Maria Teresa Goretti was born in northern Italy in 1890, the third of six children of Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. After her father died in 1899, her mother and siblings worked as farm labourers while she kept house. They they moved to Lazio and shared a farmhouse with another family of farm labourers. On July 5th 1902 a young farmhand called Alessandro tried to rape Maria. She pleaded with him to stop, telling him that it was a sin and she would rather die than submit to him. Alessandro then tried to choke her and stabbed her many times. Her family took her to hospital but twenty hours later she died of her injuries while gazing at an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and holding a cross against her chest. Alessandro escaped the death penalty because of his age and served 30 years in prison. After his release he begged Maria's mother’s forgiveness. She forgave him and they attended Mass together the next day, receiving Holy Communion side-by-side. Alessandro reportedly prayed every day to Maria Goretti and called her “my little saint.” Maria Goretti was canonised by Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1950. Alessandro became a lay-brother of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin until his death in 1970.
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 human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth, with what courage and promptitude 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 temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of you (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with you the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.On this day according to the ROMAN MARTYOLOGY:
In Judea, the holy prophet Isaiah. In the reign of king Manasses he was put to death by being sawed in two and was buried beneath the oak Rogel, near a running stream.
At Rome, the birthday of St. Tranquillinus, martyr, father of the Saints Mark and Marcellian, who were converted to Christ by the preaching of the martyr St. Sebastian. Baptised by the blessed priest Polycarp, he was ordained priest by Pope St. Caius. He was arrested while praying at the tomb of the blessed Apostle St. Paul on the Octave of the Apostles and stoned to death by the pagans, and thus consummated his martyrdom.
At Fiesoli in Tuscany, St. Romulus, bishop and martyr, a disciple of the blessed Apostle St. Peter, who commissioned him to preach the Gospel. After announcing Christ in many parts of Italy, he returned to Fiesoli and was crowned with martyrdom with other Christians in the reign of Domitian.
In Campania, St. Dominica, virgin and martyr, in the time of the emperor Diocletian. For having destroyed idols, she was condemned to the beasts, but being uninjured by them, she was beheaded and departed for heaven. Her body is kept with great veneration at Tropea in Calabria.
The same day, St. Lucia, martyr, a native of Campania. Being arrested and severely tortured by the lieutenant-governor Rictiovarus, she converted him to Christ. To them were added Antoninus, Severinus, Diodorus, Dion and seventeen others who shared their sufferings and their crowns.
In the vicinity of Treves, St. Goar, priest and confessor.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
