Gianna Beretta was born at home, as was the custom in the day, in Magenta, Italy on Wednesday, October 4, 1922 (the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi) as the tenth of thirteen children. Of those thirteen children, only eight children survived into adulthood. See picture of home below.
Her parents were Alberto Beretta (father died September 1, 1942) and mother, Maria de Micheli (born in 1887 and died May 1, 1942) --both members of the Third Order of Saint Francis. They married on October 12, 1908, and they began their married life in the city of Milan, Italy not far from the Capuchin Franciscan Monastery. Gianna’s father had remarked, “Each child born into the world is a precious Gift from God, and it is an added gift from Saint Francis to have our newest child born on his Feast Day.”1
One week later, on Wednesday, October 11, 1922, Gianna dressed in a delicate white baptismal gown and ruffled, close-fitting cap was baptized at the Basilica of Saint Martin in the city of Magenta. The priest poured the water over Gianna’s head, stating, “I baptize you Giovanna Francesca, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Their parish priest remembered, “I always saw the parents serene and smiling; in the most painful events of their life, as in the sickness and death of their children, I saw them serene martyrs of the Will of God, though they had agony and death in their hearts. The great solicitude of Papa Beretta was always to keep the children attached to the family and far from occasions of sin. Honesty in his office work was scrupulous.” The parents made sure that each of the children studied a profession so that he or she would be able to carry out, in some way, Christian service to the community and permeate the professional world with the example of a Christian life.
Over the years, many of Gianna’s family members have served God as follows:
• The eldest daughter, Amalia, died a saintly death in her 20's
• Ferdinando became a respected doctor
• Francesco became a civil engineer
• Enrico, the next son, studied medicine and then became a Capuchin priest, dedicating himself to the missions in Brazil (born August 28, 1916 and died August 10, 2001).
• Zita studied pharmacology
• Giuseppe also studied engineering and became a diocesan priest (born August 19, 1920 and died February 22, 2015)
• Gianna, her story is found on our website, at http://saintgianna.org/stgiannalife.htm and http://saintgianna.org/sainthood.htm
• Virginia, the youngest, became a doctor and a Canossian Sister, working as a missionary in India.
• Her uncle was Monsignor Giuseppe Beretta and another ancestor was Father Giovanni Battista Beretta--both were priests.
In 1933, the Beretta's celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary, the family photo below was taken. The family members are as follows: Front Row (left to right): Gianna, Mrs. Beretta, Virginia, Mr. Beretta, Giuseppe; Back Row (left to right): Francesco, Ferdinando, Zita, and Alberto.
Love Contemplation:
Love is a choice. Love is the most beautiful feeling that the Lord has placed in the minds of men.... To love means to have a desire for perfecting oneself and the person one loves, to overcome one's own egoism and to give of oneself. Love must be total, full, and complete, governed by the law of God and must become eternal in heaven.
Please take a moment to thank God for sending us this powerful Saint. May we also thank Saint Gianna for interceding on our behalf when we pray requesting her intercession with Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.
Happy Birthday, Saint Gianna!
God Bless You and Your Families,
The Society of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla – Board of Directors
Check out our website at: http://saintgianna.org/
