Showing posts with label SaintMariaGoretti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SaintMariaGoretti. Show all posts

Tuesday, 7 September 2021

St. Maria Goretti A Journey into Forgiveness and Redemption - Bret Thoman, OFS

St. Maria Goretti: 
A Journey into Forgiveness and Redemption
Bret Thoman, OFS
ISBN 9798541775228
ASIN B097YTR7QL


Over the last few years I have read a number of books about Maria Goretti and Alessandro Serenelli. For in truth you cannot tell the one story without telling the other. But this volume was different from the others that I have read. Firsat this one is far more extensive. It is the longest and most comprehensive volume on Saint Maria Goretti that I have come across in English to date. Second it is in part a virtual pilgrimage with her. As Bret goes to all the key locations and experiences them and shares those experiences with us. Part of the description of the volume states:

“The author not only recounts the dramatic story that touched the heart of Catholics in Italy and throughout the world, the author brings the reader to the places where St. Maria Goretti and her killer, Alessandro Serenelli, lived.

Interspersed throughout the narrative, author Bret Thoman revisits their birth homes in Corinaldo (Maria) and Paterno (Alessandro), to Paliano where they met, and to Nettuno where the “deed” took place. He brings the reader to the places one can visit on pilgrimage today.”

The story of this saint, her attacker and his conversion come to life in a new and vivid way through this volume. You will find yourself immersed in the time, locals, and events. The chapters in this volume are:

Timeline
Introduction to the Life and Times of St. Maria Goretti

1: Luigi and Assunta Goretti
2: The Birth of Maria Goretti
3. In the Footsteps: Corinaldo 
4. To the Roman Countryside
5: In the Footsteps: Paliano and Colle Gianturco
6: Alessandro Serenelli
7: In the Footsteps: Paterno
8: To the Swamps
9: The Pontine Marshes
10: Le Ferriere and Conca
11: Faith and Farms
12: The First Tragedy
13: Calm before the Storm
14: In the Footsteps: Le Ferriere and Borgo Montello
15: July 5, 1902
16: The Death and Martyrdom of Maria Goretti
17: To Prison
18: In the Footsteps: La Cascina and Nettuno
19: Forgiveness, Redemption, and Reconciliation
20: The glorification of St. Maria Goretti
21: In the Footsteps: the Capuchins and Redemption 

This is a deeply moving read. The story is not an easy one to read. But one worth reading. If you already have a devotion to Maria Goretti you will love this volume. If you are familiar or even unfamiliar with her story this would be a great one to start with.

This book is well written. Incredibly researched. Both through the history, Italian sources, and visiting locations and people who knew some of the people in this story. And excellent book that I highly recommend.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books about Saint Maria Goretti:
…

Books by Bret Thoman:
St. Clare of Assisi: Light From the Cloister
The Pandemic of Padre Pio: Disciple of Our Lady of Sorrows
Padre Pio and I: Memoirs of a Spiritual Son
A Knight and a Lady: A Journey into the Spirituality of Saints Francis and Clare
Following Francis and Clare: Twelve Walking Excursions in Assisi, Mount Subasio, Spoleto Valley, Rieti, and Laverna
The St. Francis Camino: A Spiritual Walking Pilgrimage from Assisi to Rome
Bergoglio's List: How a Young Francis Defied a Dictatorship and Saved Dozens of Lives
The St. Francis Camino: A Spiritual Walking Pilgrimage from Greccio to Assisi
Becoming Italian: A Personal Journey
Saint Francis of Assisi: Passion, Poverty & the Man Who Transformed the Catholic Church
...
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Thursday, 5 August 2021

The Life and Witness of St. Maria Goretti - Father Jeffrey Kirby - Our Little Saint of the Beatitudes

SaintMariaGorettiThe Life and Witness of St. Maria Goretti: 
Our Little Saint of the Beatitudes
ISBN 9781618907547
eISBN 9781618907554
ASIN B016QIBSNM1


This is the third volume from Father Kirby that I have read recently. And it is an excellent read. It is one of 7 books by Father Kirby that I picked up recently. I picked Kirby’s books up after reading and reviewing several by Father Paul O’Sullivan O.P., it was recommended by someone who enjoyed those reviews and they recommended several titles by Father Kirby. When I looked into the titles available from the pen of Father Kirby, there were several from TAN books that caught my attention. In fact, 7 of his books made it onto my wish list almost immediately. Part of this book are not easy to read because of what happened to Maria. But the witness of her life and later that of Alessandro are incredible. And to be honest both much needed these days.

