May 31-Archbishop Burke to visit newly founded St. Gianna Parish

Archbishop Raymond Burke will preside at a Mass at St. Gianna parish on Saturday May 31 and enthrone a picture of the parish's patron saint as well as share his experiences of meeting the husband and other living family members of this modern day saint.

The program will begin with Mass at 5:00PM followed by a short ceremony where of a picture and relic of St. Gianna will be presented to the parish by Thomas McKenna, president of the St. Gianna Physician's Guild . After the ceremony light refreshments will be served and Archbishop Burke and Mr. McKenna will tell about the life of this inspiring saint as well as share many pictures and stories of their meetings with family members and the places where St. Gianna lived.

The new parish is located in Lake St. Louis west of Highway 40/Interstate 64 near a Catholic cemetery and currently is using a temporary facility as they prepare to build a new church on 25 acres at Highway N near Highway Z between Dardenne Prairie and Wentzville.

"We are very pleased and honored to have Archbishop Burke coming to visit our parish," said the pastor. Rev. Timothy Elliot. "We welcome neighboring parishes as well as others from around the diocese who would like to share this inspiring occasion with us," he continued.

As an Italian physician, wife and mother, St. Gianna was best known for her refusal to have a medical procedure after being diagnosed with a uterine tumor, which would have resulted in the loss of her unborn child. Her death has been called a testament to the value of the unborn. The saint, who died in 1962, was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2004.

For more information please contact the parish office at (636) 625-6012 or see www.stgiannaparish.org