Forgiveness

Today is the Feast of St. Maria Goretti. 

She is the patron saint of purity, rape victims and forgiveness. 

She was only eleven when she was attacked. 

Maria begged Alessandro not to commit a mortal sin. 

She even told him she would rather die than commit a mortal sin. 

St. Maria Goretti was stabbed fourteen times. 

She forgave Alessandro before she died. 

He did not want her forgiveness. 

He was sentenced to thirty years in prison. 

St. Maria Goretti appeared to him in a dream while he was still in prison. a

He repented and then prayed to St. Maria Goretti everyday.

St. Maria Goretti, patron saint of Forgiveness, pray for us! 

When I struggle to forgive, remind me of how St. Maria forgave. 

Thanks be to God for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Forgiveness. 

Open our hearts to forgive! 

Heal our hearts to desire forgiveness!  

Dear St. Maria Goretti, 

your heart was so full of mercy, 

that you gladly forgave your assassin,  

and prayed that he might be saved; 

intercede for me before the Lord,

Whom you behold face to face. 

Ask Him to pour His grace into my soul

so that I may always be ready to imitate Jesus as you did.

I choose you as my friend this day 

and I ask you to accompany me my whole life long.

In honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus,

and in imitation of your example,

I forgive all who have ever hurt me

or who desired my suffering,

and I ask pardon of all against whom I have sinned, 

Through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Relic of St. Maria Goretti at the Sisters of Life Convent