On April 21, I electronically wished Dr. Gianna Emanuela a happy birthday. It was on this day, 52 years ago, that St. Gianna Beretta Molla gave birth to her.
Most of us know the story. Her mother was given a choice, her life or the life of her baby because of a large uterine tumor. It was a week later, on April 28, that St. Gianna died.
In my birthday greetings, I informed Gianna Emanuela that we would be celebrating her mother’s feast day April 28 by a Mass offered by Bishop James Conley, with a reception to follow. During the homily, Bishop Conley spoke of the heroic self-less love St. Gianna exhibited for her baby, which was a reflection of the self-less love Jesus Christ manifested for us on the cross: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13).
He then talked about the extraordinary lives of our two new saints - St. John XXIII, who was a contemporary of St. Gianna, and St. John Paul II, who beatified and canonized her.
The chapel was filled to the brim with Sister Cecilia Ann Rezac, the mother superior of the Marian Sisters, Sisters Bernadette, Karen and Clare who work at St. Gianna’s, along with some of the residents, volunteers and board members.
We are most grateful to Almighty God, and for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her most chaste spouse, St. Joseph, and St. Gianna for the gift of St. Gianna’s, a place of refuge for women who are escaping domestic violence and abortion.
I am happy to inform everyone that we have helped save our 16th baby. There are many grace-filled stories to share. The pressures on the women who come to us to abort their babies seems to come from many sides: the abusive fathers of their unborn babies, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles. Besides the obvious, it is always heartwarming to see the very family members who had been pushing for the said abortion, after falling in love with the newborn baby, become champions of the pro-life cause.
I would like to thank Bishop Conley for celebrating the Mass at St. Gianna’s, and for his love and support for this most important apostolate. Thanks also to our many board members, volunteers and supporters who make this all possible because St. Gianna’s is supported entirely from private funding from the faithful of southern Nebraska and the few who are supporters outside the diocese. St. Gianna, pray for us!
