Like all such movies, this fact-based account of a Polish Catholic nurse boldly hiding Jews under the nose of a Nazi officer challenges us to ask ourselves what we would do—with a twist or two.
"Maria Goretti is sometimes said to have chosen “death over sin”—as if the only morally permissible response to attempted rape is attempted resistance to the death. By that flawed thinking, Irena, who recognizes that if she resists Rügemer or tries to flee, eleven Jews will die along with her, may be judged as choosing an intrinsically evil means to a good end." Could you explain what you mean by this? Because I swear, I've heard this argument before about how St. Maria Goretti's choice of martyrdom is not always the best response to this horrible scenario but I can't place it. I think it may have even been from you, a long long time ago.
Hi Charles, there’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about problems in Italy’s honor-shame culture in Maria Goretti’s day and its effect on Catholic culture in Italy, and therefore throughout the Latin Church. One striking fact is that while many women saints are venerated as virgin martyrs for enduring horrific violence and multilation in resisting rape, and while many of these women are considered patron saints of those who have suffered sexual abuse or rape, it is very hard to identify an actual rape survivor who is venerated as a saint. This can make rape survivors feel like they failed because they survived their assault, which is basically the historic perspective of honor-shame cultures. I wrote about some aspects of this issue this a few years ago for The Catholic Herald. Perhaps I’ll write a bit more in a follow-up piece.
"Maria Goretti is sometimes said to have chosen “death over sin”—as if the only morally permissible response to attempted rape is attempted resistance to the death. By that flawed thinking, Irena, who recognizes that if she resists Rügemer or tries to flee, eleven Jews will die along with her, may be judged as choosing an intrinsically evil means to a good end." Could you explain what you mean by this? Because I swear, I've heard this argument before about how St. Maria Goretti's choice of martyrdom is not always the best response to this horrible scenario but I can't place it. I think it may have even been from you, a long long time ago.
Hi Charles, there’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about problems in Italy’s honor-shame culture in Maria Goretti’s day and its effect on Catholic culture in Italy, and therefore throughout the Latin Church. One striking fact is that while many women saints are venerated as virgin martyrs for enduring horrific violence and multilation in resisting rape, and while many of these women are considered patron saints of those who have suffered sexual abuse or rape, it is very hard to identify an actual rape survivor who is venerated as a saint. This can make rape survivors feel like they failed because they survived their assault, which is basically the historic perspective of honor-shame cultures. I wrote about some aspects of this issue this a few years ago for The Catholic Herald. Perhaps I’ll write a bit more in a follow-up piece.
https://catholicherald.co.uk/maria-gorettis-silence-was-tragic-not-heroic-and-not-a-model-for-us/