Blessed Karolina Kózka

Karolina Kózka (2 August 1898 – 18 November 1914) was a sixteen-year old Polish victim of a sex attack and murder. Prior to that she was known locally for her strong faith and her eagerness to catechize her neighbours and children. Kózka is often referred to as the "Polish Maria Goretti" due to the manner of her death. Kózka's death caused great public outrage against Russians since a Russian soldier was believed to have attacked and killed her. Three thousand people flocked to her funeral and called for her canonization cause to be introduced as she died defending her virginity. The cause formally commenced in the 1950s and culminated in 1987 with Pope John Paul II beatifying her in independent Poland. Karolina Kózka was born on 2 August 1898 in a hamlet near the village of Zabawa, Lesser Poland, at that time part of Austria-Hungary. She was the fourth of eleven children born to peasant farmers, Jan Kózka and Maria Borzęcka. She was baptized on 7 August at the local parish church of Saint John the Baptist. Her childhood was spent on the family farm. From 1906 until 1912 she attended the local primary school and had further part-time schooling from 1912 to 1913. She would often gather neighbours and relatives and invite them to read the Bible together under a pear tree near her home. Kózka loved reciting the rosary using beads her mother had given her. She would fall asleep praying to Mary. Kózka would pray on her long walk to Mass. Her uncle Franciszek Borzęcki was an inspiration to her and she would help him in his role of librarian. She also helped out teaching the catechism to children of the parish. During Lent she would lead her family in singing about the Passion of the Lord and at Christmas would intone carols. Some of the villagers referred to her home as "the little church". Kózka received her First Communion in 1907. She was confirmed on 18 May 1914.