Who We Are
The Goretti Group is a movement for people of all ages and states in life seeking to rediscover authentic masculinity and femininity and become witnesses to the joy of pure love. We study all of the Catholic Church’s teachings on purity, particularly Saint John Paul II's Theology of the Body.
The Goretti Group & St. Maria Goretti
our motivation
In 2003, our founder, Angela Santero, saw the great need to heal the brokenness caused by sexual sin and to proclaim the beauty of pure love. She founded The Goretti Group as a result. Since its foundation, The Goretti Group has reached over 75,000 people with Christ’s redeeming message. It has also provided a community within the Catholic Church for those in need of healing and nourishment, recognizing that purity leads to life.
our spirituality
- A deep love for the Eucharist
- First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- A deep devotion to Mary and the Rosary
- A regular celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
- A devotion to our patron saint, Maria Goretti, patroness of chastity
- A dedication to revealed truth as taught by the Catholic Church
- Zeal for bringing purity to all states of life
- Compassion, forgiveness and mercy on oneself
- Compassion, forgiveness and mercy on others
- Cultivation of the virtue of humility which leads to sincerity and, ultimately, to true freedom
- Zeal for counteracting hatred with genuine charity toward the other person
- Embracing suffering and rejection as a redemptive offering for the conversion of souls
- Diligence and discipline
our apostolate
Goretti Group members strive to give witness to the joy of pure love! They do so among family, friends, and all with whom they come in contact. Some members also commit themselves to formally spreading the message of chastity through talks and retreats.
our message: love
defining love
love: (v) to make a sincere gift of yourself to another; choosing to care about another's well-being as much as your own
Consider a father who wakes up in the middle of the night to soothe his crying baby. This action is a demonstration of his love. Though it may not fill him with happiness to have to get up in the middle of the night, this is love. The great mystery of love is that, though it often makes us happy, its authenticity is most evident when it entails sacrifice, when we must give of ourselves for the sake of another.
Love is more than just a feeling. True love is making a sincere gift of yourself to another. It is putting another person first and caring as much about that person’s good as your own.
Love is more than just a feeling. True love is making a sincere gift of yourself to another. It is putting another person first and caring as much about that person’s good as your own.
longing for love
The desire for love is universal. Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “The hunger for love is more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” We all have an ache in our hearts that longs for intimacy, acceptance, and affection. The reason for this longing is that we were created for love. Unlike the rest of creation, we were “made in the image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:27) and “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8).
This longing for love that we have-- for beauty, for truth, and for goodness-- can only be satisfied by the one who created us, the One who is Love, Beauty, Truth, and Goodness-- God.
This longing for love that we have-- for beauty, for truth, and for goodness-- can only be satisfied by the one who created us, the One who is Love, Beauty, Truth, and Goodness-- God.
loving as God loves
Jesus gave the ultimate demonstration of His love for us when He took all of our pain, sins, and suffering upon Himself and offered up His life in return for ours. He shows us what true love is and it’s not chocolate and flowers. It’s sacrifice. It’s compassion: the willingness “to suffer with” the beloved.
Christ's love is:
Free – Of His own free will, Jesus lays down His life for us.
Total – He gives us everything. He gives His life, even to the last drop of blood.
Faithful – He never abandons us or stops loving us.
Fruitful – His love gives us life; His death brings eternal life to all humankind.
We are called to love one another, as God loves us: freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully. Love is our origin, our constant calling, and our final fulfillment in Heaven. We were made for LOVE. We were made not only to receive it, but to give it. We can do that every day, with every person we encounter: our siblings, our parents, our spouse, our friends, even with our enemies.
We choose to love.
Christ's love is:
Free – Of His own free will, Jesus lays down His life for us.
Total – He gives us everything. He gives His life, even to the last drop of blood.
Faithful – He never abandons us or stops loving us.
Fruitful – His love gives us life; His death brings eternal life to all humankind.
We are called to love one another, as God loves us: freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully. Love is our origin, our constant calling, and our final fulfillment in Heaven. We were made for LOVE. We were made not only to receive it, but to give it. We can do that every day, with every person we encounter: our siblings, our parents, our spouse, our friends, even with our enemies.
We choose to love.
loving with a pure heart
Our desire for love is often expressed as a desire for physical intimacy. Chastity is the virtue that allows us to order our sexual desire in accordance with authentic love. Though often interpreted to mean "abstinence from sex," chastity is actually the successful integration of our sexuality within our identity as a man or woman of God. It is a positive means of channeling our sexual desires by placing the good of the other before our own wants.
Whether we are called to marriage, religious life, or the single life, we all have a vocation to love. Chastity challenges us to see and love others as God does, with a pure heart. Chastity isn’t just for nuns and priests. We are all called to practice this virtue by seeking to recognize and respect the dignity of every person we encounter.
“This is my commandment, love one another as I love you.” (John 15:12)
We are called to love as He loves: freely, without expecting anything in return, totally, not holding anything back, faithfully, never relinquishing our love, and fruitfully, generating life and love by our actions. If you’re ever unsure whether you’re acting out of lust or love, ask yourself, “Is this how Christ loves?”
Whether we are called to marriage, religious life, or the single life, we all have a vocation to love. Chastity challenges us to see and love others as God does, with a pure heart. Chastity isn’t just for nuns and priests. We are all called to practice this virtue by seeking to recognize and respect the dignity of every person we encounter.
“This is my commandment, love one another as I love you.” (John 15:12)
We are called to love as He loves: freely, without expecting anything in return, totally, not holding anything back, faithfully, never relinquishing our love, and fruitfully, generating life and love by our actions. If you’re ever unsure whether you’re acting out of lust or love, ask yourself, “Is this how Christ loves?”