In 2023, Family Life International initiated two new awards to honour people for their service to life and family in the community. The recipients of the Dr. H.P. Dunn Award and the Saint Gianna and Pietro Molla Award are individuals who selflessly give of themselves and who witness the gift of human life and of the family.
This year, Mr. Kenneth Orr, secretary for Right to Life NZ, receives the Saint Gianna and Pietro Molla Award for Service to Life and Family.
The Award was presented to Mr Orr for his outstanding contribution to serving life and family by defending the lives of pre-born children and consistently holding governmental and other agencies accountable through persistent inquiry.
Based in Christchurch, Mr Orr has laboured tirelessly for many decades to defend the rights of pre-born children to be protected from abortion. He has also worked tirelessly to warn of the dangers of euthanasia, assisted suicide and other evils.
Mr Orr has gone before the Court and has consistently been a thorn in the side of the Ministry of Health and other agencies with his persistent inquiry, attempting to keep these publicly funded entities accountable.
Never one to keep the results of his inquiry to himself, Mr Orr has always been willing to share the information he obtains with as many people as possible. As a result, his research has aided pro-life organisations throughout New Zealand in their work to defend pre-born children.
Mrs. Michelle Kaufman, National Director of FLI, presented Mr Kenneth Orr with the Saint Gianna and Pietro Molla Award for service to life and family on Wednesday, 28 August.
The Award was presented during the Christchurch evening programme for the Proclaiming the Gospel of Life in a Post-Christian Culture speaking tour with Father Shenan J. Boquet, President of Human Life International.
About Saint Gianna and Pietro Molla
Saint Gianna and her husband, Pietro, lived a holy marriage, albeit short. Their union was open to the gift of children and Saint Gianna assisted many in need, doing all out of love for God and neighbour. During the pregnancy of her fourth child, a non-cancerous fibroma was discovered in Gianna’s womb, requiring treatment because of its location. Despite being encouraged to abort her child or have a hysterectomy, Gianna chose to do everything she could to ensure her daughter could be born safely. One week after the caesarean birth of her daughter Gianna Emanuela, Gianna succumbed to peritonitis.
Gianna Beretta Molla was declared a Saint by Pope John Paul II on 16 May 2004. Their daughter, Gianna Emanuela, is currently working on Pietro Molla’s cause for sainthood.
Gianna Emanuela was in New Zealand to present the first Award, which she fully supports.
Read more about Saint Gianna Beretta Molla here.
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