St. Maria Goretti's story combined with my notes from talk by Father Carlos Martins

 

Born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, on Oct. 16 1890; Maria's farmworker father died of malaria from a mosquito bite and her mother had to struggle to feed her children. Maria, 11, somewhat became the mom of her five siblings.

 

In 1902, a 19-year-old neighbor, Alexander, grabbed her from her steps and tried to rape her. When Maria said that she would rather die than submit, Alexander began stabbing her with a metal file. He stabbed her nine times, even the spine, then five more in her intestines. Doctors were scared of peritonitis setting in, the same thing that can happen when your appendix bursts. She was dehydrated in the hospital and wanted water. A priest came and told her the Lord begged for water on the cross. Doctors thought the water would come out of the holes of her body and induce peritonitis. The priest asked her to offer up her thirst for sinners. Doctors performed surgery with no anesthesia because they thought it might induce cardiac arrest. She never complained or cried.

 

As she lay in the hospital, she forgave Alexander before she died and wanted him in heaven with her. Her death didn't end her forgivness, however.

 

Alexander was captured and sentenced to 30 years. He was unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden. Maria was there and gave him 14 white lilies. When he woke, he was a changed man, filled with light and the Holy Spirit and became contrite, repenting of his crime and living a reformed life. When he was released after 27 years he went directly to Maria's mother to beg her forgiveness, which she gave. "If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withold forgiveness," she said. They went to Christmas Eve Mass together. She adopted him.

 

When Maria was declared a saint in 1950, Alexander and the mom were there in the St. Peter's crowd to celebrate her canonization. She was canonized by Pope Pius XII for her purity as a model for youth. The crowd was the largest to date there. The priest believes Alexander will be canonized.

 

She is called a martyr because she fought against Alexander's attempts at sexual assault. However, the most important aspect of her story is her forgiveness of her attacker -- her concern for her enemy extending even beyond death. Her feast day is July 6. St. Maria Goretti is the patroness of youth and for the victims of rape.

 

Prayer cards have been made of Maria. This priest went to see a man about to have an amputation due to a spider bite and placed the prayer card on the body part. Thirty minutes later he did not need surgery.

 

There is a church named after her in her hometown, very close to the sea. Three times it had to be raised due to high waters. But with her body there, it has not sunk.

 

This story takes place all because Maria forgave.