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July 6: Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr—Optional Memorial
1890–1902
Patron Saint of young people (especially girls), rape victims, and the poor
Invoked for the grace of mercy and forgiveness
Canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 24, 1950
Liturgical Color: Red
Quote:
In the heroic testimony of the saint of Le Ferriere, her forgiveness of the man who killed her and her desire to be able to meet him one day in Heaven deserve special attention. This spiritual and social message is of extraordinary relevance in our time…The saint’s mother, for her part, pardoned him on behalf of the family in the hall of the tribunal where his trial was taking place. We do not know whether it was the mother who taught her daughter to forgive or the martyr’s forgiveness on her death-bed that determined her mother’s conduct. Yet it is certain that the spirit of forgiveness motivated relations within the whole Goretti family, and for this reason could be so naturally expressed by both the martyr and her mother. ~Saint John Paul II
Reflection: Maria Goretti was born into poverty in Corinaldo, Italy. She was the third of seven children and was affectionately called Marietta by family and friends. Due to her family’s poverty, Maria was unable to attend school. She spent most of her time in the family home, performing chores and caring for her younger siblings. Her father owned a farm but lost it when Maria was only five years old. Hiring himself out as a farmhand, Maria’s father provided enough for his family to eat, but when Maria was nine, he died of malaria. To provide for her seven children, Maria’s mother began to work in the fields, with Maria taking on increased responsibility at home. Despite her lack of formal education and inability to read, Maria had deep faith. The family’s suffering from poverty and loss of their father did not diminish her faith; it strengthened it. When her mother began to lose hope during their difficulties, Maria habitually said, “Mother, be brave, God will help us.” Maria’s hope that her father would be freed from Purgatory led her to constant prayer, particularly the rosary.
When Mr. Goretti lost his farm, the Gorettis moved into a home shared with the Serenellis, Mr. Serenelli and his son Allessandro. Alessandro’s mother had suffered from a mental disorder and died when he was young. Alessandro’s brother suffered from a similar disorder, and their father was an alcoholic. As a result, Alessandro was a young man prone to anger who engaged in immoral behavior.
During the three years Maria and her family lived with the Serenellis, Alessandro made at least three sexual advances toward her. Each time she refused him. Outraged, he threatened to kill her if she told anyone, so she remained silent. When Maria was only eleven and Alessandro was twenty, he found Maria alone in their shared home, caring for her youngest sister and mending a shirt while her mother and older siblings were in the field working. Once again, Alessandro made a sexual advance toward her and she refused him. With an awl in his hand, Alessandro threatened to kill Maria if she refused him. “No! It is a sin! God does not want it!” she cried. She ran for the door, but Alessandro caught her and stabbed her fourteen times in the neck before running out of the house. As Maria lay bleeding on the floor, her little sister began to cry, catching the attention of her mother who came to investigate. After finding Maria stabbed and bleeding, she brought her to the local hospital where Maria survived for only a day.
At the hospital, the surgeon was surprised that Maria had survived that long. He immediately performed surgery without anesthetic. During the surgery, Maria woke up, and another doctor said to her, “Maria, think of me in Paradise.” Maria replied, “Well, who knows which of us is going to be there first?” The doctor said to her, “You, Maria.” To which Maria responded, “Then I will gladly think of you.” Before her death, Maria was able to express her forgiveness of Alessandro, further expressing her hope that she would see him in Heaven. She also received the last sacraments. On her deathbed, she told the Chief of Police that it was Alessandro who attacked her and added, “I forgive him, and I want him with me in heaven!” She died the following day.
In many ways, Maria’s brutal death marked the beginning of her new life. Her family was devastated, but they were also inspired by her faith, mercy, and act of forgiveness. At her funeral, many said of her, “A saint has died!” Devotion to her immediately began to spread and continues to spread today.
Since Alessandro was young, he was sentenced to thirty years in prison rather than life. During his first several years in prison, Alessandro remained defiant, refusing to repent. Although he knew that Maria had forgiven him, he could not accept forgiveness, nor admit his sin. However, when the local bishop, Giovanni Blandini, felt inspired to visit him in prison, things began to change.
Around that time, Alessandro had a dream in which he saw Maria coming to him and handing him lilies, a symbol of purity. When he took the lilies, they burnt his hands and turned to dust. He wrote to the bishop thanking him for his visit, revealing the dream, and asking for prayers. In the years to follow, Alessandro underwent a profound conversion. After serving twenty-seven years of his thirty-year sentence, he was released.
Upon his release, Alessandro went to Maria’s mother, Assunta, and begged for her forgiveness, which she bestowed. “Who am I to withhold what my daughter so readily gave?” she responded. The next day, Alessandro and Assunta attended Mass together, receiving Holy Communion as if they were mother and son.
On June 24, 1950, Pope Pius XII canonized Maria and referred to her as the “Saint Agnes of the Twentieth Century.” Most remarkably, Maria’s mother and four of her siblings were present at the canonization. This was the first time a mother attended her child’s canonization. Even more remarkably, Alessandro was also present. Saint Maria’s prayers had truly worked a miracle of mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Alessandro became a lay Franciscan brother, working as a gardener until his death at the age of eighty-seven.
