the feast day of one of my favorite saints, St. Gianna Molla. She was an Italian mother and pediatrician who, while pregnant with her fourth child, was told she had a benign growth on her uterus. She was given three options- abort and then operate, a complete hysterectomy, or just attempt a removal of the growth while leaving the pregnancy intact. The third option carried the risk of encouraging further potential complications, but she chose option three and died one week after giving birth to her daughter, Gianna Emmanuel. She is the patron saint of mothers and physicians.
As much as I love St. Gianna, I am not so sure about this painting of her. Does anyone else get a little freaked out by the expressions on the babies’ faces that are flying around St. Gianna’s head? Particularly the one hovering over her right ear. Creepy.
There, one of my favorite pictures of her with her baby. What a loving wife and wonderful mother she was. If you are interested in knowing more about St. Gianna Molla, I highly recommend this compilation of her letters to her husband.
O Jesus, I promise You to submit myself to all that You permit to befall me, make me only know Your Will. – St. Gianna Molla
Ooh, happy feast day to you, too! I didn’t know it was her feast day. I love her, too. Have you read “A Woman’s Life” about Saint Gianna? It’s also good. I agree about that angel face. Strange.