Authors-choice: Hope & Revival

On October 24, 1941, in a Brazilian village, a boy hid in the bushes in hopes of catching a 12 yro girl called Benigna off guard when she was fetching water. He was hoping to rape her, but she valiantly fought off his attempts and prevented him from forcing himself upon her.

This refusal added fuel to his rage and the boy took out a machete and started attaching Benigna. He made several blows, the last one killing her instantly. The boy fled, but her body was soon found. He was eventually arrested and spent most of his life in prison. In 1991 he was released and returned to the site of the murder, sincerely repentant of what he had done.

Benigna’s heroic example became an inspiration for the local people and in 2011 her cause for canonization was open. On October 2, 2019, Pope Francis authorized her “martyrdom,” paving the way for her beatification in Brazil.

She will join the ranks of Maria Goretti as a “martyr for purity,” highlighting the beautiful gift of sexuality and how it is to be preserved and used in the right way according to the plan God has created for it.