Saint Maria Goretti
Patron of Teenage Girls and Victims of Violence;
Invoked when Seeking or Offering Forgiveness.
Feast Day: July 6
Maria Goretti’s story took place long ago in the late 1800’s. She was a wonderful young girl who was forced to grow up much too quickly. Maria’s father died when she was a child and her mother was forced to go to work to support her family. This left Maria in charge of taking care of the household. When Maria was 12 years old, she faced an unwanted intrusion. Her 18 year old neighbor Alessandro made unwelcome advances upon her and then stabbed her repeatedly. Maria was brought to a hospital where she lingered in critical condition. Each time she awoke she asked about her mother and worried about how she was handling the situation. Maria also let her family know she had forgiven her attacker, Alessandro. Hours later, Maria died. Alessandro went to jail and was initially unrepentant. But after several years he sought forgiveness and was eventually released from prison. He went to the family of Maria Goretti and sought their forgiveness. The family was finally able to forgive the man. Later Maria was canonized as a saint and her attacker attended the ceremony celebrating her life. Over 250,000 people attended the event, one of the largest crowds in history. Many have been moved by the story of Saint Maria Goretti.© 2010
5866 General Diaz Street
New Orleans, LA 70124
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“The Saints are the Sinners who keep on trying”
-Robert Louis Stevenson
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