Pope speaks about religious sister who was killed by Satanists
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Sr. Maria Laura Mainetti with an unidentified girl

Vatican City, Apr 9, 2008 / 10:28 am (CNA).- Today at the end of the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict spoke to a group of nuns and lay people, who were present to honor the memory of Sr. Maria Laura Mainetti, a religious sister who was killed by Satanists.

That Italian sister, said the Holy Father, "with a total giving of self, sacrificed her life while praying for those who were attacking her".

The murder of Sr. Maria Laura happened during the night of June 6-7, 2000 in the small town of Chiavenna, Italy. The sister was stabbed to death by three girls, two of whom were 17, while the third was 16.

Sister Maria Laura was well known in the small town she lived in for her social and charitable commitment to young dispossessed and poor people. Consequently, the three girls were able to draw her into an ambush by saying that a pregnant girl was in serious need of her help.

After luring Sr. Maria Laura to their ambush, the girls stabbed the sister to death as a sacrifice to Satan. As Sr. Maria Laura died, she found the strength to pray for her killers and forgive them.

Police investigators discovered the satanic plot and arrested the three girls 22 days after the sister’s murder.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints recently recognized the death of the religious as martyrdom, thus opening the way to her beatification.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: Margaret
Baltimore MD USA 04/09/2008 06:45 PM EST
She should be canonizted a saint.
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Published by: NanciK
Pennsylvania 04/09/2008 04:42 PM EST
Another reason to wear the habit. I am a police-trained self-defense expert. I have viewed thousands of assault cases. The pattern is that MOST ATTACKERS when faced with a potential victim who wears a cross, crucifix, rosary, clerical collar or even a veil as is the case often with so many Mennonites here in Pennsylvania...they cannot bring themselves to complete their deed. Obviously, there are some who seek out the pious types to inflict their evil upon them. Even then, when faced with the symbols of Godliness, often times they have a change of mind. In this case in Italy I guess we'll just never know now, will we?
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Published by: Avena DaCosta
Boston 04/09/2008 01:34 PM EST
Not really...martyrdom?
She was a religious sister, a murder victim like millions of others. Perhaps her last prayers directed towards her killers was an exemplary one, but..let's not canonize
everybody!
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Published by: Frank F Burns
Holbrook, MA 02343 USA 04/09/2008 12:51 PM EST
I would like to win for my wife. Mary is a cancer nurse that has had breast cancer and working in the field. I have been assistant and associate for Fr. Lou in Avon, MA. This would be a dream come true for Mary. We will keep you all in our daily prayers.
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