Saint Maria Goretti, Patron Saint of Modern Youth
The anti Paris Hilton.
Last week the Church celebrated the heroic life and death of a 12 year old young lady named Maria Goretti (1890-1902). A devout young lady, she was assaulted and murdered because she refused a man's sexual advances. She chose death and heaven rather than allow herself to be raped. She was stabbed over 14 times but lived for almost 20 hours after the attack in which time she prayed for and forgave her accuser. Fifty years later Pope Pius canonized her in 1950 as the Patron Saint of Modern Youth. Many miracles have been attributed to her intercession. Her body remains incorruptible in a glass coffin in Our Lady of Mercy Church in Nettuno, Italy.
In our present age, when many young people idolize the wrong kind of role models, we need a modern saint whose virtue and faith can be emulated. Promiscuity, materialism and hedonism are put forth as the new "virtue" for today's youth. Saint Maria Goretti shows us how to choose purity and chastity over the values that this world offers.
HT: Crossed the Tiber
Last week the Church celebrated the heroic life and death of a 12 year old young lady named Maria Goretti (1890-1902). A devout young lady, she was assaulted and murdered because she refused a man's sexual advances. She chose death and heaven rather than allow herself to be raped. She was stabbed over 14 times but lived for almost 20 hours after the attack in which time she prayed for and forgave her accuser. Fifty years later Pope Pius canonized her in 1950 as the Patron Saint of Modern Youth. Many miracles have been attributed to her intercession. Her body remains incorruptible in a glass coffin in Our Lady of Mercy Church in Nettuno, Italy.
In our present age, when many young people idolize the wrong kind of role models, we need a modern saint whose virtue and faith can be emulated. Promiscuity, materialism and hedonism are put forth as the new "virtue" for today's youth. Saint Maria Goretti shows us how to choose purity and chastity over the values that this world offers.
HT: Crossed the Tiber
posted by MM at 3:03 PM
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