Chiara's life reminds us that true hope isn’t about avoiding difficulties, but about finding meaning and grace in them
Dear Friend,
As we enter the month of March and begin the season of Lent, I would like to share with you the story of Chiara Corbella. Her life beautifully reflects the Lenten themes of sacrifice, faith, and trust in God’s will.
Born in 1984, Chiara grew up in a Catholic family. She married Enrico Petrillo at 24 years old. Their love story became a profound example of faith and perseverance. Chiara’s first two pregnancies ended in heartbreak, as their children were diagnosed with severe conditions before birth and lived only a few moments afterward. Despite their grief, Chiara and Enrico embraced these brief but precious moments with their children as gifts, entrusting their lives entirely to God.
In 2011, Chiara became pregnant again with their third child, Francesco. During this pregnancy, however, she received the devastating diagnosis of a rare and aggressive form of cancer. In a remarkable act of courage and selflessness, she delayed her own treatment to ensure her son’s safe delivery. While Francesco was born healthy, Chiara’s cancer continued to progress. As her illness worsened, she faced her suffering with extraordinary peace and faith, understanding it as her path to God. Surrounded by her loving family, she peacefully passed away on St. Anthony’s Day, June 13, 2012, at the age of 28. Her cause for canonization was announced on June 13, 2017, on the fifth anniversary of her death.
You may wonder why I think this story is particularly inspiring for Lent. Lent is a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, a time of spiritual preparation to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ at Easter, and Chiara’s story touches on these central practices. Through her sacrifices, she teaches us how to embrace Lent’s call to self-giving and faith in God.
Her decision to carry her first two pregnancies to term, despite knowing her children wouldn’t survive long after birth, is a powerful example of almsgiving. She gave her children the greatest gift anyone can offer: unconditional love and the dignity of life. Her actions remind us during Lent to be generous, even when it’s challenging, whether through acts of charity, offering time, or showing love to those in need.
When Chiara delayed her cancer treatment to protect her unborn son, she embraced a kind of fasting – not from food, but from her own safety and comfort for the sake of another. Lent invites us to fast, not only as a form of self-denial, but to grow in empathy and self-control. Chiara’s selflessness challenges us to consider how we might sacrifice our own desires to serve others.
Her deep peace and unwavering faith in God reflect the transformative power of prayer. Even in her darkest moments, Chiara trusted in God’s plan, finding strength in her relationship with Him. This Lenten season calls us to renew our commitment to prayer as a way to center our lives on God and to find hope amid life’s challenges.
This year, Chiara’s story carries even greater significance during the 2025 Jubilee, with its theme of Pilgrims of Hope. Her journey was one of hope – not a hope based on the absence of suffering, but on an unwavering trust in God’s promises. Chiara teaches us that even in life’s darkest valleys, we can walk forward with confidence, knowing that God’s love transforms pain into purpose and death into life.
During this Jubilee year, as we reflect on what it means to be Pilgrims of Hope, Chiara’s story challenges us to live of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Her life reminds us that true hope isn’t about avoiding difficulties, but about finding meaning and grace in them, with our eyes always fixed on the joy of the Resurrection.
As we journey through life as pilgrims, sharing the light of hope with all those we meet, may her example inspire us during Lent and throughout this special Jubilee year.
Peace and all good.
Updated on February 28 2025