St. Maria Goretti is the youngest canonized saint in the Church. The attendance at her canonization exceeded one half million people, the largest of any canonization up to that point and time. Saint Maria Goretti was born to a poor farming family in Italy. Maria was one of six children. The family lived and worked on the property of another family’s farm, the Serenelli’s family farm. The Serenelli family consisted of the father and the son, Alessandro. The Gorettis lived downstairs on the property while the Serenelli’s lived upstairs.

When Maria was only 9 years old, her father died from malaria. After that, Maria had to begin taking care of the rest of the children in the family while her mom worked in the fields. She also cleaned and cooked for the Serenelli’s, and all the while, she did not complain. Rather, she was a source of encouragement and joy for her mother. She would tell her mom that Jesus would take care of them.

Maria was a pious child. She attended Mass often, loved the Lord with all her heart, and she grew in many virtues. She was also very beautiful.

Alessandro Serenelli noticed her beauty and began to have impure thoughts of her. He spoke to her cruelly and often would make advances on her. Maria would always rebuke his advances and say, “No, never, that is a sin! God forbids that and we would go to hell!”

This harassment continued for months and Maria tried to avoid Alessandro.

On July 5, 1902, Alessandro approached Maria one more time and told her that if she didn’t allow him to have her that he would kill her. She again refused. She said she would rather die than allow him to do what he wanted to do to her.

In a rage, Alessandro stabbed Maria fourteen times with a file, which was used to sharpen farm tools. The file passed through Maria’s small body from the front all the way through to the back. Maria was only 11 at the time.

She was found and taken to the hospital where she had surgery, but she was not going to survive. She died the next day, but not first without forgiving her attacker. Her last words were, “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli … and I want him with me in heaven forever.”

Later on, after the death of Maria Goretti her murderer converted and after serving his prison term studied received a call from God and he was ordained a priest.

Goretti’s mother and Alessandro, her murderer, were seated next to each other during her canonization at St Peter’s square.

St. Maria Goretti’s pray for us! Pray for St Maria Goretti Kindergarten.