St. Maria Goretti is the youngest canonized saint in the Church. She died tragically on July 6, 1902, at the age of 11 after forgiving her attacker. Maria is known as The Little Saint of Great Mercy.

Born into poverty, her father moved the family when Maria was just six years old from the east side of Italy (near Ancona) to the west side (near Nettuno, about 40 miles south of Rome) in hopes of escaping the grinding poverty that was gripping the area.

Just three years later, when Maria was nine, her father died tragically. It fell to her at that time to raise her five siblings while her mother worked the fields to produce the crops with which they would both pay the rent and feed themselves.

This was a terrible time of trial and suffering for the whole family. For Maria it was especially difficult. Aside from having the responsibility of caring for her family, she had to also cook and clean for her two next door neighbors–Giovanni Serenelli and his son, Alessandro–who assisted her mother with the farm tasks.

It was also during this time that Alessandro began to develop an impure liking for Maria. The big 20-year-old would say rude and crude things to her, things that were inappropriate and embarrassing, and that would cause her to run away. However, at a certain point he began to make direct sexual advances towards her, demanding her virginity and threatening her with violence for non-compliance.

Finally, after many months of this, Alessandro forced himself upon Maria in an attempt to rape her. Though she prevented him from violating her, Alessandro brutally stabbed her numerous times. Maria died the next day in the midst of horrendous infection brought on by her lacerations. Her last words were, “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli … and I want him with me in heaven forever.”

During his prison sentence Maria appeared to Alessandro and forgave him. That act of mercy and forgiveness—that act of love—filled Alessandro with contrition for his crime. It was also a turning point for him where grace entered his heart. From that point on, he lived a beautiful and converted life of holiness, eventually becoming a Franciscan lay brother.

Learn more at www.mariagoretti.com

Saint Maria Goretti: In Garments All Red
 by Rev. Geoffrey Poage, C.P.
Here is the beautiful true story of Maria’s virtuous life that led to her heroic choice, of the Goretti family’s terrible poverty, Maria’s First Holy Communion, her great maturity in shouldering adult responsibilities, her forgiveness of her murderer, her lingering death, then finally her public elevation to sainthood in 1950-in the presence of her mother, her family and the largest crowd ever before seen at a canonization-over half a million people.

Book available through the Parish Office, or can be purchased online. We also welcome you to find additional resources about St. Maria Goretti in our Parish Library, accessed through our Parish Office.

Free Films on Formed
Maria Goretti: The Story of the Patroness of Modern Youth -- 96 minutes 
An Italiam film made on location about the life of Maria and her family.

Saint Maria Goretti: Fourteen Flowers of Pardon -- 58 minutes 
Documentary shot on location that takes you on historic journey through the life, martyrdom, and canonization of the Roman Catholic Church's youngest saint.  Includes historic photographs, interviews with her mother, and footage of the canonization ceremony.

Heroic and angelic Saint Maria Goretti,

we kneel before you to honor your persevering fortitude and to beg your gracious aid. Teach us a deep love for the precepts of our Holy Church; help us to see in them the very voice of our Father in Heaven. May we preserve without stain our white baptismal robe of innocence. May we who have lost this innocence kneel humbly in Holy Penance, and with the absolution of the priest, may the torrent of Christ's precious blood flow into our souls and give us a new courage to carry the burning light of God's love into our hearts, our homes, and our parish until Christ our king shall call us to the courts of Heaven.

Amen.