Today is the feast of St Maria Goretti, one of my favorite saints. Just so happens I also have an awesome friend named Maria whose birthday is today too.
I got this from the Patron Saints Index that I linked on the left column of my blog:
In 1902 at age twelve, Maria was attacked by 19-year-old farm-hand Alessandro Serenelli. He tried to rape the girl who fought, yelled that it was a sin, and that he would go to hell. He tried to choke her into submission, then stabbed her fourteen times. She survived in hospital for two days, forgave her attacker, asked God‘s forgiveness of him, and died holding a crucifix and medal of Our Lady. Counted as a martyr.
While in prison for his crime, Allessandro had a vision of Maria. He saw a garden where a young girl, dressed in white, gathered lilies. She smiled, came near him, and encouraged him to accept an armful of the lilies. As he took them, each lily transformed into a still white flame. Maria then disappeared. This vision of Maria led to Alessandro’s conversion, and he later testified at her cause for beatification.
Today seems like a good day to provide the link to The Goretti Group. If you click on the "Speakers" tab, you'll see Angela Santero. She's a USNA grad and spoke to the Catholic Midshipmen Club several times. Always good to hear - she's great.
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