ANGLO SAXON POETRY - CYNEWULF

mægða weolman

Of Cynewulf we know little beyond the fact that the dialect he employs places him as a native of Merica, the West-Midland of England of the early ninth century, and that he was probably conversant with Latin, since not only the contents, but also the grammar, structure and even sometimes the syntax of his poems all show a marked similarity to Latin originals (Opland 1980:157).
  The other poets who wrote about religious themes at the time were probably equally conversant with this language.

Just as dulia constituted an element of the tenets of the Anglo-Saxon's Christian belief, so too did hyperdulia play a key role in his religion.
  Once again, Marian poetry of the period appears to have been written for the edification of the Christian in an attempt to demonstrate the heights to which the individual may rise when he or she conforms his or her will to the will of God.

This is illustrated in the three Christ poems: Christ I - the Advent Lyrics, Christ II - The Ascension and Christ III - The Judgement.
  Although some scholars ascribe the authorship of the entire trilogy to Cynewulf, only the second text bears his Runic signature.

A study by Claes Schaar (Calder 1979:45), which determined that the literature on the Cynewulf canon lacked "systematic comparison and . . . real analysis" has led to a limiting of the Cynewulf canon to the signed poems.

Extracts from the Christ and Doomsday or Judgement Day poems, which jointly account for some 2 300 lines of the known surviving Anglo-Saxon poems, give an indication of the attitude of the Anglo-Saxon Christian towards the Blessed Virgin.

Cynewulf's reference to Mary in Christ II - The Ascension is as striking as it is brief:

                                                                          . . . se Ælmihtga

ãcenned wearð            þurh clænne hãd,

sippan he Marian,        mægða weolman,

mærre meowlan,           mundheals geceas-

               (443-6)

                         ... the Almighty

was born                 out of a state of chastity

after he (chose the

protection of) Mary      the flower of virgins,

the glorious virgin      [protection chose]

Or, as Bradley translates it: "after he had chosen the sanctuary of Mary/ the flower of maidens/ the illustrious Virgin" (445-446).

Here, by failing to distinguish Christ, the Son of God, who was in fact conceived in Mary through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, but rather including him in the collective term used to denote the Trinity,  se Ælmihtga  (443) [the Almighty], Cynewulf achieves the effect of suggesting that the three persons of the One Godhead were undivided and at one in the choice of the woman who bore the Messiah.

In describing Mary as mægða weolman (445) [the flower of maidens], he establishes that, though she was but a simple girl among all other girls, she achieved so bountiful a flowering of her potential that it raised her above all other women.
  By juxtaposing the term mærre meowlan (446) [of the glorious Virgin] with mægða weolman, Cynewulf emphasises the contrast implicit in the elevation of a simple girl to a woman of majesty once God's choice of a mother for his Son fell upon Mary.

The Christians of Cynewulf's era appear to have regarded God's choice of Mary as His vessel to bear the Messiah as so exalted a mark of distinction that they considered it to be an act of reverence to God to honour the Blessed Virgin likewise, and believed that therefore, far from diminishing God's greatness, their praise of God's favored ones actually represented an endeavor on their part to enhance God's glory.

Cynewulf Christ translated by Charles W Kennedy
http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/Christ_Kennedy.pdf

Full text of 'The Christ of Cynewulf: A Poem in Three Parts'
http://archive.org/stream/christcynewulf00cyneuoft/christcynewulf00cyneuoft.txt

Ireland; Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for Us - Face the Nation Rally Limerick

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for Us

Niamh Ui Bhriain addresses the Rally

Vox Populi as the Evening draws on

OUR LADY OF FATIMA, PRAY FOR US
Protesters streamed in from all corners of Ireland into Limerick to protest the recently passed Abortion Bill. 
Throughout the Rally people devoutly prayed the Rosary, inspired by dedicated priests and people grouped around a statue commemorating Mary of Nazareth, Lady of Fatima. 
The Pro-Life Movement in Ireland, with Our Lady as Protectress and Inspiration, continues to grow.
Unhappiness about the Bill being passed in Ireland, far from diminishing, is increasing in intensity.
Men, women and children came from all over Ireland to vigorously protest the Abortion Bill, demand its repeal and to be the Voice for the Unborn Child.
People came from Donegal; Sligo; Limerick; Mayo; Meath; Laois; Dublin; Kerry to name but a few. 


Protesters
Protesters carried banners, shouted slogans, sang songs, prayed. 
So many people showed in so many individual ways that the Passing of the Abortion Law in Ireland is not accepted. 
The youngest participant of the Rally - three months old - snuggled up to her Mom and took it all in her stride.
It is amazing to see how strongly the momentum in Ireland among the people demanding a repeal of the Abortion Law is growing.
Law abiding, hard working citizens are braving the Pro-Life Rallies to make their voice heard; that this Law simply cannot be accepted in the country where Mary of Nazareth and her Divine Son Jesus Christ are honoured.
The people of Ireland continue and have pledged in their countless numbers to step up their efforts as they witness to the Right to Life of the Defenceless Child.

Niamh Ui Bhriain
This gracious daughter of Ireland spoke up spiritedly in defence of the Unborn Child's Right To Life.
The crowd cheered her words, as she denounced the Abortion Law.
Police were in full force at the Rally.

Pro-Life Events
So many Pro-Life Events and Protests occurred, that Protesters were in the situation of having to choose to which one to go. 
Far from this being a dilemma, it is a strong indication of how distressed the people are at the passing of the Law, and how determined Vox Populi is to have the Abortion Law repealed.
As Protesters vociferously made their voices unequivocally heard in Limerick at the National Conference, the Pro-Life Campaign's National Conference was taking place in Dublin.

The Way Forward
Prayer;
Mary of Nazareth, Our Lady of Fatima, inspire and guide as Pro-Life in Ireland continues to hold the life of our Unborn Innocents both sacred and safe.
In the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ Whom you kept safe from all threats to His Life, give us the courage and strength to be faithful witnesses to Jesus' Name and the Sovereign Right of God Alone over Life. Amen.

Our Mother and Queen  honoured at the Rally as Prolifers Pray

See links 
http://www.youthdefence.ie/latest-news/shame-shame-pro-life-protest-heard-continuously-during-kennys-televised-speech/
http://www.lifenews.com/2013/10/11/pro-life-campaign-national-conference-will-rally-ireland-against-abortion/
http://www.thejournal.ie/pro-life-campaign-conference-1122800-Oct2013/
http://www.youthdefence.ie/am_cms_media/uploaded/f/0e2514603_1380551091_face-the-nation-rally-leaflet.pdf

THE RALLY

Keep Your Promise

Repeal the Law

The Face of Innocence

I'm ProLife

Poster for Life

Keep Pro-Life Promise

Protesters lined the Streets

I Vote Pro-Life

Niamh Ui Bhriain

Mary of Nazareth - Patroness of the Innocent Unborn

Prayer;

Mary of Nazareth

Patroness of the Innocent Unborn

Look upon all those who work for the Protection of Life

and intercede with Your Son Our Lord Jesus Christ

to strengthen and protect them in the work they do.

Amen.

Mary of Nazareth, Patroness of the Innocent Unborn, sheltered her Son Jesus in her womb and with the love of her heart. 
By doing so, she gave our world Our Loving Saviour.
Let us continue her work of loving and cherishing the helpless unborn by standing together as powerful witness to the Sanctity of Life.
On Saturday 12 October 2013 at 6pm Irish time at South Court Hotel, Limerick City, Pro-Life people will be coming in from all Counties for a Pro-Life Rally.

Let us affirm the sanctity of life within the womb throughout our life until natural death.
Only God has the right over our life.

Bring your family and friends
Bring your family and friends to speak up for Life. Buses are travelling to Limerick from all over the country. 
Please phone 01 8730463 for bus information. Posters will be provided
Mary protected Jesus within her womb, during the flight to Egypt, and was there at His execution until His last earthly moment. 
Let us follow her example of protection and love, and selflessly make every effort to protect the innocent unborn of our land.

