It’s time to celebrate! 🥳
July 6th is the feast day of St. Maria Goretti!
The Facts
Maria Goretti was the daughter of a poor Italian farmer. She didn’t excel in schoolwork or religious studies, but she loved God with her entire heart. Every day, she strived to seek and do God’s will by completing simple tasks with great love and avoiding sin and temptation. At age 11, she was murdered by a young man who angrily attacked her after Maria refused his advances. Before she died, Maria expressed love for her family, forgiveness for her attacker, and great joy over the opportunity to receive Holy Communion on her deathbed.
The Feast
The story of St. Maria’s life and death might be too advanced or scary for your little saints. What we can share with saints-in-training of all ages is that even small children can have great faith. Maria didn’t need to be a star student to experience true faith and love of God. Even at her young age, she understood the importance of holiness, purity, respect for one’s body, and obedience to God. Patron saint of Catholic youth, girls, and teenagers, St. Maria is an example of fierce femininity, forgiveness, and faithfulness.
Time to Celebrate!
CFC Pros… Don’t forget to display your Feast Day Art print from last year’s crate! Read the back of your print to learn more about St. Maria Goretti.
Good news! A festive feast doesn’t need to be fussy. Here are a few easy ways to celebrate the Feast of St. Maria Goretti:
- Make a faith-filled flower arrangement. St. Maria is often depicted holding a palm (symbolizing martyrdom) and lilies (symbolizing purity). Grab some blooms from your local grocery store, flower shop, or neighborhood garden and have your little saints help you arrange them in a vase. Bonus: Do some research on the symbolism behind other flowers, and let your children choose flowers that represent some saintly qualities they are working towards! Here’s an article to get you started.
- Practice forgiveness. St. Maria forgave the man who caused her death. Be inspired by this little saint’s big heart and look for opportunities to be extra forgiving today!
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