The Saint Who Inspires Me as a Mother

Tami Urcia finds encouragement in her vocation as a wife and mom in the life of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla.

As a middle-aged mother of five young children, I find myself inspired by certain saints, some of whom I have had the privilege of spending time with myself or know others who have: Mother Teresa, John Paul II, Padre Pio, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and others. One of those whose life greatly inspires me, enough so that I named my daughter after her (and dressed up as her for All Saints Day), is Saint Gianna Beretta Molla.

Many of you probably know her story. Gianna was a physician who had a special heart for the underprivileged, children and the elderly. She did not get married until she was in her thirties and then had four children in quick succession. She surely lived an exemplary life, but what carried her to the realms of sanctity was her willingness to give up that life for the good of her child. Despite being encouraged to abort or have a hysterectomy due to an ovarian tumor, she carried out her last pregnancy, gave birth to her daughter (also named Gianna), and died a week later.

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Saint Gianna’s Story Edifies Me

Many things about her story edify me. First, she got married at a later age and was still blessed to have several children. I myself got married at 32 and was similarly blessed. I don’t imagine, however, that she was as desperate as I was to find a soulmate. She seemed so content, compassionately caring for others as she waited for God’s timing.

Second, she was dedicated to the underprivileged, children and the elderly. This is something I greatly wish to improve in, and Saint Gianna inspires me. I have a brother who is homeless and a niece who is serving the homeless with Christ in the City, yet what do I do to help others besides throw a few presents under the giving tree each year? I have five children of my own, 26 nieces and nephews (and countless little ones in my parish and co-op group), but what do I do for them besides shoot them a happy birthday text once a year? I have an ailing great-aunt and an elderly grandfather that are lonely and basically waiting for death to come knocking, but what do I do besides send them a Christmas card?

Yes, yes. One could say that I have my hands full working full time, homeschooling and caring for five children, and looking after my chronically ill husband who seems to never get a break from constant pain, but it doesn’t sound like Saint Gianna had any less on her plate than I do. And the illness wasn’t her husband’s. It was her own. She still found it in her heart and on her schedule to minister to others. She used her God-given talents as a physician to help and to heal.

Finally, Gianna gave up her life for her child. She wouldn’t consider remedies or solutions that could possibly save her life but risk that of her child. One of her most inspiring quotes is: “Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering, and we cannot suffer without love” (quoted in Saint Gianna Molla: Wife, Mother, Doctor by Pietro Molla and Elio Guerriero). After the example of her Lord and Savior, she offered the ultimate sacrifice, that of life itself. She suffered, and her light shone like the sun. She died, and showed the immense depth of her love.

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Saint Gianna, a Holy Wife and Mother

Saint Gianna is such a great example to me of love, sacrifice, and joy — as well as what it means to be a holy wife. Her heroic witness of making the ultimate sacrifice to save her unborn child encourages me to face the small sacrifices of everyday life with courage. Her dedication to fulfilling her duties as a physician with care and compassion encourages me to give the best version of myself at my job. The love she showed her family as a wife and mother encourages me to joyfully care for my family.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla, pray for us!

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