The iPadre Catholic Podcast

Alessandro Serenelli with Assunta Goretti, St. Maria’s mother.

Every person and every circumstance in our lives can offer some kind of lesson.  Even that of a murderer.  You may be thinking, what good can come from this post.

Alessandro was much like many men and young men in our society today.  They are addicted to pornography and sex is the very focus of their lives.  Everything they do in life is consumed by this insatiable desire for sexual fulfillment.  Sexual addiction is like a merry go round, the more they get, the more they want.

That is how it was with Allesandro.  What made him like that?  Why was he so filled with lust that he would attack a little girl?  July 5, 1902 would change the course of Alesandro Serenelli’s life and that of many others forever.  For it was on that day that his neighbor, Maria Goretti was alone at home and he thought that it was his opportunity to have his way with the 12 year old.

The 18 year old Alesandro approached Maria as she sat at the top of the stairs of her house while mending a shirt.  Alesandro grabbed Maria and forced her into a bedroom of the house.  At that he told her of his intentions and that if she did not give in, he would kill her.  Maria struggled with Alesandro, trying to call for help and telling him “God does not wish this”, “It is a sin.  You would go to hell for it”.

Filled with anger, Alesandro struck her continuously with a long dagger and fled the scene.  Maria was taken to the hospital, but there was nothing that could be done.  In the house before her death, she forgave her attacker, she received the Last Rites of the Church and Holy Communion and died within 24 hours.

Alesandro was captured and given a sentence of 30 years in prison.  He was so filled with hatred, that when a priest approached to reconcile him, he hissed and attacked the priest.  This all changed when Maria appeared in his prison cell, surrounded by beautiful white lilies that she offered to him.  His life was changed immediately.  Alesandro had a conversion and was filled with remorse for his actions.  From that time on, he was an exemplary prisoner and released after serving 27 years of his sentence.

The first thing Alesandro did upon his release was to beg forgiveness from Maria’s mother, attended Christmas Mass with her and related his story to the whole congregation.  On June 24, 1950, at the age of 66 years old, Alesandro knelt in prayer, weeping tears of Joy as Maria was canonized by Pope Pius XII.  After Maria’s canonization, Allesandro enterd the Capuchin Franciscan order, where he was received with joy, and lived out the remainder of his life as a lay brother.  He died on May 6, 1970.

Here is Alesandro’s testimony shortly before his death:

“Looking back at my past, I can see that in my early youth, I chose a bad path which led me to ruin myself. My behavior was influenced by print, mass-media and bad examples which are followed by the majority of young people without even thinking. And I did the same. I was not worried.  There were a lot of generous and devoted people who surrounded me, but I paid no attention to them because a violent force blinded me and pushed me toward a wrong way of life.  When I was 20 years-old, I committed a crime of passion. Now, that memory represents something horrible for me. Maria Goretti, now a Saint, was my good Angel, sent to me through Providence to guide and save me. I still have impressed upon my heart her words of rebuke and of pardon. She prayed for me, she interceded for her murderer. Thirty years of prison followed.  If I had been of age, I would have spent all my life in prison. I accepted to be condemned because it was my own fault.  Little Maria was really my light, my protectress; with her help, I behaved well during the 27 years of prison and tried to live honestly when I was again accepted among the members of society. The Brothers of St. Francis, Capuchins from Marche, welcomed me with angelic charity into their monastery as a brother, not as a servant. I’ve been living with their community for 24 years, and now I am serenely waiting to witness the vision of God, to hug my loved ones again, and to be next to my Guardian Angel and her dear mother, Assunta.  I hope this letter that I wrote can teach others the happy lesson of avoiding evil and of always following the right path, like little children. I feel that religion with its precepts is not something we can live without, but rather it is the real comfort, the real strength in life and the only safe way in every circumstance, even the most painful ones of life.”

So, what can we learn from a murderer?  There is hope for everyone.  No one is beyond God’s grace.  Maria herself gave that poor, lost youth, a future filled with God’s love and grace.  May St. Maria Goretti, reach out from heaven and touch those who are thought to be hopeless sinners, the grace of conversion.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4nX0Xrn-wo

There has been a great period of confusion in the Church’s Liturgy for the last 40 or so years causing the Church’s central act of worship to be a major source of division and dissension.  Almost every Catholic has experienced some form of Liturgical abuse, whether something small and and less significant, or major exploits that invalidate the Mass.  Those who love the Mass wonder how far we must go before things settle settle down. The Mass should be a witness to the unity of our Faith, whether one attends Mass at St. Peter’s in Rome, or your local parish church.

“Benedict XVI’s Reform – The Liturgy between Innovation and Tradition” by Don Nicola Bux, published in English by Ignatius Press, is a must for all who who love the Church’s Liturgy.  In this book, Bux traces out the problems and blessings of the Liturgical following the Second Vatican Council. Father Bux begins by laying out the theological foundations of the Liturgy.  He writes about the benefits of the reform, yet Father Bux is not shy in pointing out the many problems in the reform.  He points out that the consilium that was appointed to study Sacrosanctum Concilium and give Pope Paul VI advice on the Liturgical renewal was made up of 42 members, yet, the concilium was plagued by “incompetence of many of its members, of the thirst for novelty, of the hurried discussions, of the chaotic voting and desire to rush approval, the instability and uncertainty provoked by the reform that ended up favoring the arbitrary.”

Father Bux states that there need to be necessary corrections to the reform so as to realign it to tradition in the spirit of continuity.  Yet, Bux believes this must be done through solid scholarship, looking at tradition, but being open to change.  Tradition, writes Father Bux, is not something dead and open to legitimate change.  “The liturgy, like the Church, is living tradition.”

Bux does a fine job at exposing  the mind of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI in regards to the Sacred Liturgy of the Church. Father Bux gives the Liturgical debate a whole context as a “encounter” with Jesus Christ.  From this “encounter” flows the whole of Liturgical theology.  Our Liturgical orientation must be focused on God and not man, for when our Liturgy centers on anything but God, it fails.

There is a legitimate need for “corrections and integration” however this cannot be achieved through commands and documents since most are already being ignored.  In the new Liturgical Movement, we must “proceed in a different way, … not imposing obligations except for those that are necessary, illustrating possibilities and promoting debate.”

I believe this little book of Don Nicola Bux will not only assist in a true reform of the Roman Liturgy, but assist in the New Evangelization, which has at it’s heart the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Here is a slideshow of my 20th Anniversary celebration. Missa Cantata on June 17, 2012, the External Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  St. Theresa’s Shrine in Nasonville, Rhode Island.  Pre-Mass music was provided by Holy Ghost Church Choir and Mass music by Schola Cantorum Sanctae Cæciliae directed by Henri St. Louis.

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=aRwNub-SkZ0

The event was the first of many Masses and educational events to be held in dioceses across the country. [Get active in the process, visit the Rhode Island Catholic Confrence here.]

The Fortnight for Freedom campaign, established by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, runs from June 21 – the vigil of the Feasts of St John Fisher and St. Thomas More, both martyrs who remained faithful despite persecution by political power – to Independence Day, July 4, and was created as a special time of prayer, education, catechesis and public action to emphasize both the Christian and American heritage of liberty.

In his homily, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin said the “impressive number” of worshippers who attended the event was a sign of the participants’ faith, interest and concern for the important issue.

Bishop Tobin told those gathered that Fortnight for Freedom was created to defend religious freedom – “a right that belongs to every human being” and “a right bestowed on us by almighty God.” He added that the campaign is not a statement about women’s health, or church participation in partisan politics.

Read the whole RI Catholic article here.