Rev Catherine Nicolette

STAND FOR LIFE 

FACE THE NATION RALLY

WHERE? SOUTH COURT HOTEL, LIMERICK

WHO? THOSE WHO SPEAK UP FOR THE UNBORN

DATE? SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER 2013

TIME? 6PM

Please click into the following link for more information
http://www.youthdefence.ie/latest-news/face-the-nation-lets-remind-fine-gael-that-the-pro-life-movement-is-not-going-away/

Leaflets are available from Youthdefence - see leaflet below
http://www.youthdefence.ie/am_cms_media/uploaded/f/0e2514603_1380551091_face-the-nation-rally-leaflet.pdf

Photograph taken by Rev Catherine with permission

Sancta Maria

Sancta Maria - from Cavalleria Rusticana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selrkcvErG8

With thanks to Youtube

The Immaculate Conception as Seen by 20th Century Poets

Feast of the Immaculate Conception
On 8 December each year the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated.
   
     O gentle maid, O lovely-hearted woman,
     Sprung from the seed of patriarchs and kings,
     Conceived immaculate, divinely destined Virgin!

When the poet Sr M Faith OP in her poem 'Annunciation' thus addresses Mary of Nazareth, she is referring to the belief that God granted special grace to the Mother of God in that, upon her conception, she received a gift of grace usually received during the Sacrament of Baptism. 
This gift was of value for the future Mother of God as preparation for her holy mission, to contain God within her prior to delivering Him to a suffering world crying out for His Redemption.

Ark of the New Covenant
As the Ark of the New Covenant, Mary required special graces for her mission, and received the Immaculate Conception as preparation for her call.
In the Old Testament, the Written Word of God, the Ten Commandments, and the Miraculous Bread from Heaven - the Manna - were in the same place as the Holy Ark. 
In the New Testament, the Ark of the New Testament, the Blessed Virgin Mary, contained the Word of God, Jesus Christ, the Living Bread from Heaven.
The Ark of the Old Covenant contained the Rod of Aaron, which signified the true High Priest.
The Ark of the New Covenant contained Jesus Christ, Who is called the High Priest (Hebrews 3 verse 1.)
The Ark of the Old Testament was overshadowed by the Presence and Power of God (Exodus Chapter 40 verses 34 and 35).
In the New Testament, Mary of Nazareth is overshadowed by the Presence and Power of God (Luke Chapter 1 verse 35).
The belief of the Immaculate Conception of Mary of Nazareth is that the future Mother of God was overshadowed by the Presence and Power of God at her conception preparatory to her call and Second Overshadowing by the Presence and Power of God.
The second Overshadowing was at the Incarnation of God into her womb prior to Jesus being birthed as Saviour and King of all the world.

Ineffabilis Deus
Pope Pius IX (1846 - 1878) wrote Ineffabilis Deus, in which the Immaculate Conception is ascribed to a singular grace and privilege from Almighty God, granted in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the World's Saviour.

Lourdes, France
On several occasions during the course of the year 1858, Mary of Nazareth appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a little shepherdess, in a grotto at Massabielle in Lourdes, France.
Asked for her name, she replied: "I am the Immaculate Conception."
She asked Bernadette to pray for the conversion of sinners.
Instructed by the Lady, Bernadette, digging with her hands in the soil, found a spring in the grotto.
A number of authenticated miracles have been ascribed by users of this water.

Poetry in Praise of Mary
In America, which falls under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception, many twentieth century poets sang the praises of Mary.
Like flowers of various shapes and colours, grown from a packet of mixed seeds, their poetry ranges from the cheerfully colloquial to the profoundly contemplative.
Among the former variety is found 'Our Lady of America', a simple verse for youth by Sr Maryanna OP, published in the November 1947 issue of Junior Catholic Mission.
Marked by simplicity and rhythm, it contains no trace of sentimentality.

     Mary Immaculate, Lady blue-gowned,
     slippered in moonbeams, Virgin star-crowned,
     bend down from heaven to bless this our land,
     prairie and mountain and city and strand.
     Watch over Washington, pray for St Paul,
     Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles - all
     cities that linked form a rosary chain
     from Oregon's Portland to Portland in Maine.
     On village and hamlet, on country and town,
     Mary of Nazareth, gently look down.
   
The fine poetry of the poets has not known as much exposure as deserves, burgeoning as it does with a sense of faith, love and hopefulness that make the reading of it an ever fresh delight.
Much of the work was published only in religious magazines and then forgotten, along with some of its creators.
Though the majority of these poets never achieved any marked degree of fame, a few had their poetry published in general or personal anthologies.
In one of the former we find 'Mary Immaculate' by Sr Angela Marie.
The third stanza starts off with a metaphoric explanation of the Immaculate Conception of Mary:

     Upon this earth 'neath Anne's
     sweet breast a seed is stirred,
     virgin-veiled; the Word
     of God bends low with grace.

