Holy Women's History Month: Saint Maria Goretti

Sometimes, in difficult life situations, we go searching for a saint, but sometimes, a saint comes searching for us.   

Several years ago, my daughter was going through some severe trauma that had a huge impact on my own heart. Only three weeks into the struggle, we were still in a state of shock and steeped deep in survival mode where even breathing felt like it took a lot of work. I couldn't figure out how to stop the pain in order to try and find some path of healing I wasn't sure even existed. 

As I dragged myself out of bed to head to daily Mass to continue begging God for help, I felt a nudge to invite my daughter to come with me. It turns out that on that particular morning, God was orchestrating a divine appointment. 

Prefer to Listen—Audio version available!

Connecting With a Saint 

What I didn't realize before we got to Mass was that particular day happened to be Saint Maria Goretti's feast day. While my daughter and I knew her story, we did not have a deep devotion to Saint Maria Goretti. Yet, in that moment, I knew that God had inspired my daughter to accept my invitation so that He could minister to her through Saint Maria Goretti.  

During Mass, my daughter felt that God was comforting her heart through the intercession of this special saint. As Mass ended, our pastor at the time announced that he had a first class relic for all of us to venerate. Saint Maria Goretti was literally present at Mass with us! 

After venerating the relic, we knelt in the quiet church to pray. Our pastor, who knew what my daughter was working through, came up to us and said, "I think that Saint Maria Goretti wants to go home with you today." And he generously allowed my daughter to borrow the relic for several days. A great sense of peace entered my daughter's heart that day. While God did not work a complete miracle of healing through Saint Maria Goretti, He did give us a smaller "miracle of a moment." Saint Maria Goretti brought some respite to our home and reminded us of God's love and care in the midst of a painful situation. 

From Tragedy to Sainthood 

Saint Maria Goretti was born in Italy in 1890. She lost her father at a young age to malaria and Maria watched her five younger siblings while her mother worked to support them. When Maria was eleven, her neighbor, Alessandro Serenelli, tried to physically assault her. She resisted his attempts, shouting that it was a sin and put his soul in danger. In anger, Alessandro stabbed her 14 times. Maria died twenty-four hours later, forgiving her murderer for all around her to hear.

Alessandro was sentenced to thirty years in prison. He was unrepentant and angry until Maria appeared to him in a dream eight years into his sentence. Maria gave Alessandro 14 lilies and repeated her forgiveness for him to hear and for her desire that he be in Heaven with her one day. Alessandro had a change of heart and, when he was released from prison, went straight to Maria's mother to beg for forgiveness before joining a religious community.

Maria's mother not only forgave him, but she came to consider him an adopted son. When Maria was canonized in 1950, her mother and Alessandro were both present, kneeling beside each other. 

Deeper Lessons 

Saint Maria Goretti's visit to us on her feast day that year was a gift that I will always treasure. And while it was instrumental in bringing some relief to an acute situation, our visit with Saint Maria Goretti opened a door for greater reflection on her life and a broader focus on our own story. 

As a mom, I was drawn to the reaction of Saint Maria Goretti's mother and all that she suffered. Maria's mother, Assunta, suffered the horrible trauma of watching her daughter die from the wounds caused by their neighbor's brutal assault. Assunta had to live with the pain that she wasn't present to protect Maria from Alessandro as she worked through her grief over Maria's death. And yet, Assunta accepted the grace to forgive Alessandro when he came to her after his release from prison.  

Assunta’s ability to forgive herself and to forgive Alessandro and allow him to be a part of her life were definitely great graces from God. Assunta, who followed her daughter’s example to forgive, continues to give me much to ponder and challenges me in my own life situation to keep my heart open and allow God to work. Forgiveness, mercy, and healing do not come easily (or quickly) to our hearts that are broken when someone has hurt us or our loved ones. But if we can keep our hearts open to God, He can redeem our brokenness into wholeness and use our experiences for His greater glory. 

Saint Maria Goretti, pray for us and all those that we love who have been hurt by another. Please open our hearts to give and receive forgiveness, repentance, and to allow God in to redeem the most broken parts of our hearts. Amen 

During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys — whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls. 

Copyright 2025 Michelle Hamel
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries