Tomorrow is the feast day of one of my favorite women, St. Gianna Beretta Molla. I think there are many reasons to fall in love with her example and life, but there are several reasons I have been drawn to her over the last couple years:
~she's a physician (and we know how many of those I have been seeing lately, so I can pray for their guidance to St. Gianna)
~she's a modern-day saint, having lived from 1922-1962
~she is a relatively 'new' saint, having been canonized in 2004
~she was a wife and mother
~I had this experience with her last summer
To read more about St. Gianna's life and story, read the Vatican's biography or more over at her official website.
There's even a coloring page for the kiddos over here.
Prayer to St. Gianna
Saint Gianna, heroically Christlike
wife, mother and physician,
I ask the help of your prayers,
as I strive to follow your holy example
in my physical and spiritual trials.
Help me, by your prayers, to recognize
the suffering of the Cross as the way to
pure and selfless love of God
and my neighbor.
Saint Gianna, pray for us always
that we may have a heart,
meek and courageous,
like the Heart of Jesus,
in Whom we find our
healing and strength.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
~Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke~
hi, I kjust recently started reading your blog. and today's post is beautiful. the post you linked back to (July 2009) is amazing. the encounter you had there and the blessings I'm sure you received there at the Shrine are immeasurable, I'm sure. Bless you and your family on your journey. we don't live too far away from the Shrine, and I followed its progress when it was being constructed when Bishop Burke was there at that time. i will have to look it up again. what a great reminder i received today,. in reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteWow, that image is beautiful, I've never seen that one!!!!
ReplyDeleteShe's one of my favorites too!
I will be praying to St. Gianna tomorrow for you Sarah.
ReplyDeleteJamie, that image is a huge painting that is in the church at Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine in LaCrosse, WI. It is quite beautiful in person!
ReplyDeleteEach of the children shown in the painting are real-life 'Gianna babies', children conceived/born through the intercession of St. Gianna.
Sarah, I left intercessions on their prayer request and I also got an email from them today asking for my address, they want to send me prayer cards that have been touched by her gloves! I am very excited!
ReplyDelete