The Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo (1984-2012)
It will be held in the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano Friday 21 June, at 12pm, the closing session of the diocesan inquiry into the life, virtues, fame of holiness and signs of the Servant of God Chiara Corbella.
The rite will be presided over by the bishop Baldo Reina, vicegerent of the diocese of Rome. The members of the diocesan tribunal who conducted the investigation will be present: Monsignor Giuseppe D’Alonzo, episcopal delegate; Don Giorgio Ciucci, promoter of justice; Marcello Terramani, notary actuary.
“On 13 June 2012, the Servant of God Chiara Corbella, laywoman and mother of a family, wife and mother of great faith in God, died in Pian della Carlotta (Cerveteri), we read in the edict that started the cause, the September 21, 2018. His story is known: born in Rome, raised in a believing family, Chiara married on 21 September 2008 with her fiancé Enrico, also Roman and a few years older, whom she met in Medjugorje.
The young woman becomes pregnant but the ultrasounds show a serious malformation. To the little girl, whom they name Maria Grazia Letizia, anencephaly is diagnosed.
Chiara and Enrico chose to continue with the pregnancy anyway and the little girl, who was born on 10 June 2009, died after about half an hour. A short time later the situation repeats itself: Chiara is expecting her second child but he too, who they call Davide Giovanni, has a serious malformation.
Also in this case she continues the pregnancy, the child is born and dies shortly after birth.
In the third pregnancy the baby is healthy, but Chiara becomes ill: she is diagnosed with tongue cancer. She chooses to delay treatment, so as not to cause harm to the baby she is carrying. Little Francesco is born and Chiara undergoes surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the tumor has progressed too far. He died at just 28 years old. His funeral was celebrated on 16 June in the parish of Santa Francesca Romana all’Ardeatino. His body is buried in the Verano cemetery in Rome, in the same tomb where his other two children rest.
«His oblation – we read again in the edict – remains as beacon of light of hope, testimony of faith in God, author of life, example of love greater than fear and death». That love that allowed her to tell her friends that she considered it “a privilege to know I was dying in advance, because I could say ‘I love you’ to everyone”, and to her mother: “If the Lord chose this for me, it means that It’s better this way for me and for those around me. So I’m happy.”
In the meantime, Chiara Corbella’s reputation for holiness and popularity has spread not only in Italy but in many parts of the world. About her Her biography book, We were born and will never die againhas been translated into 13 languages.
«A second Gianna Beretta Molla», had defined her Cardinal Agostino Vallini, celebrating funerals. «Chiara», he says Roman Gambalunga, the postulator who introduced the diocesan phase, «is a saint of our times. A model of virtue, if you will. Those who knew her speak of a cheerful girl, with many passions, music, travel, who lived her engagement to the full before her and then her marriage and motherhood. A fullness given by his ability to believe the Gospel completely and despite everything», she says, «First of all she refuses chemotherapy treatments for the sake of the son Francesco she was carrying. Because in this choice, before courage, there is faith in a Father who provides for our every need. And then I think about the way in which she gave birth to Maria Grazia Letizia and Davide Giovanni, the first two children she brought into the world and who both died shortly after giving birth because they were affected by serious malformations.”