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As I am looking at the calendar for October of 2020, and seeing we have a Friday, Oct. 16, coming up, I’m asking myself — How has it been five years already?
The last time October 16 fell on a Friday was in 2015.
My parish, St. Maria Goretti (SMG) in Madison, and the Diocese of Madison as a whole, had one of its most eventful days ever.
The relics of St. Maria Goretti came to the parish for nearly a 24-hour stay, part of the Pilgrimage of Mercy tour that had taken her relics around the country ahead of the Year of Mercy, which started later that year.
Adding to the blessings, October 16, 2015, was the 125th anniversary of St. Maria Goretti’s birth.
To paraphrase an over-quoted movie character from about a decade-and-a-half ago, it was kind of a big deal.
My own memories
When the relics stop at SMG was first announced several months earlier, I didn’t believe it, or didn’t know how to believe it.
As the day got closer, Catholic and parishioner Kevin wanted to soak in as much of the experience as he could.
I asked for, and got, the day off.
That being said, my “day off” ended up being me at the parish for a majority of the stay of the relics and covering the whole event.
Catholic Herald Reporter Kevin didn’t have the day off.
It was however, a chance to totally immerse myself in what was happening.
The line was blurred whether I was a faithful Catholic making the most of the day’s events, or a reporter putting himself in the middle and making himself part of the story.
Ethics aside, I couldn’t pass up the chance to venerate the relics of my parish’s patron and be a part of something so once-in-a-lifetime.
I, quite frankly, don’t have enough space to share all my memories from then.
I do have enough room to remember all of the parish staff there and probably not sleeping for close to 48 hours, the reaction and reverence by all when her relics were taken off the trailer and led into the church, people from all over the Midwest coming to venerate her, me nervously waiting in line with my prayer intentions, knowing I’d only have a short time at the reliquary, and a real unspoken coming together of so many people open to the graces the young saint would help God bless us with.
Five years later
October 16, 2020, is almost here and October 16, 2015 is a bundle of memories.
Then SMG pastor Msgr. Michael “Father Mike” Burke died recently.
I’ll never forget how choked up with emotion he was that weekend. That time meant so much to him.
The image of St. Maria Goretti greets penitents outside the confessional at SMG with the words “She Chose to Forgive”.
There’s still a plaque in front of the sanctuary in the church, which was touched to the reliquary, marking the event.
The reliquary was also touched to the St. Maria Goretti statue outside of church, making it a third class relic.
Part of our patron is always with us at SMG much like part of that day will always remain with us who were there.
I wish I knew how many prayers had been answered from the 13,000 who venerated her that weekend.
On that day, and now, I know she’s still listening to every “St. Maria Goretti, pray for us!”