St. Maria Goretti-biography and prayers

St. Maria Goretti

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Saint Maria Goretti Maria Goretti (16 October 1890 – 6 July 1902) is an Italian virgin-

martyr of the Catholic Church, and is one of its youngest canonized

saints. She was martyred after dying from multiple stab wounds, in-

flicted by her attempted rapist after she refused him because of love of

Jesus and her loyalty to the Ten Commandments.

Early life

Maria was born "Maria Teresa Goretti" on 16 October 1890 in

Corinaldo, in the Province of Ancona, then in the Kingdom of Italy. She

was the third out of six children. By the time she was six, her family

had become so poor that they were forced to give up their farm,

move, and work for other farmers. She and her family moved to Le

Ferriere, near modern Latina and Nettuno in Lazio, where they lived in

a building, "La Cascina Antica", (pictured below) and shared with an-

other family, the Serenellis. When she was nine, her family's situation

grew even worse, when her father died of malaria. Maria's mother duti-

fully took her husband's place in the fields, while little Maria took her

mother's role in caring for her siblings. The family was able to survive

by working the fields of a Count, a job they shared with a man named

Giovanni Serenelli and his teenager son Alessandro. Mr. Serenelli kept

most of the profits from the farming, leaving the Goretti family quite

poor and frequently hungry.

While her

b r o t h e r s ,

mother and

s i s t e r s

worked in

the fields,

Maria would

cook, sew,

and keep the

house clean.

It was a hard life, but the family was very close. They shared a deep

love for God and the faith.

Through all the difficulties, Maria did her best. When neighbors or

kindly merchants would give Maria a treat, she would take it home to

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The "Chain of Promoters" are a group of the faithful Friends of St.

Maria Goretti, who are willing to take on the task and commitment of

introducing this young Saint and Martyr to more people in their parish.

The "Chain of Promoters" does this primarily by promoting and

distributing the new Novena booklet to others in their parish and in

the area in which they live and to their relatives and friends.

Promoters are greatly and urgently required to promote the new

booklet "NOVENA TO ST. MARIA GORETTI" in all parishes in the

USA, CANADA and throughout the world.

If you can help and you would like to become a Promoter, please

contact the Novena Apostolate at 111-2400 Carling Avenue, Ottawa,

Ontario K2B 7H2 CANADA, and we will be more than happy to send

you information on being a Promoter and a link in our worldwide

"Chain of Promoters".

I, as the Director of Promoters, would personally like to invite you

to join me in this wonderful and spiritually rewarding apostolate work

for our beloved little Saint and Martyr, Maria Goretti.

Your Friend in St. Maria Goretti,

Robert Brideau

Founder and President

St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate

111-2400 Carling Avenue

Ottawa, Ontario K2B 7H2 CANADA

For more information on St. Maria Goretti's life, miracles, pilgrim-

ages or shrines, contact:

Friends of St. Maria Goretti USA

Br. Goretti Zilli, Director

General Information:

P.O. Box 0043

Maryknoll, NY 10545-0043 USA

Tel: (914) 941-6372; Fax: (914) 945-0715

email: [email protected]

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St. Maria Goretti Apostolate Membership Invitation

I would like to offer you an invitation to become a Member of the

St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate, so that you and the members of

your family may share in the spiritual benefits of this wonderful little

Apostolate dedicated to promoting devotion to St. Maria Goretti

worldwide and to promoting her Novena and Novena Booklet. Mem-

bership in the St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate is FREE.

The St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate was founded in April,

1977, by myself, to promote and spread devotion to St. Maria Goretti,

Patroness of Modern Youth worldwide, and to encourage more

needed prayer to St. Maria Goretti for our youth, I also wanted to

make her beautiful Novena, written in 1950 by the late Msgr. James P.

Conroy, known to more people. Today, because of my efforts, St.

Maria Goretti is honoured with a beautiful new Shrine in Laflin, Penn-

sylvania.