Saint Maria Goretti’s short life and tragic death present us with so much more than a tragedy. They present us with hope—hope that even the most hardened sinner can repent and be saved. So often our world reacts with outrage toward sin, rather than mercy. Mercy is the defining virtue in the heart of Saint Maria, and this eleven-year-old girl should inspire us to work to overcome all anger, bitterness, and resentment toward the sinner. Ponder your own depth of mercy, or lack thereof, and allow this young child to inspire you to follow her example.
Prayer: Saint Maria Goretti, your merciful heart turned tragedy into triumph. You not only forgave your murderer, you also converted him by your love and prayers. Please pray for me, that I, too, will have a merciful heart and will forgive all who have harmed me, seeking only the salvation of their souls. Saint Maria Goretti, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Unit Leader: Bro. Dave & Sis. Tess Calces
☺Household Leader: Bro. Daniel & Sis. Dome Magno
Members:
-Bro. Joewey & Sis. Mayang Morales
-Bro. Rodel & Sis. Shirly Saludes
-Bro. Emman & Sis. Joan Leonor
☺Household Leader: Bro. Sonny & Sis. Cora Andal
Members:
-Bro. Bernie & Sis. Lorna Faustino
-Bro. Bong & Sis. Lani Mangalus
-Bro. Randy & Sis. Gina Salma
-Bro. Nonie & Sis. Josie Fajilan
☺Household Leader: Bro. Edmund & Sis. Eve Espiritu
Members:
-Bro. Bart & Sis. Kathy Fallaria
-Bro. Dan & Sis. Tess Tolentino
-Bro. Eric & Sis. Lilian Lingal
☺Household Leader: Bro. Rodel & Sis. Mhang Manuel
-Bro. Bong & Sis. Irene Austria
-Bro. Willy & sis. Milly Lathrop
-Bro. Randy & Sis. Jessa Quing-quing
-Bro. Ernie & Sis. Darmie Sojor
☺Household Leader: Bro. Cris & Sis. Nora Pineda
Our Activities:
National Shrine of Saint Jude: Legion of Mary Praesidium
MARIA SPES SINENSIUM Members :
- President: Caroline Gozun
SCOPE OF WORK:
Home to home visitation; taking and updating of the parish census; recruitment and follow up of active and auxiliary members; follow up on marriage validation, baptismal, Holy Communion and confirmation cases; hospital visitation; block rosary; participation in various parish and curia activities.
ABOUT:
The Legion of Mary
The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. Persons who wish to join the Legion must apply for membership in a Praesidium. The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visitation of families, the sick, both in their homes and in hospitals and through collaboration in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.
The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbour on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries. The first meeting of the Legion of Mary took place in Myra House, Francis Street, Dublin, Ireland, on 7 September, 1921. This meeting was to have very beneficial consequences for the mission of the Catholic Church and, in a special way, for millions of members of Christ’s lay faithful who would serve in the Legion and for those who would be served by the legionary apostolate. Many persons outside the Catholic Church would also benefit from that apostolate. With the approval and support of the Popes and a great many Bishops, Priests and Religious, as well as the prayers and efforts of legionaries, the Legion, by the grace of God, has grown into a worldwide organisation with several million members.
Drawing its inspiration from the True Devotion to Mary, as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and which had a profound influence on the Founder of the Legion, the Servant of God, Frank Duff, the Legion is at the disposal of the Bishops and Priests for use in the mission of the Church. While essentially a lay association, legionaries look for spiritual and apostolic formation to priests and religious, who, as Legion Spiritual Directors, hold an honoured place in the Legion system. The Legion requires ecclesiastical approval to work in a diocese or parish. Loyalty to the Magisterium and to Ecclesiastical Authority is a basic legionary principle. The Legion aims to bring Mary to the world as the infallible means of winning the world to Jesus and legionary service is based on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ so that in their fellow members and in those they serve, legionaries seek to have the Person of our Lord once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.
The general and essential means by which the Legion of Mary is to effect its object is personal service acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, having Divine Grace as its moving principle and support, and the glory of God and the salvation of souls as its final end and purpose. Evangelisation, especially the seeking of conversions to the Church, should be a priority for the Legion. Through the visitation of homes and by other means, the Legion must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. Seeing and serving Christ in the sick and marginalised is another vital part of the legionary apostolate. While not engaging in the giving of material relief, legionaries will often find opportunities to do works of service for the needy.
The basic unit of the Legion is called a praesidium, which is normally based in a parish. A parish may have more than one praesidium. To be an active legionary it is necessary to apply for membership in a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting and allocates a weekly apostolic task to the members, who generally work in pairs. After a successful period of probation, members are called to make the Legionary Promise (this is only applicable for members over 18 years) which is directed to the Holy Spirit. Realising the necessity for a strong support of prayer, the Legion has Auxiliary members, who associate themselves with the Legion by undertaking a service of prayer in its name. The administration of the Legion is carried out through its various councils at local, regional and national level. The central council, the Concilium Legionis Mariae, meets monthly in Dublin.
The Cause for Beatification has been introduced for three legionaries: The Servant of God, Frank Duff (1889-1980), Founder of the Legion, who attended the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer; Venerable Edel Quinn (1907-1944), Legion Envoy to East Africa; and the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe (1932-1959), Legion Envoy to South America.