Patron of youth, young women, purity, and rape victims, Saint Maria Goretti stood up for what she knew was right. On October 16 of 1890, the Italian virgin-martyr of the Catholic Church was born into a farming family in Corinaldo, Italy; furthermore, her family lived in poverty until her father, Luigi Goretti, moved them to West side of Italy to escape the poverty. When Maria was nine, her father tragically passed away due to malaria. Because Maria’s mother had to work in the fields to produce crops, Maria cared, cooked, and cleaned for her family and her next door neighbors, Giovanni and Alessandro Serenelli. During this time, Alessandro developed a liking for Maria and would harass her by saying rude and inappropriate things. After many months