Mother Mary Bertrand OM in her Song of the South Winds (For Our Lady's Birthplace) give a description of Anne's womb while she carried Mary.
She regards this as a thurible containing burning incense.
The poet equates the moment of Mary's conception with the budding of a lily whose fragrance overwhelms the sweetness of the perfumes borne on the wind from Egypt and the East to her Palestinian home:

     ... the hours burnt silver in your censer
     and the perfumes of Egypt and the East
     were dulled by the budding of a lily
     that one white morning hour released.
   
Sr Maryanna OP metaphorically describes Anne's pregnancy as the spinning of thread upon a loom:
   
     Anne was the spinner,
     Anne spun the thread
     Petal-soft, rosewhite,
     Filament starbright
     To which an angel said:
               Hail, full of grace!

Sr M Julian RSM gives an encapsulated account of a Lourdes pilgrimage with its links to Mary's Immaculate Conception in a characteristically concise poem titled 'For Our Lady of Lourdes'.

     'Blessed are they who have not seen ...'
     but who have sought
     on mountain paths
     your beauty poised
     above a winter rose.

     'Blessed are they ...'
     for life shall be for them
     this only: your name
     and the fair music of your smile.

Sr Mary Lucina in her poem 'To Our Lady on December 8', which may be found in the December 1971 issue of the periodical 'Sisters Today', uses the symbolism of pure snow to celebrate Mary's Immaculate Conception.
This conceit is frequently found in the oeuvre of the American nun-poets of the twentieth century.
The poet differentiates between the symbolism of snow and that of the heat of a candle's flame.
Thus she contrasts Mary's spotless purity, which lights up the world's darkness, with the warmth of her motherly love, which embraces eternity:

     Down in the courtyard
     flakes fall on your shrine,
     a white oasis in our winter.
     Snowy pines enclose you
     in a cathedral.
     Everywhere darkness stretches
     like an immense grave.
     Stars hide
     the sky is moonless.
     But below in the courtyard
     you burn like a candle,
     your flame travelling light years
     beyond the pines.

On a profoundly spiritual level, the contemplative Jessica Powers (Sr Miriam of the Holy Spirit OCD) captures the essence of Mary's Immaculate Conception in her composition 'The Immaculate Heart':

     Light is intensely the inhabitant
     of this unsullied place of consecration,
     the Virgin's heart. Light is itself the air
     and firmament and sea and foliage.
     Her thoughts are Godward mirror, one in their
     orientation.


At the same time the poet expresses the fulfilment of the promise of the Immaculate Conception.
In the absence of anything evil, from the very moment of her conception, Mary of Nazareth's natural inclination of heart was towards God, enfolding His grace with total openness.
Mary bore God's every feature in the loving environ of her soul, and within the Ark of her human body.

Marian Library Dayton
That many American nun-poets of the twentieth century were teachers is clear from their religious poetry, in which religious instruction is combined with literary fluency in a way which is most convincing and yet easily understandable.
Their poetry contains not only vivid descriptions of the qualities of faith, hope and love but also has great pedagogic value.
The Marian Library at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, is a custodian of an extensive collection of poetry in honour of the Blessed Virgin.


See links
Marian Library at University of Dayton Ohio
http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/library.html

The Mary Page, University of Dayton
http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/

Immaculate Mary, Lourdes Hymn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcs6WPjZi0k

With thanks to Marian Library and Youtube

Mary did you know

Mary did you know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfpK6cNPF7Y

Lyrics
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/clayaiken/marydidyouknow.html

With thanks to Youtube and www.azlyrics.com

Photograph by Catherine Nicolette - with thanks to the stained glass artist

Maria Goretti - The Girl who said 'No'

Our Lady of Everlasting Help
In 1886 Luigi Goretti, a poor farm labourer, married Assumpta Carlina.
Among their little wedding presents was a picture of Our Lady of Everlasting Help, the ancient image in which Christ is depicted as an infant with His mother, clutching her right hand with both His Hands for comfort.

