At the age of twelve, Gianna, like her siblings, joined the Catholic Action group. Catholic Action was a group whose mission was to offer Catholic laity a more spiritual and intense Catholic way of life, which inspired many charitable and apostolic work on every level of society. See the photo below of several women in Saint Gianna's Catholic Action group.
Pope Pius XII, was pope during the years that Gianna joined the Catholic Action. He would address the members as follows: “Oh, the good works which await you!” he exclaimed. “To reconstruct society on a Christian foundation; to renew men’s esteem for the Gospel and its morals; to renew the family, restoring the crown of sacramental dignity to matrimony, giving back to spouses the sense of their obligations and the consciousness of their responsibility; to reaffirm at all levels of society the true understanding of authority, of discipline, of respect for social order, of reciprocal rights and duties of the human person: this is your tomorrow. And to do this, you will need prayer, good example, ever-ready charity, helpfulness toward the humble and the afflicted, the perfect accomplishment of your duties in the family, at work, in society.”1
The program assigned to the young women was one which Gianna took to heart and lived to the full: Eucharistic devotion, apostolic action, heroic purity. During World War II, when Gianna attended university, Gianna became a leader in Catholic Action. All of her free time, after her studies were met, were devoted to apostolic work. She planned conferences, retreats, and excursions for the younger girls, even putting the family’s summer home at their disposal. The war issues—travel conditions, food rationing, and constant bombing threats—made this work very stressful and difficult. But Gianna persevered and worked untiringly for the good of souls, who more than ever in times like those, needed spiritual strength. Many testify that through Gianna’s example, they rediscovered their faith in God.
Her words reflect how much she had internalized what she had learned in Catholic Action. “Do not be afraid to defend the honor of God, to defend the Church, the Pope and priests. This is the moment to act. We must not remain indifferent in the face of the enemy’s campaign against religion and morals. We of Catholic Action must be the first to defend the sound foundation and the sacred Christian tradition of our homeland… Would you be willing to give your lives for Christ the King? You who cannot say ‘no’ to your eyes, to your gluttony, you who find it difficult to help around the house or to pray for a few minutes…?”2
Taking some of her young Catholic Action girls with her, she visited the abandoned poor and sick in their homes, bringing food and medicines and attending to the housekeeping. Once, upon returning from such a visit, she met a friend and explained that she needed to go home quickly to shower: “Please don’t keep me long; I’ve just bathed an old woman, and I am covered in fleas!”3
Gianna lived the golden years of her youth and young adulthood in the service of Catholic Action. Her young girls were attracted by her shining example of self-sacrifice and prayer. They eagerly sought her advice and followed her counsels. Gianna was frequently elected to leadership positions and trust in Catholic Action. In the last three years before her marriage, from 1952 to 1955, she was both president and delegate of her whole area. See the photo below where she is leading a group of children at a summer camp in 1946.
Through her leadership roles in Catholic Action, Gianna encountered another leader in Catholic Action, the engineer, Pietro Molla. Gianna was struck by his apostolic spirit, and Pietro was struck by her gentle charity and fearless practice of her faith. They met several times before Gianna began to realize that Pietro was in love with her. Their friendship became more, and their lives together turned to love and marriage.
May God Bless You and Your Loved Ones!
The Board of Director
The Society of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla
Check out our website at https://saintgianna.org
1 Booklet: "No Great Love - Saint Gianna Beretta Molla - Heroic Witness to Life" by Ann M. Brown
2 Booklet: "No Great Love - Saint Gianna Beretta Molla - Heroic Witness to Life" by Ann M. Brown
3 Booklet: "No Great Love - Saint Gianna Beretta Molla - Heroic Witness to Life" by Ann M. Brown
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