The description of this book is:

“St. Maria Goretti was only a child when she died a martyr’s death. Yet today, she inspires millions who find in her a perfect model of purity and holiness. Read here about her great holiness in the midst of tremendous suffering, how she died at the hands of a vicious murderer who tried to defile her purity, and how she visited this very same murderer years later in his jail cell to forgive him. Fr. Jeffrey Kirby examines the life of this little saint as he reflects on the Beatitudes and how she, along with her family, lived them each day. In a world where purity is corrupted in the darkness of the night and mercy is abandoned in the name of vengeance, let us turn to St. Maria Goretti and see her as the dawn of a new day, where the light of Christ shines on each of us and guides us into His Kingdom.”

And examining her life and influence through the beatitudes is and incredible witness. In the introduction Father Kirby states:

“A Witness and a Workbook on Holiness In these pages we are going to dive into the amazing life of this little saint and her powerful witness. The different chapters will highlight the various aspects of her life and devotion. To help share the story of this virgin martyr, we will use the eight Beatitudes of St. Matthew’s Gospel (5:3–12). The Beatitudes, known as the way of Jesus Christ, will serve as an outline of the saint’s narrative. Each of the eight Beatitudes will serve as a guidepost for each of the eight chapters of the book, and will be a focal point from which the inspiring life and witness of St. Maria Goretti will be described and elucidated.”

And that is what we get. I love that every6 chapter ended with an examination of conscience. The sections in this book are:

Introduction
The Simplicity of the Goretti Family and the Call to Every Christian Family
The Loss of Luigi Goretti and the Vocation of the Christian Father
The Meekness of Hard Work and the Christian Work Ethic in Our Day
Desiring Holiness in What We Think, Say, and Do
The Mercy of our Little Martyr and her Mother and the Struggle to Forgive Others
The Blood of Our Martyr and the Battle for Purity in Our Hearts
The Work for Peace in Our Relationship with God and With Others
Our Martyr’s Legacy and Our Summons to Suffer for the Sake of Righteousness
Appendix One: An Apprenticeship in Chastity
Appendix Two: An Apprenticeship in Mercy
Prayer to St. Maria Goretti for Purity and Holiness
Bibliography

This book is an excellent read. I would recommend that a chapter a day is read, and end with the examination of conscience. The book can easily be read in a sitting, but take your time with this volume. Kirby has written a wonderful book, part biography, part a guide to good Christian living through the beatitudes. But as Kirby states it is not a typical biography. At the end of the introduction he states:

“In writing this book, it’s important for me to be transparent. I should let the reader know that I’m not writing as a church historian or a biographer. In writing this book, I’m writing the story of a friend, a saintly friend that I have spent a lot of time with and whose prayers and witness have helped me.

As a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, I made frequent visits to Nettuno and to the shrine of St. Maria Goretti. Honestly, it was an inexpensive train ticket and a way to leave the hustle and bustle of the Roman metropolis. More importantly, Nettuno and the shrine of the saint was always a place of overwhelming tranquility. I knew it was a place of peace, and I always felt very comfortable there, like being at home. The shrine is right near the water, which is always calming, and the people of Nettuno have a warm and ready hospitality.

St. Maria Goretti’s presence is tangible at the shrine. After my visits there, I always left wanting to live a better Christian life.

That’s why I’ve written this book. In sharing the story of this great little saint, I hope every reader will be inspired by the purity, fortitude, and mercy of St. Maria Goretti. I hope her Christian witness will inspire our own discipleship so that, in our own way, we too might put our mark on salvation history.” 

If you already have a devotion to Maria, you will be blessed by the book in a new way. If you do not this is a wonderful introduction to her. This book is a fantastic read, one that will bless you and stay with you. I know that I already plan to reread this book again. I highly recommend it. Another fantastic read from Father Kirby!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!


