I have a sister that is a canonized saint. I know it is hard to believe, but let me explain. Sisters
and brothers are from the same “blood”. As Catholics, we receive the same Body, Blood, Soul and
Divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist. This is why we call the saints, brothers and sisters in Christ. My sister,
my good friend, is St. Gianna Molla.
She first found me in 2005. I was married for a few years and was eager to start a family. Due to
a severe endometriosis diagnosis, I was told to begin a family before 25 years old or I may never have
children. In 2005, I was 24. I was ready to begin a family with my husband, but I had also felt an
extremely strong call to study for a Master’s Degree in Theology. I didn’t know what do so I scheduled a
meeting with the Associate Dean, Dianne Traflet. As we spoke, I told her my situation. She said, “I want
to give you something to help.” She pushed across her desk a holy card with an image of a beautiful and
joyful woman holding a baby and a brochure with the name, “St. Gianna Molla.” She said, “This saint was
a doctor, a wife and a mother. If she could do all that, so can you.” Because of her counsel, I began
having a devotion to St. Gianna. I began to pray for her intercession to help me in finishing school, but
also interceding for us to have a baby. I found out the day of my first final exam that semester, that I
was pregnant! I ended up giving birth to a perfectly healthy daughter that we named Gianna Maria. I
was certain St. Gianna prayed for me to get pregnant and finish school. Everything was going well until
our Gianna turned 9 months old.
We began noticing that Gianna had behaviors that looked like little mini seizures during
mealtime. We were told we had to bring her to a neurologist. I texted the priest who baptized her on
St. Gianna’s Feast Day, and asked him to pray for her. He happened to be on a plan back from Rome and at our text, took out his rosaries to pray.
A gentleman on the plane next to him said, “Fr. I am a Catholic can I join you in prayer for the intention you are praying for.” He said, “Yes, please pray for a baby named Gianna who may have some neurological issues.”
The man looked at him and said, “I can’t believe this Father. These are meant for you to give to the family.” He proceeded to go into his bag and pull out two second class relics of St. Gianna. He had just been at the dedication of her shrine in Milan, Italy. When our priest friend returned home, he gave us the relics and our Gianna ended up being okay. This was the second time that St. Gianna had showed her love, friendship and closeness to me. As a thank you, I wanted to begin to spread devotion to her.
My story can go on for pages of all the times and ways St. Gianna has shown herself a friend to
me and to those I love. She interceded for a hole in my niece’s heart to close. She interceded for a
mother in my parish who was on death’s door to have a total and complete healing. She prayed for an
acquaintance I knew from high school who I gave a relic card to after she had 5 miscarriages and now
has a healthy baby boy.
I think the most beautiful thing this Saint has done for me is show me what love should look like. It looks like sacrifice out of love. Her famous quotes, “One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving,” “Live Holy the present moment” and “Whatever God Wants” have become by go-to mottos in life. She has also guided her daughter, Gianna Emanuela (the daughter she gave her life for) and I into a friendship. Gianna Emanuela helped me begin a ministry called, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Relics” where we send holy cards free of charge touched to St. Gianna’s relics to anyone who asks. Through this ministry, I have been connected to a wonderful sisterhood ministry team of over 28 women who all have devotions to this wonderful saint. We pray for one another, encourage each other in our walks with Christ, and pray for all those who contact our ministry.
Saint Gianna has proven herself to be the best kind of sister there is. One who listens, who is
close to you when you suffer and who shows you that she is there for you when you call upon her. I
encourage everyone to look into the life of this amazing saint and her holy husband, Pietro. You will find
a beautiful story of life, love and living the will of God to the fullest. Saint Gianna Molla, sister in Christ,
pray for us!
About The Author
Jennifer Nelson is the founder of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Relics of St Gianna. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and six beautiful children with one on the way. Her husband always tells her if she ever becomes a saint, she will be the saint of the Saints because she always points people to a particular saint for whatever their dilemma is. She enjoys any chance she has to spread devotion to her beloved St.Gianna.
