When I was around eleven years old, I received a small book about the life of Saint Maria Goretti from one of my uncles. At the time, I often helped my parents on our agricultural land during school holidays and weekends. One day, I carried the book with me to our cashew nut plantation in Kannur, Kerala. In the middle of the trees stood a large rock where I would often rest. I sat there and began to read.
As I turned the pages, something unusual happened—something I still remember vividly. I felt a sudden coldness in the air and was surrounded by a sweet fragrance, unlike anything I had ever experienced. I finished the book in one sitting, completely absorbed in her story. When I closed it, tears began to fall from my eyes—tears that came without any reason, and that I could not stop.
That moment marked me deeply. The life and purity of Saint Maria Goretti, her courage and her forgiveness, became a living example for me. Since that day, she has remained my role model, and her witness continues to inspire my spiritual journey.
Her story is not just something I read—it became a personal encounter, a seed of grace that was planted in my heart and continues to grow. Through the example of Saint Maria Goretti, I learned the importance of avoiding sin and those who lead others into it. She inspired me to stand firm in the face of temptation and to never compromise with sin, no matter how influential or powerful the person may be.
In a world often clouded by moral confusion, the life of Saint Maria Goretti shines brightly, testifying to the power of purity, innocence, and forgiveness.
Born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy, Maria grew up in a poor but deeply faithful family. She embraced prayer, sacrifice, and spiritual maturity from a young age, even while helping her widowed mother care for their home.
At just eleven years old, Maria was attacked by a young man named Alessandro Serenelli, who attempted to assault her. She resisted courageously, crying, “No! It is a sin. God does not want it!” In anger, he stabbed her 14 times. She died the next day, July 6, 1902, after forgiving her attacker and expressing her desire for his salvation:
“Yes, for the love of Jesus, I forgive him… and I want him to be with me in heaven.”
Her heroic purity and forgiveness deeply impacted the Church and the world. In 1950, she was canonised by Pope Pius XII, with her mother present, marking the first time a parent attended their child’s canonisation.
Today, Saint Maria Goretti is honoured as the patron of youth, purity, and victims of violence. Her story reminds us that even the youngest souls can achieve sainthood—not through status, but through humble love and mercy.
Her legacy is not one of tragedy, but of grace that triumphs over evil.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” — Matthew 5:8
Saint Maria Goretti, pray for us!
Income & Expenditure for May 2025.
