July 6th. St Maria Goretti.   Anna shared her sad story. “My granddaughter was raped last week. She and a friend were taking a taxi home from school in the middle of the day and the driver drove off into the veld with them.  The one girl ran away but my poor little girl was raped. He left her there.  It was awful. We did all the right things and took her for counselling but I had to spend a lot of time with her, and her mom just holding them close, listening and being there. I took them to make a pilgrimage to Ngome. I think that is what grandparents are for.  We also talked about little Maria Goretti who was killed when she resisted a man. Her killer converted many years later and was present when she was canonized as a saint and model of chastity for young girls and boys too.  Jessica has taken her for a model and that seems to help her.”  

Scripture:   Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of mercy: break up your fallow ground for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain salvation upon you.  From Hosea 10:1-12   Pope Francis:   The sexual abuse of children is all the more scandalous when it occurs in places where they ought to be most safe, particularly in families, school, communities and Christian institutions. AL 45.