The St. Gianna Shrine Is A Midwest Must For All Catholics
If you know St. Gianna Molla, you love her.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla was a 20th-century Italian pediatrician, wife, and mother who lived out her Catholic faith in both her professional and personal life. Born in 1922 near Milan, Italy, she was dedicated to serving others through medicine and was active in her parish and charitable works. She married Pietro Molla in 1955, and together, they had three children.
During her fourth pregnancy, Gianna developed a serious medical condition involving a tumor in her uterus. Given several treatment options, she chose the one that would best protect the life of her unborn child, even though it carried serious risks for her own health. Gianna gave birth to a healthy baby girl but died shortly after in 1962. She was canonized in 2004 by Pope John Paul II, becoming a modern example of sacrificial love and holiness in everyday life.
St. Gianna is the patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children. Her feast day is celebrated on April 28th.
In honor of this great saint and her Feast Day, we invite you to explore the Shrine of St. Gianna in Yorkville, Illinois.
Located at St. Patrick Parish, the St. Gianna Shrine is a beautiful statue that serves as a peaceful refuge for all who visit.
As per their website, "Our hope for the St. Gianna Shrine is inspired by the saint herself, and echos the words of her daughter, Gianna Emanuela (pictured), when she visited the Shrine and shared, ‘I am very much encouraged by the plans for this Shrine in Yorkville, Illinois, dedicated to my saint mother, recalling her heroic life. I hope and pray this Shrine will bring many graces to all pilgrims who visit.'"
While you can always drop in to see the statue on your own time, the St. Gianna Shrine also offers tours that include visiting the Shrine and hearing its history, veneration of two of St. Gianna's relics (plus one decade of the Holy Rosary, and a prayer to St. Gianna), blessing cards and medals that touched her relic, and—by request—a group recitation of the Rosary.
Depending on when you visit, you may be able to partake in one of the Shrine's many inspiring events, including St. Gianna's annual Feast Day celebration, March for Life, and Mass of Hope and Healing.
After the 4 pm mass on the last Saturday of the month, St. Patrick's offers a special Veneration Service complete with the veneration of two of St. Gianna's relics, a decade of the Rosary, and a prayer to St. Gianna.
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To learn more about the Shrine of St. Gianna - including tour information and mass times - please visit their website.