Bloggin' Sister

A NUN's BLOG. h/t Sr. Anne

When I read her post, "Better late than..." About Maria Goretti, I was encouraged and found it so inspiring. I've thought of Maria while still pondering what to reply to my friend, G. about her misguided world view on martyrdom in this day and age. Should Maria have given in to her would-be rapist's demands and advances? Should she have bowed to the "idol?" Should she have done that and "not made her attacker attack her and kill her, as G. seems to think martyrs do? If Maria had appeased him, had she done so, would he NOT have killed her? Would he then have repented later in jail? She held to her convictions and her Catholic faith, and later, prayed for him and forgave him as she lay dying. She later appeared to him in jail, dressed in her glorious, pure white heavenly raiment, with flowers for him, and he was converted. If anyone out there thinks martyrdom is in need of 're-evalution' think again. That is NOT Catholic teaching and never will be! My post on G's view is in the June 2009 archives titled: "Shoud we still die for the faith?"