A bunch of ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives. Here are some amazing Catholics who will always be by your side and cheer for you up in Heaven :) Uploads every week (I'm sort of hoping)
#4 in Catholic 6/25/18
#4 in Saints 6/25/18
**this saint dealt with things that readers may find disturbing. I don't suggest that young audiences read this without parent's consent because it's a very real and modern issue**
St. Maria Goretti is the youngest canonized saint in the Church with the tragic death of her on July 2, 1902 at the age 11. She is truly a saint of our time since she fought against what happens too often in this world we live in and that's why I made sure to mention her early in this book.
Her family was poor and they moved when Maria was 6 from the east side of Italy to the west in hopes of escaping the poverty that surrounded that area. When Maria was 9, her father passed away so she had to raise her 5 siblings when her mother worked in the fields to pay rent and feed her family. She especially took care of her youngest sister, Teresa. Not only that, but Maria also had to cook and clean for her next door neighbors Giovanni Serenelli and his son Alessandro who helped her mother in the fields.
20 year old Alessandro would say rude, inappropriate, and embarrassing things to the 11 year old that would make Maria run away from him. He began to make direct sexual advances towards her like demanding her virginity and threatening her with violence if she wouldn't give in. Maria refused and said that she saves that for marriage because her body is a gift of God and will only use it to please him.
After months of his harassment, Alessandro forced himself on Maria to try and rape her. She prevented him from violating her screaming," That it was a mortal sin and he would go to hell" and "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!". He tried choking her to allow it but Maria replied she would rather die than submit to such an evil deed. Alessandro, furious that she wouldn't allow him to use her, stabbed her 11 times in her chest. When she tried to reach for the door, he stabbed her three more times and then fled.
Teresa woke up hearing her sister's screams and began to cry. Maria's family grew concerned when they realized the Maria would have gotten to Teresa by then and hurried to the house. She was found in the kitchen of her house and rushed to the hospital but died the next day during a terrible infection given by her lacerations. Her last words were," I forgive Alessandro Serenelli...and I want him with me in heaven forever."
During the surgy in attempt to save her, the surgeon realized that it was beyond his capability and said to the young girl," Maria, think of me in Paradise."
She replied," Well, who knows which of us is going to be there first?" She didn't realize how terrible her situation was.
The surgeon said back to her," You, Maria."
She replied," Then I will think gladly of you." and added concerns for her mother. She died looking at an image of the Virgin Mary and holding a cross to her chest.
Alessandro was caught and he said that Maria was a virgin because she didn't allow him to get her before he killed her. He admitted that he tried to seduce her into sleeping with him several times before he tried raping her. He didn't feel sorry for what he had done either.
While Alessandro was in prison, Maria appeared to him holding white lilies that she tried giving to him but they burned in his hands and forgave him. Alessandro was so touched he was incredibly sorry for his crime, converted, and attended Maria's canonization with her mother. He begged her mother for forgiveness. Her mother said," If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withhold forgiveness?"
Alessandro became a lay brother of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin where he lived in a monastery until death.
St. Maria Goretti is considered a martyr because she was killed for believing in Catholic morale.
Her body is found in the crypt of the Basilica of Nostra Signora delle Grazie e Santa Maria Goretti in a statue.
Comment if there are any other saints that you'd like me to talk about that fight problems going on today as well!
Feast Day: July 6
Patron of: youth, young women, purity, victims of rape
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