Members share in a monthly Novena to St. Maria Goretti offered

here at the St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate for Members and for

their petitions and in a monthly Mass offered by Passionist Missions

Canada. Members also share in the prayers and good works of the

Apostolate and in the prayers of other Members. The Apostolate No-

vena to St. Maria Goretti begins on the first day of every month here at

the Apostolate and Members are invited to make the monthly Novena

with us for their own needs and intentions, for the needs of our youth,

and for all our Members. Members also share in the Masses and

prayers of Passionist Missions Canada, and of the Passionist priests,

brothers and sisters located in over forty countries.

To be enrolled in the St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate, just e-

mail your request to the Apostolate at [email protected] and a

Registration Form for Membership will be mailed to you. Each new

Member receives a Novena Booklet, Membership Card, and a copy of

her new reprinted biography book ST. MARIA GORETTI - In Gar-

ments All Red. There are now over 400 Members enrolled, praying

daily as a group United in Prayer to St. Maria Goretti for our youth.

It is the goal of the St. Maria Goretti Novena Apostolate to have

the new "Edition 2000" Novena booklet distributed worldwide through

a "Chain of Promoters".

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share with her brothers and sisters. Cheerful and intelligent, Maria was

also beautiful, with chestnut hair complementing her delicate features.

On Maria's frequent trips into the nearby village to sell eggs and

chickens and to buy supplies for her family, she would visit the shrine

of Our Lady of Graces. Her family being too poor to pay for Masses in

her father's memory, every night Maria would recite the five Mysteries

of the Rosary for the repose of her father's soul.

In June of 1902, 20-year-old Alessandro Serenelli began ordering 11

-year-old Maria to perform various difficult chores, none of which

could be completed to his satisfaction, and she was often reduced to

tears. Alessandro also began making advances on Maria. She rebuffed

them all, but, unfortunately, said nothing to her mother, for fear of

causing trouble.

It happened one day that he became furious over her refusal as she

fled from the field where his first attempt took place. Later that day

she went to lunch with her family but her attacker slipped away to hide

for several hours. For a whole week there was no trouble, but then as

she made the beds with none of the family in the house, he had en-

tered quietly from behind and grabbed her. She fought him off and fi-

nally he quit, saying, "If you tell your mother, I'll kill you both!" He left

the room and she locked the door behind him and stayed there until

her mother returned and scolded her for not preparing the meal while

Alessandro laughed at her discomfort. Since he had threatened to kill

not only her, but also her mother, she told no one. But Alessandro did

not give up. He followed her constantly, waiting and watching like the

proverbial cat and mouse. His threat rang in her ears, constantly chill-

ing her, and yet prayer gave her confidence.

Maria's martyrdom

A few days later, on 5 July 1902, Alessandro called out, "Maria, I

have a torn shirt that needs mending. I shall need it to go to mass to-

morrow; I'm leaving it on my bed." Although she felt like refusing, she

consented to be of service. Alessandro went out to harness the team

of oxen. He asked Maria's mother, Assunta, to take his place. "I forgot

my handkerchief," he explained. "I'll be right back." Meanwhile, Maria

was seated on the second floor landing watching her baby sister,

Teresa, and mending Alessandro's shirt. He brushed past her. Once

inside the kitchen he called out in a harsh voice, "Maria, come in here!"

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She refused. He grabbed her and pulled her inside, threatening her with

a knife. She pulled herself free screaming for help, but the sounds of

the threshing drowned it out. She hid behind the table for protection.

He knocked it aside and trapped her. "Are you going to give in, or

must I kill you?" he yelled. She struggled to get away, twisting, scream-

ing and biting, repeating again and again, "No, I will not!" "Why not?",

he argued. "It is a sin, Alessandro. You will go to hell if you do it." The

brute in him took over and he said later that something inside of him

had snapped and in a mad rage, he plunged the knife into her breast,

abdomen, and various parts of her body. He stabbed her fourteen

times.

Thinking she was dead, he flung the bloody knife across the

room and angrily went into his room and locked the door. When he

failed to return, the mother became worried and sent Mariano to see

what had happened. The young brother found Maria on the kitchen

floor, her clothing soaked in blood. He ran and yelled for the mother.

Assunta entered. A loud cry broke the stillness of the air. In tears, the

mother, assisted by another woman, quickly tried to bind up her

wounds to stop the bleeding. "Who did this, to you?" the mother

asked. "Alessandro", Maria whispered. "But why?" her mother sobbed.

"Because he wanted me to sin and I would not," she said softly.

The medical report read as follows: "There were: two wounds on

the inside of the right arm; wounds on the right side of the thorax; six

wounds on the back; one along the vertebral column; three wounds on

the left between the lines of the scapular and the para-vertebral; an-

other wound below these; small wound to the side; vast wound in a

straight line on the abdomen; contusion on the right elbow; small

bruise on right knee; two small bruises on middle quarter of front sur-

face of right leg; four of these wounds injured the right auricle and left

lung; five penetrated the abdominal cavity."

Domenico, a farmer, hitched up his cart and went to get a doctor.

The news spread quickly. An angry mob gathered in front of the house.

Meanwhile Count Mazzolini had called the police. The bloody knife was

found. "Alessandro!", "Where is he?," they shouted. They found his

door locked and began to break it down. At that moment the police

arrived on horses. They quickly took charge of the situation and hand-

cuffed the dazed young man. Finally, the doctor arrived and all were

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Recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin followed by

Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my Love!

Sweet Heart of Mary, be my Salvation!

Recite the Prayer to Saint Mary Goretti above, followed by

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father,

Saint Mary Goretti, Pray for us!

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Prayer Before a Dance or Party

Dear Saint Maria Goretti! The world teaches that we must please

others in order to be popular. Conscience demands that I please God

more than one who asks an evil thing in the name of false love. Teach

me by your example to instill into others a real respect for modesty

and purity. Through your powerful intercession, help me to make of

this evening an occasion for helping others to become spiritually

stronger. Grant that others may see in me reason to change their

ways, if that be necessary, and that I may have the courage to resist any

temptation to sinful conduct. Let others be led closer to Jesus and

Mary by my example.

Oh Little Saint who wanted to be popular only with your Divine

Master and His Blessed Mother, help me to imitate you. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.

St. Maria Goretti, pray for us!

Prayer Before a Date

Dear Little Saint Maria Goretti! Teach me that God must be my

first love and that all other love is based on Him and Him alone. Obtain

for me the grace to cease toying with the occasions of sin and to re-

member that my body and the bodies of all in grace are temples of the

Holy Spirit, destined someday for a glorious resurrection.

Through your beautiful example, teach me the value and dignity of

Christian modesty. Grant that I may never be the occasion of dragging

others into Hell, by suggestive words or evil deeds of any kind.

Through the merits of your Martyrdom, obtain for me the grace to

turn aside from sin, no matter what the cost, so that one day I may

enjoy Heaven with you and all the other saints. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.

St. Maria Goretti, pray for us!

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DAY SEVEN (July 4)


Amen.

Dear Little Saint, never was Jesus more welcome in a human heart

than in yours. The Great Day of First Communion could not come

quickly enough. In borrowed clothes and head crowned with flowers of

the field, you knelt to receive Him into your soul, so rich with Inno-

cence and Love, and this after months of keen anticipation!

O Powerful Intercessor with the Lamb of God, inflame my soul

with your "ardent longing to receive Jesus in the Eucharist." Obtain for

me the grace to put aside laziness and indifference, so that I may often,

even daily, allow myself to be consumed in the "burning Furnace of

Charity." Teach me what true Love really is! Amen.

DAY EIGHT (July 5)


Amen

Dear Little Martyr! To the last you followed your beloved Jesus!

He, while hanging upon His Cross of Suffering, uttered through

parched lips, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!"

And you upon your bed of pain, burning with fever, forgave your mur-

derer with the words, "I too, pardon him... I too, wish him to join me

in Paradise!

Grant me the grace, O Heroic Saint, to be charitable to others!

Much of my time is spent on vengeful thoughts, seeking how I may pay

back to others the harm they have done to me. Teach me to forgive,

so that I may not only gain Heaven, but also lead others there who

might otherwise be doomed to Hell. If I am to follow Christ, help me

to imitate His Charity, even as you have done. Amen.

DAY NINE (July 6 Feast)


Amen

Dear Saint Maria Goretti! Once again I turn to you, and beg of you

in the words of Our Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, that "serenity of spirit

and deep joy which is the heritage of those who are pure of heart."

Help me to turn to Our Blessed Lady, confident in the hope that she

will take my hand as she did yours, and lead me on to Paradise, my

heavenly country, there to enjoy with you and Her, the company of

God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost for all Eternity. Amen. 5

required to leave the room. A horse drawn ambulance had been called

and arrived after four hours. Maria was growing weaker from loss of

blood. Her mother climbed in the ambulance with her as her brothers

and sisters kissed her goodbye. In a cloud of dust, the ambulance

passed the killer, as he walked between two mounted police tied to

each saddle. He was perspiring and covered with dust.

She underwent surgery without anesthesia, but her injuries were

beyond the doctors' help. She was in extreme pain but she uttered no

sound during the two hours of surgery. Halfway throughout the sur-

gery, Maria woke up. She insisted that it stay that way. The pharmacist

of the hospital in which she died said to her, "Maria, think of me in

Paradise." She looked to the old man: "Well, who knows, which of us is

going to be there first?" "You, Maria," he replied. "Then I will gladly

think of you," said Maria.

The following day, twenty hours after the attack, she was asked if

she forgave her murderer and she replied, "Yes, for the love of Jesus I

forgive him...and I want him to be with me in Paradise." Maria died of

her injuries, while looking at a very beautiful picture of the Blessed

Mother on July 6, 1902, the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.

Serenelli's imprisonment and repentance

Originally, Alessandro Serenelli was going to be sentenced to life,

but since he was a minor at that time, the sentence was commuted to

30 years in prison. Later, a priest cam to see him. He turned on the

cleric in a rage. "Soon, Alessandro, you will want me," the priest said.

"Maria will see to that." "Never", the prisoner screamed, "I'll never

want you, never!". In the years which followed, he was known as a

hardened criminal with no regrets for the terrible murder he had com-

mitted. One night in the year 1910, Alessandro was asleep. Suddenly,

he heard soft music and detected a wonderful aroma of flowers. A

bright light shone in his eyes. "Maria," he cried, in a frightened voice.

He saw a garden. where a young girl, dressed in white, was gathering

lilies. She smiled, and came near him, and encouraged him to accept an

armful of the lilies. As he accepted them, each lily transformed into a

still white flame. Maria then disappeared.

He realized later that the burning sensation of the flowers was a

sign to him that the prayers of Maria would enable him to accept the

Divine Mercy of Jesus, and to reject sin and its consequences of punish-

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ment in the everlasting fires of hell. "I saw her" he cried. "Bring the

priest!" The jailers laughed at him. "If you have anything to say then

write to the priest", they answered callously. Alessandro wrote a com-

plete confession asking God's pardon.

After his release, Alessandro Serenelli visited Maria's still-living

mother, Assunta, and begged her forgiveness. She forgave him, saying

that if Maria had forgiven him on her deathbed then she couldn't do

less, and they attended Mass together the next day, receiving Holy

Communion side by side. Alessandro reportedly prayed every day to

Maria Goretti and referred to her as "my little saint."

Serenelli later became a lay brother of the Order of Friars Minor

Capuchin, living in a monastery and working as its receptionist and gar-

dener, until dying peacefully in the year 1970.

Beatification and canonization

On the evening of the beatification ceremonies in the Basilica of

Saint Peter, 27 April 1947, Pope Pius XII walked over to Assunta. She

almost fainted. "When I saw the Pope coming, I prayed, Madonna,

please help me. He put his hand on my head and said, blessed mother,

happy mother, mother of a Blessed!" They both had eyes wet with

tears.

Three years later, on 24 June 1950, Pius XII canonized Goretti as a

saint, the "Saint Agnes of the 20th century." Assunta was again present

at the ceremony, along with her four remaining sons and daughters.

She was the first mother ever to attend the canonization ceremony of

her child. Alessandro Serenelli was also present at the canonization.

Owing to the huge crowd present, the ceremonies associated with

the canonization were held outside of St Peter's Basilica, in the Piazza

San Pietro. Pius XII spoke, not as before in Latin, but in Italian. "We

order and declare, that the Blessed Maria Goretti can be venerated as

a Saint and We introduce her into the Canon of Saints." Some 500,000

people, among them a majority of youth, had come from around the

World. Pius asked them: "Young people, pleasure of the eyes of Jesus,

are you determined to resist any attack on your chastity with the help

of grace of God?" A resounding "yes" was the answer.

Her body is incorrupt and kept in the crypt of the Basilica of Santa

Maria delle Grazie e Santa Maria Goretti in Nettuno, south of Rome.

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DAY FOUR (July 1)


Amen

Dear Little Saint! Your days were spent in the filth of the marshes,

willingly helping your desperately poor parents and family. Obtain for

me the grace to accept my present circumstances in life, no matter

how difficult or humiliating they may be. "Just one little drop of water"

as the only request that fell from your parched lips during those last

horrible hours of life. How much I demand, how unhappy I am when I

cannot have my share of the world's conveniences and gaudy attrac-

tions! Teach me by your heroic example to be content with what I

have, to be grateful for the blessings God has already showered upon

me. Amen.

DAY FIVE (July 2)


Amen

Dear Little Saint, I depend a great deal upon the help of my friends

in time of trouble or sorrow. I look for their approval in many things I

do. I am disconsolate and lonely when they desert me. Through your

powerful intercession in Heaven, obtain for me the grace to place all

my confidence in God. Only by walking constantly in His presence and

depending upon His help, will I have the courage to stand up for His

laws, even though it may mean loss of friends, criticism and complete

removal of worldly comfort. Help me to look for all of my strength in

Him. Amen.

DAY SIX (July 3)


Amen

Dear Little Saint! Help me to greater love of my Faith. I have many

God-given opportunities to study it but, sad to say, I neglect them. I am

even critical of the Priests, Brothers and Sisters who offer their lives

that I may better know and love my holy religion. Dear Saint Mary

Goretti, teach me to be thankful for these grace which you did not

have. Make me proud of my Faith and ready to die for it, if God should

require that of me Amen.

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we should flee for the love of Jesus, anything that could offend Him or

stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in tempta-

tion, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly

beg of Thee, (mention your request) and may we one day enjoy with

Thee the imperishable glory of heaven. Amen.

The Nine Day Novena To St. Mary Goretti

DAY ONE (June 29)


Amen

Most lovable little Saint, who valued your purity above any earthly

gain, and who sealed this choice with a martyr's death, obtain for me

also a strong love of this virtue, so consoling to the Sacred Heart of

Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The pleasures of the world

create many temptations for me. I turn to your powerful intercession

in Heaven, so that with this help I may remain ever loyal to God, no

matter what the price. In danger inspire me to repeat with you, "No, it

is a sin!" Amen.

DAY TWO (June 30)


Amen.

Dear Saint Maria Goretti, model of loving obedience to parents,

teach me to imitate your example. Help me to overcome all selfishness

and stubborn pride, draw my parents to Thee, then lead me to accept

this authority as the Voice of God in my life. Help them to direct me

aright and enable me to obey their every wish. Amen.

DAY THREE (June 31)


Amen.

Dear Little Saint Maria! You were ready for the moment of martyr-

dom because your short life was given over to daily and heroic self-

denial. Your great love of the Sacred Hearts made all this possible.

