Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (May 29, 1769 to June 9, 1837)

  When I arrived in Siena, Italy, it was late at night and all the hotels were booked in the walled city. And since I had taken a bus there, it's not like I could easily move on to the next city or town. So, the later it became, panic set in. And then, just around midnight, a kind concierge found me a room. It was sparse, but it was better than sleeping outdoors.
  The following night, I had a choice of hotels and a chance to explore the city's beauty and learn more about its patron, St. Catherine.
  Since Siena is a place frozen in medieval times, I was surprised to find that lesser known Blessed Anna Maria (Giannetti) Taigi, who was born there on May 29, 1769, lived much like the women of today.
  She was absolutely beautiful. Yet, she was always concerned about her appearance and clothing. Perhaps it was because her husband, Dominico Taigi, was verbally abusive. Since she was so appealing, he may have figured he'd better put her down and make her feel insecure. That way, she'd stay with him. And she did. They were married for 48 years and had seven children.
  But, that didn't stop Blessed Anna Maria Taigi from having an extramarital affair. From my point of view, I can feel her pain. Maybe her husband paid no attention to her, so she figured he wouldn't care if she cheated on him. But, he continued to verbally abuse her for what happened, rather than think about how she only wanted to feel loved. He's the one who drove her away.
  Then one day, while Blessed Anna Maria Taigi was at St. Peter's at the Vatican, a feeling came over her like the Holy Ghost was present. At that moment, she decided that worldly matters were no longer important. This woman who had cheated on her husband was now closer to God. Like many modern men, Dominic Taigi probably continued to taunt her.
  The more spiritually she lived, the more intuitive she became. Blessed Anna Maria Taigi was a mystic. Her clairvoyance was spectacular. So, even though she helped the sick and poor, her neighbors would gossip about her. Who was this woman who could predict the future? Why did she walk amongst them?
  At age five, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi moved to Rome with her parents who had lost their apothecary business. She was just 20-years-old when she married Dominico Taigi.
  Blessed Anna Maria Taigi died on June 9, 1837. Her body is incorrupt. She was beatified on May 30, 1920. She is a patron of mothers, housewives, and victims of verbal and spousal abuse.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla (Oct. 4, 1922 to April 28, 1962)

This morning, when I was sitting in a waiting room, I was surrounded by many mothers and pregnant women all of whom, like myself, put their trust in our doctor. It made me want to write about St. Gianna Beretta Molla, a patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children.
She even has children who are alive today. St. Gianna was born on Oct. 4 (Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi), 1922 in Magenta, Italy. She received a medical degree from the University of Pavia in 1949 and married Pietro Molla in 1955.
St. Gianna had four children. During her fourth pregnancy she was diagnosed with a large fibroma (benign tumor) in her uterus. She told her husband if he had to choose, that he should chose the baby. They had a daughter, Gianna Emanuela, born on April 21, 1962. St. Gianna contracted a high fever and stomach pains caused by septic peritonitis. She died on April 28, 1962 in Monza, Italy. Canonized: May 16, 2004. Her feast day is April 28.
Here is a wonderful Web site about St. Gianna Beretta Molla where you can learn her prayer and read about her family, miracles, shrine, and much more.