Chiara Corbella Petrillo

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Not to be confused with Chiara Badano.
Servant of God

Chiara Corbella Petrillo
Born(1984-01-09)9 January 1984
Rome, Italy
HometownRome, Italy
Died13 June 2012(2012-06-13) (aged 28)
Pian della Carlotta, Cerveteri, Rome, Italy
Resting placeCampo Verano, Rome, Italy

Chiara Corbella Petrillo (9 January 1984 – 13 June 2012) was an Italian Catholic public speaker and a mother known for her faith amidst her battle with cancer.

Chiara met her future husband Enrico Petrillo in 2002 when both were on a

pro-life events in Rome following the births and deaths of their first two children.[2][5] When Chiara conceived a third child, once again she was diagnosed with medical issues during her pregnancy that turned out to be carcinoma, later deemed to be terminal. The cancer spread to places such as her tongue and liver, which made sight and talking troublesome as the illness progressed.[1][6][5]

Following her death, her cause for

Lateran Basilica on 21 September (her wedding anniversary) in 2018, entitling her as a Servant of God.[3][7]

Biography

Chiara Corbella was born on 9 January 1984 in Rome as the second of two children to Roberto Corbella and Maria Anselma Ruzziconi; her elder sister being Elisa. Her baptism was celebrated on 5 February at the Roman church of Santi Marcellino e Pietro al Laterano, where she also received her First Communion on 29 May 1994 and her Confirmation on 8 October 1995.[4]

In the summer of 2002 she was on a vacation in

spiritual director. Enrico had been impressed with the effect that the course had on her and so attended one himself that 31 December.[4] The pair's relationship culminated on 21 September 2008 in Assisi when they were married at the San Pietro church with D'Amato presiding over the liturgy. The couple had travelled to Assisi on a walking pilgrimage in 2008 and became engaged at the end of the walk on 2 August; Enrico had proposed to her three times and each time she accepted.[1][5]

One month after their wedding the pair learnt that Chiara, newly enrolled for a

ultrasound scan revealed that their child, a daughter, had anencephaly and the parents were asked if they wished to abort. Enrico and Chiara both refused to do this and remained firmly focused on having the child.[4]

The couple's first child, Maria Grazia Letizia, was born on 10 June 2009 but died after half an hour, long enough for Father D'Amato to baptize her; the baby's funeral was held on 12 June at the

Totus Tuus" ("yours entirely", the motto of Pope John Paul II, addressed to the Virgin Mary).[6]

It was not long before Chiara became pregnant with her final child and the couple were relieved that the ultrasound scans demonstrated the child would be born in perfect health. However, in the fifth month Chiara became diagnosed with a bad lesion on the tongue and had to undergo a surgical procedure. Doctors informed her that the lesion had in fact been a carcinoma, but she was insistent on bearing her final child even if it meant endangering her life.[6][2][4]

Chiara had an operation in March 2011 to treat her condition. Her final child, Francesco, was born at 37 weeks on 30 May 2011 in perfect health and her treatment started after his birth; she had another operation on 3 June. But the cancer's intensification over time meant that it became difficult for her to see and to speak.

Blessed Sacrament. This was on 4 April, during Holy Week, and the two there and then renewed their marriage vows.[1] Chiara met Pope Benedict XVI
alongside her husband and son on 2 May 2012 at the pope's general audience, where the couple were able to discuss their experiences with the pope.

Chiara died at her home at noon on 13 June 2012, dressed in her

Gianna Beretta."[8] Her remains are interred with those of her two children at the Campo Verano cemetery in Rome.[6][5]

Cause of beatification and canonization

The beatification process was opened in Rome on 2 July 2018 after Cardinal

Basilica of Saint John Lateran and hoped that Christians would "find in her encouragement and support in the service of conjugal love and life".[7][3]

The first and current

Discalced Carmelite
Romano Gambalunga.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f K. V. Turley (16 September 2015). "Chiara Corbella Petrillo: 21st Century Witness to Love". Catholic Exchange. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Maggie Maslak (24 December 2017). "'A saint for our times' - the inspiring story of Chiara Corbella Petrillo". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Will this young Italian mother be made a saint? Canonization cause gets underway". Catholic News Agency. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Serva di Dio Chiara Corbella Petrillo". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d "Chiara Corbella Petrillo's witness to life". AD2000. 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d "Emotional goodbye for young Italian mother who died for unborn child". Catholic News Agency. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Chiara Corbella Petrillo: Card. De Donatis, may Christians "find in her encouragement and support in the service of conjugal love and life"". Agensir. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  8. ^ Chiara Corbella, the mother who offered her life for her son. Retrieved March 22, 2022.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chiara_Corbella_Petrillo&oldid=1183072483"