BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY
I have been privileged to be able to meet two canonized saints: St. Pope John Paul II and St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta. I hope that many readers may have had a chance to meet or at least be close to one or both of these two saints “of our times.” Perhaps some have had the chance to meet some other canonized saints?
The celebration of the Feast of “All Saints,” on Nov. 1 each year, is a reminder that each of us has probably met and known and, maybe even lived with, one or more saints. Each of us has very likely known people of heroic and inspirational holiness, who have not been officially recognized by the Church, but who came to know and serve Jesus at such a profound level that, if a formal investigation was done, might have all that it takes to be canonized.
When we think of those “not yet canonized” saints or people of exemplary holiness, many of them may have been parents or grandparents. Many of us come to appreciate the faith and example of our parents and grandparents as we get older. We can see that some people of deep faith and holiness have become who they are because of what they learned from their parents and grandparents. Do you know anything about the children of “canonized” saints? Have you ever met the child of a (canonized) saint? At the end of August, on the 27th and 28th, we celebrate “mother and son” saints when we celebrate St. Monica and St. Augustine. St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, was canonized on May 17, 1925, less than 30 years after her death. Only in hindsight did the Church realize that two saints raised Therese and her siblings. Pope Francis canonized the parents of St. Therese, Louis Martin, and Marie-Azelie Guerin on Oct. 18, 2015. They were the first spouses to be canonized together, as a couple, in the history of the Church.
I offer this introduction because I recently had the privilege of listening to a talk given by the daughter of a canonized saint. The title of the talk is “The Beauty of Sainthood,” given by Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla at the “Good News Conference” on Nov. 1, 2022. Dr. Gianna E. Molla is the daughter of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, who was canonized by (St.) Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004, which was the date of the last canonizations of St. Pope John Paull II. He canonized six saints on that day. You can find a brief biography of St. Gianna on the Vatican website. On that page, you can also find a link to the homily of St. Pope John Paul II at the canonization Mass for the six saints.
I hesitated to write about Dr. Molla’s talk because I heard it on a podcast (surprise). I am still gathering and waiting for feedback from last week’s column, but I “take the risk” of mentioning another podcast because it is such a beautiful and inspiring talk. I encourage you to listen to it on the Word on Fire podcast.
I take the risk of mentioning yet another podcast because Dr. Molla gives such a beautiful and inspiring testimony, not only about her “Saint-Mom” (as she calls her) but also about her father, her parent’s marriage, the beautiful letters that they wrote to each other, and the families of faith in which her parents were raised. If you would like to hear someone filled with “Holy Joy” and deep gratitude for the gifts of life, love, and family, I encourage you to listen to Dr. Molla’s testimony.
I also decided to write about Dr. Molla’s testimony because I am not sure how many Catholics are aware of the life and example of St. Gianna. In addition to her biography, there is a very good article on her life and death (she died seven days after the birth of her last child, now Dr. Gianna). The article speaks of her life of faith and sacrificial death but also shows how and why she is the patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children. I had been aware of St. Gianna for some time, but hearing her daughter speak about her “Saint-Mom” and about her father’s long life (almost 98 years) and exemplary faith, was a new way of learning about and appreciating this “Saint of everyday life.” Dr. Gianna says, “Mom has been proclaimed Blessed and then Saint, firstly for the way she lived. With her death as exemplary as her life, she crowned her life. She has been defined as a ‘Saint of everyday life.’ ” She then goes on to quote Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, who was the bishop of St. Gianna’s home diocese of Milan from 1980 to 2004, and who was very instrumental in promoting the cause that led to St. Gianna’s being beatified and canonized. Here are Cardinal Martini’s words that Dr. Gianna shared as part of her testimony:
Gianna is for sure a “Saint of everyday life,” and in this sense, she represents a great hope for us. The conditions of her existence were the typical ones of adolescence, of a young woman, of a doctor, and of a mother of a family. She lived really loving each phase of her existence. All that she met, either people or events, was for her an occasion of growing in love and in the gift of herself. She loved life and all the beautiful things that are part of life – music, art, the mountains that brought her closer to God. She knew how to face everyday troubles and toils with serenity – the boredom of routine, the monotony, and the apparent banality of some days. The secret of her extraordinary yet everyday life is the faith that she received from her parents. She cherished that faith and made it grow, thanks to the Word of God. It was kept alive by Holy Communion and enhanced by charity. Her faith was enlightened by the power of Christ’s Cross and by the glory of the Risen Lord of all men, Son of God, revealer of His Father.
There is so much more that I could quote from Dr. Gianna’s testimony. I was not able to find a written version of the text of her talk, but again, I believe that hearing it in her own voice gives even more power to her beautiful words. Therefore, I hope that you will take the time to listen, but even more importantly, I encourage you to “get to know” St. Gianna Beretta Molla, a saint of everyday life and, very much, a saint for our times. Let us pray through her intercession for Holy, Joyful Marriages, Families of vibrant Faith, and for all those who are discerning and preparing to live the vocation of Marriage. As St. Pope John Paul II said in the homily at her canonization, “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!”