St. Maria Goretti:
Martyr of Purity
By Fr. Bill Ashbaugh
There
was once a young girl named Maria Goretti who lost her life because a young
man named Alexandro lusted after her. Alexandro pressured Maria to sin against
chastity and ended up stabbing her to death because she resisted his sexual
advances. Maria was a happy young girl who met a very unhappy young man.
His lack of chastity and purity of heart cost Maria her life. Later on,
when Alexandro was in prison, rotting in self hate, Maria came to him in
a dream with flowers. She was brilliant and beautiful, with the light of
God shining within her. She let him know that she forgave him as did God.
He woke a changed man.
Alexandro went on to live a very chaste and good life of prayer and penance,
and amazingly, he was even present with Maria’s family at her canonization!
Maria Goretti died on July 6, 1902, and was canonized on June 24, 1950.
She was declared a Catholic saint for her heroic witness to the virtue of
chastity. At her canonization, Pope Pius XII described her as a “little
and gentle martyr of purity.” Ask her intercession for yourself or
others who may be struggling to be chaste.
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