Meeting St. Maria Goretti

It was only by chance that I came across a blog post advertising the tour of the relics of Saint Maria Goretti.

For those who don’t know, Maria Goretti was an 11-year-old girl who had been targetted by a neighbor boy who had ambitions to rape her. She fought him off, so he stabbed her fourteen times. She was found alive, and witnesses saw her forgive her attacker. Then she had passed from life to life. She is now heralded as a shining example of chastity for young girls, even to the point of martyrdom.

Her remains had never left Europe, and now they were touring the United States. Also, those who visited her were granted a plenary indulgence.

Explaining Veneration

Being a Catholic convert, I wanted to jump at the chance of doing all Catholicly Catholic things. So this fit the bill. A new experience. Very different from what I’m used to. I’m sure many of my Protestant friends would have a heart attack.

Even though it looks odd, all that is occuring here, is asking a Saint to pray for you. That’s it. At base level, you’re asking someone had finished the race and had been granted official canonical status as having “made it”, such a person can intercede for you, especially in areas that they had excelled in, while on earth. And to look at someone like St. Maria Goretti, you can imagine my asking her to not only play for my purity (we all need that), but also for the purity of my marriage and that of my children.

Her Tour Stops Close to Home

I was in luck. Nearly a week after my excursion seeing Pope Francis up close, I saw that the relics of St. Maria Goretti coming to a parish merely fifteen minutes from my home. It was on a Tuesday night. I immediately went home to share with my wife my intentions of where I planned to go, after the kids have been asleep to bed. Before I said a word, she said “honey, you do know I have book club that night, don’t you?” Arrrgh.

I immediately went back to the site and double checked the times. They were going to have her displayed until 1145 p.m. Awesome.

My wife would gladly go to her book club (after all, she earned that right the night that she cared for the kids while I was in New York seeing the Pope; it was a trade-off. I told her that the moment she returns, I will be out the door to witness my very first saintly relic visit.

The Night Arrives

Shortly before 9 p.m, last Tuesday my wife arrived back from her night with her friends. I was almost out the door when she reminded me though that I’d forgotten to take out the garbage. And it was a recyclable night. Precious minutes were wasting and I was so anxious to go! I had no idea what to expect.
After I got the garbage out and the recyclables I sent my car with my audiobook from George Weigel and my Bluetooth headset. I was on my way.

Fifteen minutes later I had arrived at the church. There were already many police officers guiding traffic. There was already a long line of cars waiting to drive up. eegads, I thought. Was I going to have to park outside of the parking lot?

I need not have worried. There was plenty of space for all of us. Many cars were leaving just as I was arriving.

But then, I noticed that there was a line of pilgrims wrapped around the entire church building. It had reminded me of those fake photos that a particular nondenominational church took to demonstrate that there was a revival happening at their very church. Only in this case, it really was a line out the door. Around the back.

Waiting On Line

I settled in my spot on line, blocking out the world as George Wiegel spoke through my headphones about being an evangelical Catholic.

The guy in front of me was passing out miraculous medals to everyone he met. He almost gave me two and I looked at him saying, “Buddy, give it to somebody else already; I’m already covered.”

For about ten minutes we all stood in one place. As I was waiting, listening to my audiobook, and playing solitaire, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any special rules I needed to abode by. Being my first time, I didn’t know what to expect.

I opened up my prayer apps to discover to my delight that one of its prayers was to Saint Maria Goretti. Yesss. I made sure to pray that online as well. The line started moving and once it did, it was moving at a steady pitch. The guy handing out miraculous medals stepped off of the line to hand it to others; and we had moved so much forward, that he temporarily lost where we were. I waved him down. We were on our way.

Finally, we were about to enter into the church. I turn off my Bluetooth headphones. After all, they have this very odd blue light that is ginormous and distracting. Best to turn that off.

The Rules

As I walked forward, I noticed that there was a display explaining the set of rules as to how to properly venerate the relics.

Rule #1: everybody has only 15 seconds with her.
Rule #2: we are allowed to take anything we had, such as rosaries scapular’s wedding bands and have them touch the glass and they will become third class relics.
Rule #3: there will be no picture taking (especially no selfies).

That last part was a bummer, but I fully understood. There is nothing more creepy than showing on Facebook your mug next to the skeletal remains of a Canonized Saint.

We were also going to receive two prayer cards and these two, because they touch the plate of glass, were also delegated as third-degree relics.

Our line split into two halves, a left and right line, for viewing from both sides. I was on the left line.

I was almost there. I received my two prayer cards. I didn’t time them, but I had a sense that one of the pilgrims was hanging out with the Saint just a little bit longer than fifteen seconds. It was hard for her to turn away. I didn’t want to be annoying; I just grinned and beared it. But it made me wonder, how do people pull away from such that they’ve gone over? Be the Knights of Columbus police?

My Fifteen Seconds

Finally it was my turn. A group of six of us went forward and kneeled by the casket. I was by the head. I took out my newly purchased and blessed scapular, my wedding band, and placed them on the glass pane. I also had a new rosary, (the one I replaced after I lost my first one of my trip to see the one the previous week) but I forgot it; it was still in my car.

After I done so, I said a few more prayers. I prayed for my children. I prayed for my wife and our marriage. I prayed for all young people. I prayed that, knowing that there is such temptation before them today, due to the prevalence of pornography and anti-Catholic/anti-moral sentiment, it is very very hard for youth to remain pure in these times.

I didn’t count the seconds, perhaps I could have stayed a little bit longer, but I think I got up before my fifteen seconds were up. I was certainly the first in my group. I casually thanked the organizers, and I made out the door.

I made it home in time to share with my wife all that had transpired.

Conclusion

In the United States, we don’t have the luxury knowing that the remains of Canonized Saints around us. This is a lot more common in Europe. And yet, Europe right now is undergoing a trial for which there are empty churches everywhere. The United States has much of the same challenges.

Just imagine, some modern-day Italians or French may have a Saint’s relics close to them, and yet they have chosen to disregard this practice. They had willfully chosen to ignore the benefits of having a modern-day Saint intercede for them, and all the blessings that entails. I know that in my journey of living the full Christian life, I am to take every measure I could, to assist me to the finish line. May I never lose sight of this.

At this writing, St. Maria Goretti is still touring the United States. For more information about her story, and her tour dates, be sure to check out the Maria Goretti website.