Love is a Choice: The Life of St. Gianna Molla

As a Catholic Company Reviewer I was very pleased to receive the dvd: Love is a Choice-The Life of St. Gianna Molla. This is a very moving video that I enjoyed along with my husband and three of my teenagers. In fact, my 13 year old said that she may pick St. Gianna as her confirmation patron, she was so impressed with the story.

What makes this video extremely special is that is incorporates many old family movies, personal photos and love letters written between St. Gianna and her husband Pietro.

St. Gianna Molla was born the tenth of thirteen children in Milan Italy. She lost three siblings at a young age, and at 15, when her sister died, she learned the lessons of great love and great loss. She wrote, " As to the past, let us entrust it to Divine Mercy, the future to Divine Providence. Our task is to live holy the present moment."

We learn of her great love for her husband, Pietro, through love letters. St. Gianna sent Pietro 73 letters over 6 years when business took him away from the family.

When pregnant with her 4th child, it is discovered that Gianna has cancer and to save her life, she is told she should have an abortion. Gianna's only concern is for her unborn baby. St. Gianna makes the sacrifice of her own life, just days after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

The scenes at the end of the video of St. Gianna's canonization, while her husband and children look on are priceless. The clip of Pietro, 92, as he stands to greet Pope John Paul II brought tears to our eyes.

One of Gianna Molla's girlhood friends say, "Gianna was not extraordinary, but she lived a saintly life as wife and mother."

In these times we live in, amidst the world's culture of death, we need this wonderful saint, a wife and mother, to show us that "Love is a Choice". And we can choose everyday to "live holy the present moment" as we all strive toward sainthood.

St. Gianna Molla, pray for us!

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from the Catholic Company. Visit the Catholic Company to find more informations on Love is a Choice(DVD).