To All Brave Mothers

"We would like to pay homage to all brave mothers who dedicate themselves to their own family without reserve, who suffer in giving birth to their children and who are ready to make any effort, to face any sacrifice, in order to pass on to them the best of themselves... How hard they have to fight against difficulties and danger!  How frequently they are called to face genuine 'wolves' determined to snatch and scatter the flock!  And these heroic mothers do not always find support in their surroundings.  On the contrary, the cultural models frequently promoted and broadcast by the media do not encourage motherhood.  In the name of progress and modernity, the values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice, in which a host of Christian wives and mothers have distinguished themselves, are presented as obsolete.  As a result, a woman who is determined to be consistent in her principles often feels deeply alone, alone in her love which she cannot betray, and to which she must remain faithful.  Her guiding principle is Christ, who has revealed the love which the Father bestows on us.  A woman who believes in Christ finds a powerful support precisely in this love that bears everything..."

-Pope John Paul II

On the beautification of St. Gianna Beretta Molla