St. Gianna Molla Ministry

Born in Italy in 1922, St. Gianna Molla was a doctor, wife, and mother. When she was pregnant with her fourth child, a tumor was found in her uterus. Doctors encouraged her to abort, but she refused. A week after her daughter was born, Gianna died of an infection from the C-section. People ask her to intercede for them, most especially regarding pregnancy and childbirth.

In 2020, a ministry began called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Relics of St. Gianna. This ministry was originally started on a small scale by the founder, Jennifer Nelson in 2009. She would send holy cards of St. Gianna Molla to women with infertility or pregnancy complications. In 2020, she was connected with Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla, daughter of St. Gianna. Dr. Molla equipped Jennifer with the items necessary to expand the ministry to 28 sisters all over the world. The team prays for women who bring prayer requests to them. They send holy cards free of charge to whoever asks. The women are all volunteers and do this work because of the many miracles Jesus has granted through the prayers of St. Gianna in heaven and the ministry here on Earth.

In late 2023, Blessed Sacrament embraced the ministry. Former pastor, Fr. Andy McAlpin, O.P., met St. Gianna’s daughter, Dr. Molla, at Our Lady of Guadeloupe Shrine in La Crosse. She shared some prayer cards with him of her saintly mother. Fr. Andy felt we needed a ministry to pray for women experiencing infertility and miscarriages, which seemed to be on the rise. It was at this point that we put together prayer card care packages for women experiencing infertility, miscarriage, or pregnancy complications. Please contact Maria Habib, Pastoral Associate, if you would like a prayer card care package and if you would like to be added to our prayer list.

Image credit (click the image to learn more!):
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla | Neilson Carlin | Oil on Linen
Shrine Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin