St. Maria Goretti

Our saint for today is for my sister Mary, who out of family togetherness has followed her children in illness. Although there are many, many Saints named Mary, I am choosing one with a different form of the name (primarily because this Saint was one suggested by my cousin).

I had the great blessing last month of venerating St.Maria Goretti's relics when they visited St. Joseph's Cathedral in Columbus. Maria Goretti is the youngest canonized Saint of the Catholic Church, being just 11 years old at her death.

Maria's father had died and her mother supported the family by working in the fields. Maria became a little mother to her younger siblings, caring for them, cooking and cleaning. A 19 year old neighbor boy developed an unhealthy interest in Maria. When she refused his advances, he got angry and stabbed her 14 times. She was taken to the hospital, but the doctors could not save her. On her death bed, Maria forgave her attacker and said that she hoped he would be in heaven with her someday.
Her attacker eventually had a conversion in prison after receiving a vision of Maria. Both he and her mother were present at Maria's canonization Mass - the first time in history that a parent was present for the canonization of their child.

Maria Goretti's feast day is July 6.