October 29: BL. CHIARA BADANO: The Girl Who Chose Joy

Blessed Chiara Badano was sixteen and playing tennis when a sudden pain turned out to be bone cancer — and she chose to give it to Jesus.

An energetic Italian teenager active in the Focolare Movement, Chiara offered her illness to God from the very first moment of pain and refused painkillers so she could give her suffering to Jesus as fully as possible. She spent her final two years encouraging visitors from her hospital bed and planned her own funeral like a wedding, asking her parents to smile instead of cry.

"It's for you, Jesus. If you want it, I want it too."

Chiara's challenge doesn't have to end when the episode does. Our free Family Pack has a saint calendar, feast-day activity pages, and family discussion questions to keep it going at home — free when you subscribe: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along