The only known photo of St. Maria Goretti
A young girl
with little schooling became one of the most popular saints in Italy by the
middle of the 20th century. Born in 1890, Maria Goretti was one day by her
house and a neighbor attempted to rape her, and even though she resisted him,
she was killed by 14 stab wounds. She died 24 hours after being stabbed, also
giving her enough time to receive Holy Communion. Her killer Alessandro
Serenelli was jailed, sentenced to 30 years in prison, and was unrepentant for
a while. Eventually, he changed his life, even becoming a Franciscan Capuchin
lay brother after being released 27 years later. One of the first things he did
after his release was visiting Maria’s mother and apologize to her. Maria was
beatified in 1947, and on that occasion, her mother and siblings appeared with
Pope Pius XII at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Alessandro was even
present at Maria Goretti’s canonization on June 24, 1950. Over half a million
people had gathered in the Vatican piazza for her canonization. St Maria
Goretti is the patron of youth, chastity, and purity.Alessandro praying by Maria's picture
A few years
before he died, Alessandro wrote this note in his will: “I’m nearly 80 years old. I’m about to depart. Looking back at my past, I
can see that in my early youth, I chose a bad path which led me to ruin myself.
My behavior was influenced by print, mass-media and bad examples which are
followed by the majority of young people without even thinking. And I did the
same. I was not worried. There were a lot of generous and devoted
people who surrounded me, but I paid no attention to them because a violent
force blinded me and pushed me toward a wrong way of life. When I was 20
years-old, I committed a crime of passion. Now, that memory represents
something horrible for me. Maria Goretti, now a Saint, was my good Angel, sent
to me through Providence to guide and save me. I still have impressed upon my
heart her words of rebuke and of pardon. She prayed for me, she interceded for
her murderer. Thirty years of prison followed. If I had been of age, I
would have spent all my life in prison. I accepted to be condemned because it
was my own fault. Little Maria was really my light, my
protectress; with her help, I behaved well during the 27 years of prison and
tried to live honestly when I was again accepted by the members of society. The Brothers of St. Francis,
Capuchins from Marche, welcomed me with angelic charity into their monastery as
a brother, not as a servant. I’ve been living with their community for 24
years, and now I am serenely waiting to witness the vision of God, to hug my
loved ones again, and to be next to my Guardian Angel and her dear mother,
Assunta."
No comments:
Post a Comment