July 6, 2019
Saint Maria Goretti,
strengthened by God's grace,
you did not hesitate,
even at the age of twelve,
to sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity.
Look graciously on the unhappy human race
that has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.
Teach us all, and especially our youth,
the courage and promptness
that will help us avoid anything that could offend Jesus.
Obtain for me a great horror of sin,
so that I may live a holy life on earth
and win eternal glory in heaven.
Amen.
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.