Books by Fr. Jeffrey Kirby STD:
101 Surprising Facts About St. Peter's and the Vatican
A Pastoral Guide to Opening Your Parish
Be Not Troubled
Doors of Mercy: A Journey Through Salvation History
God's Search for Us
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Luke: The Gospel of Mercy
Thy Kingdom Come
…
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Wednesday, 2 September 2020

Alessandro Serenelli A Story of Forgiveness - Charles D. Engel

Alessandro Serenelli
A Story of Forgiveness
Charles D. Engel
ISBN 9781681925585
eISBN 9781681925592
ASIN B0844X32DB


I had just finished reading Saint Maria Goretti Teenage Martyr for Chastity by Glynn MacNiven-Johnston part of the CTS 20th Century Martyrs Series from the Catholic Truth Society when I became aware of this volume. That book was a moving and powerful read. This one was just as moving and powerful. This is not a large volume, but it will have a big impact. I could not put this book down. I highlighted 15 passages my first time reading this book. And I will likely return to it and read it again. 

It was incredibly powerful to read of the change of heart, and the changed life of this man. To read about how he became a man of service and a man of prayer. That people from all over the world wrote to him to ask for him to pray to Maria for them. And his own devotion to her is an incredible witness. Many will be aware of the story of Maria, but fewer aware of his, but we are told:

“Despite how the story has been told, however, it was never just her story.”

And after reading this volume I completely agree. Her own words to him, and her actions while she was dying are a powerful witness. But those words are prayers bore fruit. We are told of her words of forgiveness:

“Over time these extraordinary words of pardon were often repeated, first by those who themselves had heard them spoken. These words of mercy made this sexual assault quite different from similar stories in the news.”

Later we are told:

“In 1908, Alessandro, still unrepentant, experienced what came to be regarded as his moment of conversion. The change that radically transformed him began with a dream. In Matthew’s Gospel, God spoke to Saint Joseph in a dream, urging him first to take the pregnant and unwed Virgin Mary as his wife. In dreams, Joseph was also told to flee into Egypt to escape Herod, and then later to abandon Egypt and return to his homeland. God can speak to us in dreams, and this is how he chose to reach Alessandro. In a dream, Maria Goretti visited Alessandro in his prison cell.”

Later we are told that:

“In the autumn of 1910, the bishop of Noto, Giovanni Blandini, at the prompting of a fellow bishop and of Maria’s earliest biographer, Carlo Marini, visited Alessandro. No doubt this was an extraordinary visit, for while prisons have chaplains, it is rare that a particular inmate would receive a visit from such an important clergyman. The bishop wanted more information about Maria, for devotion among the people for the young girl had never diminished. On the contrary Maria’s popular cult was growing.”

As the cult of Maria grew, so did the number of people approaching Alessandro for prayer and intercession. 

“Over time, Alessandro also began to receive prayer requests from near and far. He was a man of prayer and repentance, and it became part of his vocation to pray on behalf of others, particularly to Maria, his own intercessor.”

And he prayed and sent out prayer cards. This book goes on to talk about a possible future canonization of this man. It states:

“In a small Catholic Truth Society booklet titled The Canonization of Saints, Monsignor P. E. Hallett points out that “whilst we are at liberty privately to venerate and invoke the intercession of any one whom we may think to be in heaven, the Church will not allow any act that betokens religious honor or cultus to be paid publicly to anyone whom she has not declared ‘blessed.’” The Church reserves to herself the prerogative of canonization, or the listing of the names of the saints.”

And it recounts those with a devotion to this man and working towards his cause. Part of the description of this volume states:

“Many people are familiar with the story of Saint Maria Goretti and her grisly murder at the age of eleven. On her deathbed, she said of her killer, “I forgive him, and I want him to be with me in heaven.”

But how did her incredible forgiveness affect her murderer? While it took years, Maria’s offer of mercy eventually transformed Alessandro’s life.”

And that is what we have in evidence in this volume. A life changed. A life of devotion and hard work. A witness to the power of forgiveness, and the power of God to transform. And a life that witnesses of the power for forgiveness, of grace, of mercy. A fantastic volume that we could all learn from. There is a letter written by Alessandro a few years before his death is in this volume. It is deeply moving. The witness of Maria has been touted for year, now the fruit of that story is coming to light as the transformed life of Alessandro is being brought to the light. And as we are told to not light a lamp and put it under a bushel, there are those who are telling this story so that it will shine forth. 