This picture must have provided most of what was colourful in the poverty-stricken life of the couple's little daughter Maria, who was born to them on a small farm near Ancona, Italy, on 16 October 1890, after Assumpta had borne two sons, the first of whom had died soon after birth.
The second son was named Angelo.
The day after Maria was born, she was baptised.
She in her turn brought colour into her parents' lives, for her mother would one day describe her as "happy, good, openhearted, without whim but with a sense and seriousness beyond her years and never disobedient."

Lodgers
By the time Maria was nine four more children had been born, named Mariano, Alessandro, Erzilia and Teresa.
The poor have little choice of privacy in their lives.
Necessity dictated the sharing of a house by the family with Luigi's partner Giovanni Serenelli, a widower, and his son Alessandro, both of them lapsed Catholics.
The partners were working on the estate of Count Mazzoleni at Ferriere di Conca, Campagna, a spot situated some seven miles from the nearest town, Nettuno.
The house where they stayed was small.
A flight of wornout stone steps led to a humble yard.
The family lived in poverty.
Yet the picture of Our Lady of Everlasting Help retained its place of honour in the quarters used by the Goretti family.

Mass at Nettuno
It took four hours on Sundays to walk to and fro from Mass at Nettuno.
Maria, small though she was, never missed a Sunday Mass.
She would take her brothers along and tell them stories on the way to make the distance appear shorter.
It grieved her that she could not attend catechism lesons and was therefore unable to receive the Blessed Eucharist.

In the year of 1900 on the sixth of May, Luigi Goretti died.
Afterwards Maria took charge of the family's daily recitation of the Rosary.
Assumpta worked on the fields while her little daughter took care of the house and the family.
Catechism lessons were arranged in the vicinity of the farm and two years later, in May 1902, at the age of eleven, Maria Goretti and her brother Angelo made their First Holy Communion.
As usual, they walked the seven miles to Nettuno and back.
Assumpta could not even go with them - such was their poverty which barred them from hiring transport so that the family could have shared in their joy.
Maria had been to Confession on the previous day but at Nettuno she begged the priest to hear her confession again.
Though surprised, he acceded to her request.
Maria radiated joy as she first received the Holy Eucharist and the long walks to and from the church at Nettuno appeared short to her in relation to her happiness at being able to share in the reception of the Eucharist.

Decision
The death of Luigi had not touched Alessandro Serenelli, the son of Luigi's partner.
Allessandro, now ninenteen years old, did not pray and avoided church-going. 
In his room he had placed suggestive pictures and Maria hated going inside it to perform chores.

Alessandro cast his eye on Maria, now that Luigi was out of the way and Assumpta was alternately labouring in the fields and caring for her children.
He decided to seduce Maria.
About a month after her first Communion, in the middle of June, when Assumpta was working in the fields he tried to take Maria in his arms and told her of his intentions.
He threatened her that if she told her mother he would kill both of them.
She held her tongue and wound her rosary around her wrist for protection.

Threats
A week later Alessandro renewed his overtures, again resorting to threats when his advances were spurned.
On one occasion in June Maria asked her mother not to leave her to go to the land because she herself was afraid.
Assumpta told her not to be silly - God would look after her.

Assumpta, noticing Maria's coolness towards Alessandro, berated her for what she believed to be rudeness, while Alessandro, burning with resentment at having been turned down twice by Maria, planned his revenge.
He procured a 20 cm awl - a sharp shoemaker's tool used for making holes in leather.
In front of Assumpta he told Maria that he was leaving his shirt on this bed for her to mend.
When he was gone she fetched it quickly and started sewing in the courtyard.

Meanwhile Alessandro requested Assumpta to look after his cart as he was leaving for a short while.
She agreed without suspicion.
At the house, Alessandro rushed past Maria and called her.
When she refused to come in, he ran out and dragged her inside.
Again he made overtures to her.
Maria's horror overcame her dread of him.
"What are you thinking of, Alessandro?" she asked. "No! No!"

Alessandro pulled out the awl and showed it to her.
Despite her overwhelming fear,Maria remained adamant in her refusal.
"No, Alessandro!" she said.

In a frenzy of hatred and frustrated passion, Alessandro lifted his weapon above her head, then drove it several times into her body.
She tried to fight back, kicking, scratching and evading him.
The awl was driven into body eight times before she lost consciousness and collapsed.
When she recovered consciousness she tried to crawl to the door.
Alessandro stabbed her six more times before abandoning her and runing away.

Agony
Alessandro's father, Giovanni Serenelli, found Maria in his room and called a neighbour, Mrs Caremelli, with whom Maria had arranged to go to Mass the following day.
They alerted Assumpta who ran in and crouched down on the ground beside her daughter.
When Maria regained consciousness, she groaned in agony, then whispered: "Mother! Mother!"
"What happened to you, dearest?"
"It was Alessandro who did it."
"But why?"
"Because he wanted me to commit sin and I kept saying "No! No! No!"

Serenelli Senior brough a doctor who administered first aid.
The seven mile ambulance journey to Nettuno across the rutted road and farmtracks that followed was a nightmare.
At Nettuno, the horrified staff operated that night and Maria's dreadful thirst could not be alleviated.

Conscious
Maria remained conscious during most of the two hour operation, calling on the names of Jesus and Mary with great love.
Next morning, the 6th of July, Father Signori, a Passionist priest, came to the hospital to give Maria the Sacrament of the Dying.
Before granting her absolution he spoke of Christ's forgiveness on the Cross.
"And you Maria, do you forgive Alessandro for what he has done to you, for the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ?"
In her weakness, Maria could barely whisper her reply but it was made with great conviction:
"Yes, I forgive him! I forgive him for the love of Jesus and I wish him to join me in heaven!"
Remaining on his knees, the priest invested her with the blue ribbon and medal of the Child of Mary which she kissed repeatedly.

Ward off attack
After the priest had left, Maria appeared to be reliving the scene of her martyrdom.
Those gathered around her bed heard her gasp: "What are you doing  Alessandro" Don't touch me or you'll go to hell!"
With these words she raised herself and moved her arms as though to ward off an attack.
She fell back on the bed, dead.
It was early afternoon of 6th July, 1902.

Compassion
At the trial of Alessandro Serenelli for her daughter's murder, Assumpta Goretti begged the judge for compassion.
"My daughter and I have forgiven him," she said.
Yet, despite her intercession on his behalf, Alessandro failed to repent of his crime for many years.
Meanwhile preparations for the declaration of Maria's sainthood were under way.
A booklet of the event found its way into Alessandro's cell and he read it.
That night he had a dream in which Maria appeared to him.
She was in a garden, where beautiful lilies grew in abundance.
She plucked them one by one and offered them to him as a bouquet.
As the lilies touched his hands, they seemed to him to turn into flames.
When he awoke, Alessandro asked for permission to confess his sins and to beg Assumpta's pardon.
He was released from jail for good behaviour after twenty-seven years.
He went to visit Assumpta and she took him to Mass with her to the astonishment of the congregation.

Canonisation
Half a million people were present at Maria's canonisation on 24 June 1950. 
From a window in the Vatican, Assumpta looked down.
She and her daughters Erzilia and Teresa wept when they heard Pope Pius XII place Maria Goretti among the number of Saints of the Church and ordered her feast to be kept on July 6, the anniversary of her death.
never before had a mother been present during the canonisation of her child.

During his sermon, the Pope addressed himself to the children in the audience.
"Oh my dearly beloved children, boys and girls," he said.
"Tell me: Are you firmly resolved to resist at all costs with the help of divine grace, every attempt that may be made against your purity?"
In reply, all the children present on St Peter's Square shouted: "Yes! We will!"

After the ceremony, the Holy Father presented Assumpta with a white box, which contained the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour; the second one she had received since her wedding 64 years earlier.
Kissing the picture, she said: "As the Madonna helped my daughter, so she will come to the aid of her mother."

Bibliography
Models of youth - Maria Goretti by Rev Wm Raemers, C SS R, Glasgow, John S Burns & Sons
Die Grossen der Kirche by Georg Popp unter Mitarbeit von . . . Dr Ronald Ross. Wurtzbur: Arena-Verlag
Lives of the Saints by Hugo Hoever S O Cist, Ph D. 1977. New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co.

See link
Prayer St Maria Goretti
http://www.mariagoretti.org/