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THE NINTH
COMMANDMENT:
PRACTICE PURITY
OF HEART
YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WIFE
—CCC, NOS. 2514-2533
MARIA GORETTI: A MODEL
OF PURITY
Maria Goretti was born in Corinaldo, Italy, on October 16, 1890. She was
one of six children born to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. In 1896, the
family moved to Ferriere di Conca, where the Gorettis became sharecrop-
pers for Count Mazzolini. The Goretti family lived in an old cheese factory
building on the estate, where Assunta worked hard to make a home for
her family.
Due to the hard labor of draining the flooded estate, Luigi soon
contracted malaria and was unable to adequately manage the land
for which he was responsible. On account of this, Count Mazzolini sent
Giovanni Serenelli and his son Alessandro to share half the work, half the
profits, and half of the building which the Goretti family had made into
a home.
The Goretti parents soon became aware that the Serenellis were not
people of high moral character. As Luigi’s malaria became more severe,
Luigi and Assunta regretted their leaving Corinaldo.
The position of the Goretti family took a tragic turn upon Luigi’s death
in 1902. Since Assunta was now forced to work in the fields to provide for
the family, she put Maria in charge of the duties at home. Maria had