Saintly Chiara Corbella Petrillo, a Mother who Died Saving her Unborn Baby by Refusing Cancer Treatments is Now Closer to Canonization

The beatification process moves forward for Chiara Corbella as diocesan phase concludes. Within boxes of documents were hundreds of reports collected and sealed for her process of beatification. These recount the virtues and testimonies of the young Italian woman, who died in 2012, at the age of 28, after battling cancer. Her parents, husband, Enrico, and son, Francesco attended this special ceremony. The closing session of the diocesan investigation into the life, virtues, fame of sanctity and signs of the Servant of God Chiara Corbella was held on Friday 21 June 2024, at 12 noon, in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Baldo Reina, vicegerent of the diocese of Rome. The members of the diocesan tribunal who conducted the investigation were 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, a 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 21 September 2018. Chiara, «after getting married on 21 September 2008 she soon found herself experiencing truly difficult situations such as the death of two young children, shortly after the births. During her third pregnancy, Chiara was diagnosed with cancer. Any treatment would have had fatal consequences on the child she was carrying, but waiting would have compromised its effectiveness." She had no doubts: she decided to carry the pregnancy to completion. She died at just 28 years old.

Who was Chiara? (Image above of Chiara's family at the ceremony)

A 28 year old Italian woman named Chiara Corbella Petrillo died by post-poning cancer treatments to save her unborn child. Chiara met her husband, at age 18, during a pilgrimage to Međugorje. They married six years later in Assisi, Italy, on September 21, 2008. She and her husband, Enrico Petrillo, lost 2 of their children. Maria Grazia Letizia and Davide Giovanni, both died shortly after birth from incurable disabilities. Although, they only lived a short while they were named Maria and David. Chiara became pregnant in 2010 with Francisco and was also diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Her baby boy was born in May 2011 but her cancer spread.

She died on June 13, 2012. Her funeral mass was celebrated in St. Fracisca Romana Church in Rome, Italy, by Cardinal Vallini. Chiara wrote a letter to her son before death, in it she said: “I am going to heaven to take care of Maria and David, you stay here with Dad. I will pray for you.”
 “We grew more and more in love with each other and Jesus. We were never disappointed by this love, and for this reason, we never lost time, even though those around us said, 'Wait, don’t be in a hurry to have another child,'” Enrico, her husband, said.

Sources: https://www.diocesidiroma.it/il-21-giugno-la-chiusura-del-processo-di-beatificazione-di-chiara-corbella-2/