An excellent read that I highly recommend. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
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Wednesday, 26 August 2020

Maria Goretti Teenage Martyr for Chastity - Glynn MacNiven-Johnston - CTS 20th Century Martyrs

Maria Goretti: Teenage Martyr for Chastity
CTS 20th Century Martyrs
Glynn MacNiven-Johnston
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860820250
eISBN 9781784692995
ASIN B072MJC5VR


This was the seventh volume in the CTS 20th Century Martyrs series that I have read. It is also the sixth by Glynn MacNiven-Johnston. Over the last few years, I have read over 150 books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I believe there are eight volumes in this series. And about half of them have eBook editions. This is one that does. I believe there are few Catholic who have not heart at least the name Maria Goretti. And though I knew the name and the basic details I was not aware of the whole story. This volume though small gives that whole story. The description of this volume is:

“In 1902 in an Italian village a young girl, Maria Goretti, was murdered during a sexual attack. Her killer, Alessandro Serenelli, himself a teenager, was a close neighbour well known to her and her family. He had been threatening her for some time. What does it mean, how can it help, to say that she is a virgin and martyr? This is an often misunderstood and sentimentalised story. When many parents and teenagers strive for a balanced view of sexuality, of personal integrity, of Christian family life, and forgiveness to those who do irreparable harm, Maria's story speaks powerfully and authentically. It echoes John Paul's cry to today's youth - 'Do not be afraid to be saints!'”

 This volume was first published in 1997 and the eBook edition was released in 2017. 

The chapters in the volume are:

Saint Maria Goretti
The Goretti Family
Living with Serenellis
Death of Luigi Goretti
Maria’s New Circumstances
First Communion
Troubles with Alessandro
The Day of the Attack
Maria Mortally Wounded
Maria Forgives Alessandro
The Aftermath
Alessandro Serenelli
Alessandro’s Repentance
Beatification and Canonisation
Love is Stronger than Death

The book begins with these words:

“Maria Goretti was an eleven year old girl who, in 1902, was murdered in the course of a frenzied, sexually-motivated attack. She was beatified in 1947, in the face of much cynicism from the secular press who did not believe that a child could have shown that kind of depth of faith and only three years later she was canonised and named patron of youth.

Why is she a saint, recommended to us in the 21st century as a powerful Christian witness? A virgin and a martyr! – but what does that mean, how does it help? This all happened nearly a hundred years ago in an obscure Italian village. It involved an uneducated farm girl and a boy, not that much older than her, who was a close neighbour. Some say that this kind of tragedy happens all the time. What makes this one different?

Maria Goretti’s story touches on several important themes: the dignity of the human person; the objectifying of sexuality; the importance of Christian family life; how an individual and a family can forgive a person who has done them violence and irreparable harm and how Christian love can change someone’s life.”

And further on:

“In an age which demands justice, we are shown that in Christ it is possible to forgive. At a time when no one accepts blame, there is a story of repentance.”

And that is what we find in the biography of this saint. We have an example of Christ. We see in action the turning the other cheek. Carrying the pack a second mile. But this is also the story of her family, that instilled in her a deep faith. And the story of her attacker, and his eventual repentance and changed life.

This book is not an easy read. It is a wonderful witness. An amazing story of Christian virtue, and of forgiveness. Well worth the read.  An excellent volume in an important series.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books about Saint Maria Goretti:
…

Books in the 20th Century Martyrs Series:
Sophie Scholl and the White Rose: Resistance to the Nazis - Helena Scott and Ethel Tolansky
Johann Gruber & Jacques Bunel Victims of the Nazis - Helena Scott and Ethel Tolansky
Maximilian Kolbe, F. Jagerstatter, K. Leisner, R. Mayer: Victims of the Nazis - Franz Jagerstatter
Edith Stein, Marcel Callo, Titus Brandsma: Victims of the Nazis – Matthew Monk
Saint Maria Goretti: Teenage Martyr for Chastity - Glynn MacNiven-Johnston
The Atlas Martyrs – Jean Olwen Maynard
Jerzy Popieluszko Victim of Communism - Grazyna Sikorski
Isidore Bankanja - Jean Maynard
Gianna Molla - Jean Olwen Maynard
Books by Glynn MacNiven-Johnston:
Biographies:
Maria Goretti Teenage Martyr
Pier Giorgio Frassati Inspiration for Students
Father Damien Apostle to the Lepers
Martin de Porres
Rita of Cascia 
...

Prayer Books:
Handbook of Novenas for Feasts and Seasons
Devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
The Infant of Prague
Handbook of Novenas to the Saints: Short Prayers for Needs & Graces
Handbook of Scriptural Novenas: For Various Needs and Intentions
Devotion to St Jude: Patron of Hopeless Cases
A Book of Novenas
...
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