On April 18th  and 19th  St. Gianna Physician’s Guild president, Thomas McKenna, addressed university students in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Steubenville, Ohio speaking about St. Gianna Beretta Molla and the work of the Guild.

While in Pittsburgh Mr. McKenna organized the enshrinement of a picture and relic of the recently canonized saint in the Ryan Catholic Newman Center run by priests of The Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The center serves students from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, and Chatham College.

Medical students from the University of Pittsburgh contacted Mr. McKenna upon learning about the Guild and joined with the Precious Life pro-life organization to arrange a program for students. Friday evening, following Mass, a picture of St. Gianna was taken in procession from the chapel to the student conference room. After praying prayers of enshrinement the picture was hung on a wall in a prominent place and blessed by Fr. Michael Darcy who presided over the enshrinement. The enthusiastic support from the priests at the Oratory made was inspiring for all who attended.

Following a dinner provided by the Oratory, Mr. McKenna gave a lecture on the life of St. Gianna. The audience was captivated by the many pictures he showed of the saint, the places she frequented as well as recent pictures of living family members Mr. McKenna has met with on several occasions. A question and answer session followed.

The place where the picture was hung will serve as a shrine where students and others may come in prayer, alone or together, to ask St. Gianna’s guidance and inspiration.

The following day Mr. McKenna traveled to Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio for an evening lecture with students and faculty. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to learn about this modern day saint.