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The True Story
of
Gabriel Michael Santorum
(Book Review)
Reviewed by Joseph A. Esposito,
Special to the Herald
Halfway through the pregnancy of our younger son, my wife had a second sonogram to ease my anxiety. This test revealed a posteriorurethral valve blockage, and subsequent sonograms only heightened our fears and those of the radiologist and obstetrician. The situation was not deemed dire, but surgery was anticipated upon delivery. Miraculously, with a urologist standing by, Nicholas was born perfectly normal. Joy replaced concern, and he is now a typical three year old.
Karen and Rick Santorum were faced with a similar, but much more serious valve problem for their child in 1996. Twenty weeks into the pregnancy it was determined that the baby had almost no chance for survival. As they frantically sought ways to help the child, it appeared that a delicate in-utero procedure may have accomplished the seemingly impossible. Sadly, this much-wanted baby was born prematurely and lived for only two hours.
The Santorums, members of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Great Falls, named their son Gabriel Michael, after the great archangels. This book is a series of letters Karen wrote to him during and after the pregnancy. Although the reader feels the parents' sadness, this is a truly uplifting book. It is a book which celebrates love while accepting God's will. It is a testament to faith and an inspiration to all who seek to understand the meaning of life and death.
Rick Santorum is a United States senator from Pennsylvania who is noted for his pro-life efforts, including leading the effort to override President Clinton's veto of the partial birth abortion bill. There is a sense of irony in this because some pro-choice advocates might have used the Santorums' situation as a prime example of the need for late-term abortions. Having said that, it is important to view this couple not in a political context, but rather as devout Catholics facing an emotionally challenging period.
The book is riveting because Karen Santorum is an excellent writer and a former neonatal nurse who understands the medical issues involved. But, more importantly, she invites us to witness the inner feelings of a mother who deeply loves this child. We see how she and her family are sustained through this nightmare by faith and how, in fact, Gabriel's short life enhances their trust in God.
Each letter is prefaced by one or two biblical verses and concluded by a prayer. This approach creates a series of meditations on the need for accepting God's loving will. These letters will prompt tears in the most stoic person: tears of sadness for the loss and tears of joy for the Santorums' response. Any family who has experienced the heartbreak of a child's death, including those who have miscarried, will learn from this story.
This is a short book which can be finished
in a few hours. But its
impact is likely to remain with the reader
for a long time. Karen
Santorum has shared with us a moving story
which will enrich
everyone who reads it. It is a celebration
of Christian marriage and the sacredness of life. It is also a faith story
of great beauty. No wonder Mother Teresa endorsed the book by writing a
forward to it shortly before her death.
Joseph A. Esposito is a freelance writer from Springfield, Va.
Copyright ©1998 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
This article was published in the Arlington
Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol 23, No 36;
dated Sep 10, 1998, on the page 11.
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letters@catholicherald.com
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