Day 236 -- Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort AND Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

Today we honor two wonderful saints in our Catholic Church, and I could not choose which one to write about, so I will share a little bit about each one: Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort and Saint Gianna Beretta Molla.

Saint Louis deMontfort was born on January 31, 1673 in Paris and ordained in 1700. He enjoyed reading about the Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, and saints when they were related to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, a religious institute of women. He began preaching about the rosary and Marian devotion. He preached about Mary to everyone he met. He was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. He wrote The Secret of the Rosary and founded a missionary band known as the Company of Mary. But the greatest contribution that Saint Louis de Montfort gave to the world is the Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin. Pope John Paul II used this consecration and to every place that he visited. He died on April 28, 1716 and was canonized on July 20, 1947. His cause for him to be added as a Doctor of the Church is now being pursued.


The other saint we remember today was a doctor and a young mother, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla. She was born on October 4, 1922 in Milan, Italy as the 10th of 13 children into a pious family. One sister became a nun and 2 became priests. She started a clinic Mero in 1950. Two years later and began working with mothers, babies, elderly, and the poor. She was active in Catholic Action and considered religious life, but married Pietro Molls on September 1955. She was the mother of 3 and continued her medical career which she considered a gift from God. During her pregnancy with her 4th child, she was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst. Her surgeon recommended an abortion to save her life. She refused and a week after she gave birth, she died on April 28, 1962. Today her daughter is a doctor and involved in the pro-life movement. Saint Gianna was canonized on May 16, 2004.

"I come to You to ask You, through the love and merits of Your Sacred Heart, the grace to comprehend and to do always Your holy Will, the grace to confide in You, the grace to rest securely through time and eternity in Your loving divine arms." -Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

I enjoyed reading about both of these saints and one thing I have wanted to do is the 33 day consecration to Mary and one begins on August 13, the day I leave for World Youth Day. I need more of the Blessed Virgin Mary in my life, leading her to her Son, Jesus Christ.