The Moral Theology of St. Maria Goretti

This article was originally posted on Seton MagazineAs a homeschooling Mom and a theology student, I am learning new theology lessons all the time. What is amazing to me is that it is through examining the lives of the saints that I have learned the most profound lessons in theology. In their witness we see the truths of God and the doctrines of the church come to life in vivid detail. When my children begin to view their catechism lessons as “boring”, all I need to do is pull out a video or story of a saint and immediately I have a rapt audience, eager to soak in all that the saints have to teach us. Pope Benedict XVI in his book Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration describes the saints as “…the true interpreters of Holy Scripture. The meaning of a given passage of the Bible becomes most intelligible in those human beings who have been totally transfixed by it and have lived it out.” (p78)  Each individual saint offers a unique lesson on the universal and unchanging truths of our faith. Their individuality provides a targeted and pointed look at specific virtues and areas of church teaching. St. Peter Claver’s life highlights the evils of slavery and the dignity of the human person. In the life of Blessed Mother Teresa we see a powerful witness to Jesus’ teaching on service to the poor. Through her diary, St. Faustina provides us with a beautiful account of the mercy of the Lord, particularly in how it is manifest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. St. Maria Goretti, one of the youngest saints the church has ever canonized, is no exception. I count this young girl among my closest heavenly friends – she is my “go-to” intercessor and her short earthly