Window honours saint who died so daughter could live

- WCR photo by Bill Glen

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Gianna Beretta Molla paid the ultimate price to save the life of her unborn child.

In 1962, the Italian physician and pediatrician was pregnant with her fourth child when she was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst that posed a threat to her life.

Her doctor suggested she have an abortion. Molla refused.

She experienced difficulties post-natal, and despite the efforts of her colleagues, she died a week after giving birth to a daughter. She was only 39.

The child grew up to become a physician herself, one who is involved in the pro-life movement.

Sigrid Winski was deeply touched by Molla's story. She was in Rome in 1994 when Pope John Paul II beatified Molla.

"She left her life up to God," said Winski, a member of St. Andrew's Parish.

As a tribute to the woman who considered her medical career a gift from God, Winski, along with her sister Claudia Hamblin, spearheaded a campaign at the parish to raise some $12,000 in donations to erect a two-by-eight foot stained glass window honouring Molla.

Hamblin was in Rome on her honeymoon when the pope canonized Molla on May 16, 2004.

"When the parish was approached by people who wanted to sponsor the stained glass windows, our family had quite a devotion to St. Gianna. We thought we would like to put in a window of her to have some more contemporary stains up in the church," Winski said.

On June 24, Father Vic Perron blessed the window, the 12th of 20 stained glass windows being made by Winter Art Glass Studio. St. Gianna joins St. Andrew, St. Jude, St. Francis and St. Joseph. Perron blessed a window honouring Mother Teresa last August.

St. Gianna is shown holding two small children as a symbol of her work in pediatrics, and for her devotion to her own family.

Winski says her family didn't have the money needed to construct the window, so the idea was put before the parishioners the same Sunday as St. Gianna's canonization.

"As a parish project, it would involve a larger family," Winski said.

"I told the parish that St. Gianna was a young person and a role model for many people in different sectors of society. The response was really good. The money was collected within a year."

Between the beatification and canonization, Winski and her three sisters collected several books and articles about St. Gianna.

"We were young women and she became our role model because her story is amazing. It wasn't just her sacrifice. She loved life and lived life to the fullest," Winski said.

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