During her fourth
year of Secondary School, Gianna’s oldest sister
Amelia died at the age of 26 after a long illness. It was a sorrowful
event for the entire family but particularly for Gianna. She suddenly
encountered the world of suffering, but through this suffering, her
faith seemed to grow stronger. Sister Virginia remembers her “reaching
out to heaven” during this time:
“Every morning
she would spend time in meditation. This practice became her strength.
In the afternoon, she would stop at a church for a visit to the
Blessed Sacrament. She always kept a rosary in her purse and prayed some
Holy Mary’s whenever she could.”
Gianna always confided her troubles to Amelia and she missed her
big sister’s affection. She tried to follow the examples Amelia
had given her and to find the strength to be worthy of having such
a wonderful sister.
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