Pilgrimage of Mercy: Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti

St. Theresa is honored to be one of the sites for the Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti this Fall. The youngest canonized saint in the Church, St. Maria died tragically at the age of 11 by the hand of Alessandro Serenelli. Alessandro brutally attacked her with a knife after she refused his advances. On her deathbed, she said, “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli … and I want him with me in heaven forever.”

“I am especially holding up this saint as an example to young people who are the hope of the Church and of humanity.”
– Pope John Paul 11, Message to the Bishop of Albano for the Centenary of the Death of St. Maria Goretti

The tour is in conjunction with the Holy Year of Mercy that will begin on December 8 of this year. This tour presents an opportunity to learn from the example set for us by St. Maria Goretti, to obtain grace by venerating her relics, and to spread the story of this virtuous and merciful saint.

We will be live-streaming the Mass. If you cannot view the live-stream below, please visit our YouTube Channel.

While St. Maria is universally known as the Patroness of Purity, her greatest virtue was her unyielding forgiveness of her attacker even in the midst of horrendous physical suffering, a forgiveness that would completely convert him and set him on a path to personal holiness. In March His Holiness, Pope Francis, announced an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy beginning December 8th. This visit of the major relics of St. Maria Goretti is an effort on the part of her Basilica Shrine, the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, and Treasures of the Church, to prepare and catechize the United States for this great celebration in the life of the Church.

St. Maria’s relics will be at St. Theresa Catholic Church on Wednesday, November 4.

Schedule for the Day

Public veneration of St. Maria begins: 9:00 am

Solemn Mass celebrated in St. Maria’s honor: 7:00 pm

Public veneration ends: 11:45 pm

Plan Your Visit

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• A special prayer card that has touched the relics of St. Maria will be given to all attending. A prayer card of Alessandro Serenelli, Maria’s repentant murderer, will also be given. Please bring any rosaries or holy objects that you would like to make 3rd class relics by touching them to the relics of St. Maria Goretti. Every hour a video detailing the life of St. Maria Goretti will be shown.
• The Solemn Mass at 7 pm will include a special presentation during the homily that will detail the life of St. Maria Goretti. Much of the homily will be the same content covered in the video shown throughout the day.
• Due to the large number of pilgrims who may be attending this special Mass, please arrive early to obtain a seat. St. Theresa’s plans to live stream the Mass into the Community Center for the overflow of people that will not fit in the main body of the Church. Communion will be distributed to the Community Center for those adequetly disposed to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
• Each pilgrim will only be given 15 seconds before the body of St. Maria Goretti. If possible, try to come during the day to ensure that you are able to pray before the relics of St. Maria Goretti.

Learn more about St. Maria at mariagoretti.com.

Invite your friends and family to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Read about why Catholics honor the saints and why we pray using relics:

…relics are not magic.  They do not contain a power that is their own; a power separate from God.  Any good that comes about through a relic is God’s doing.  But the fact that God chooses to use the relics of saints to work healing and miracles tells us that He wants to draw our attention to the saints as “models and intercessors” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828).  It also reveals His intention to use relics to foreshadow the general resurrection of mankind: that one day God’s faithful children, the members of His Body, will reign with him in glory, and through whom, even now on earth, He works mightily…