Pope Francis has recently signed a decree that would bring Pope Paul VI on the path to sainthood and his legacy for writing the encyclical "Humanae Vitae" (Of Human Life), which was published in 1968, could make him the "Patron Saint of Unborn Children."
Two miracles attributed to Paul VI, which occurred in America in 2001 and in Italy in 2014, involved unborn children. Both pregnancies had similar circumstances in that the mothers' health was not in danger and that these weren't first pregnancies, but the babies' lives were in danger.
Because of complications, doctors advised that the mothers undergo abortions since they could miscarry the baby or give birth to infants with serious deformities and other health risks. Refusing doctors' advice, the mothers continued their term but were in and out of the hospital.
Vanna Pironato went to Paul VI shrine in 2014 to pray for her risky pregnancy. The unnamed mom in America, on the other hand, also prayed to Paul VI upon the prodding of an Italian nun, according to the Catholic News Agency report.
The mothers gave birth to healthy babies, albeit premature. The Vatican studied their cases to confirm Paul VI's miracles. Reports stated that the cardinals approved the 2014 case as a miracle in February.
Paul VI led the Vatican from 1963 until his death in 1978. He wrote the circular "Humanae Vitae" 50 years ago, following the implementations of reforms in the Second Vatican Council.
In it, Paul VI discussed unlawful birth control and abortion, which partly read: "Therefore we base our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when we are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children."
The Vatican is expected to canonize Paul VI this coming October.