Teach me to love Jesus and His Blessed Mother, so that I too will be

inspired to daily self-denial. I am inclined to pamper myself, to gratify

my senses, and to excuse myself from all penance. This keeps me from

being a true follower of Christ. Help me, lovable Little Martyr, to a sin-

cere practice of self- denial, so that I may be your worthy follower and

thus gain Heaven for all Eternity. Amen.

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Feast day

Goretti's feast day, celebrated on 6 July, was inserted in the Roman

Catholic calendar of saints for the first time when it was revised in

1969. Maria is the patron saint of chastity, rape victims, youth, teenage

girls, poverty, purity and forgiveness.

In art

Goretti is represented in art as a wavy-haired young girl in farmer

clothes or a white dress, with a bouquet of lilies in her hands, and she

is sometimes counted among the ranks of the Passionist order since

her spiritual formation was guided by the Passionists.

Movies

The life of St. Maria Goretti has been portrayed several times in

film. The most recent is a movie, “Maria Goretti,” released in 2003

which was directed by Giulio Base and featured Martina Pinto in the

role of the saint.

Alessandro Serenelli

Maria Goretti's heroic story of love and forgiveness would not be

complete without one of its first miraculous fruits: the conversion of

Alessandro Serenelli, Maria's murderer.

Immediately after his brutal assault on young Maria Goretti, Ales-

sandro was imprisoned temporarily in Nettuno and then transferred to

Regina Coeli prison in Rome to stand trial. After vehemently denying

his guilt, he finally broke down in the face of overwhelming testimony.

Since he was a minor, he was sentenced to only thirty years hard labor.

St. Maria Goretti’s incorrupt body lying in a glass case

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A priest came to see him soon afterward, and he turned on the

cleric in rage, howling like a maniac and lunging at him.

In the days which followed, Alessandro lost his appetite and grew

nervous. After six years of prison, he was near the brink of despair.

Then one night, Maria appeared to him in his cell. She smiled at Ales-

sandro and was surrounded by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity.

From that moment, peace invaded Alessandro's heart, and he be-

gan to live a constructive life.

After serving his sentence, Alessandro took up residence at a

Capuchin monastery, working in the garden as a tertiary. He asked par-

don of Maria's mother and accompanied her to Christmas Mass in the

parish church where he spoke before the hushed congregation, ac-

knowledging his sin and asking God's forgiveness and the pardon of the

community.

Forty years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized at St. Pe-

ter's basilica in Rome, with Alessandro's heart now firmly converted to

the Lord. A miraculous fruit of Maria's life, indeed!

Alessandro Serenelli died on May 6th, 1970 in the Capuchin con-

vent of Macerata. He left the following testimony, dated May 5, 1961,

as his spiritual legacy:

"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 ex-

amples 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 sur-

rounded 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.

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"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 among 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.

"I hope this letter that I wrote can teach others the happy lesson

of avoiding evil and of always following the right path, like little chil-

dren. I feel that religion with its precepts is not something we can live

without, but rather it is the real comfort, the real strength in life and

the only safe way in every circumstance, even the most painful ones

of life."

Signature, Alessandro Serenelli

Epilogue

This was the triumph of the little girl who loved God and hated sin.

Maria Goretti had led a very ordinary life. But in spite of her sim-

plicity, her great faith and love for God made her truly extraordinary.

Her life and legacy lives on. Love's bravest choice is simply this: Choose

God over sin and eternal joy over eternal damnation. Choose life!

Choose to be a saint!

Many recorded miracles, both spiritual and physical, have been

worked through St. Maria Goretti's intercession. Worldwide, there are

many places of devotion to St. Maria Goretti, such as the Sanctuary of

Our Lady of Graces and St. Maria Goretti in Nettuno, Italy.

Prayers to St. Maria Goretti

St. Maria Goretti Novena Prayer

Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not

hesitate, even at the age of twelve, to shed your blood and sacrifice life

itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy hu-

man race, which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.

Teach us all, and especially youth, with what courage and promptitude

Documents

St. Maria Goretti-biography and prayers