St. Maria Goretti's relatives humbled by relics' visit to North Carolina
Thousands of people packed into Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro and St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte to venerate the relics of St. Maria Goretti during the "Pilgrimage of Mercy" tour that passed through the Diocese of Charlotte Oct. 23-25. The national tour brought the remains of the Church's youngest saint to the U.S. for the first time, and although it was a sacred moment for so many who came to venerate her relics, for two local families the visit meant much more.
Andy Goretti and Barbara Everitt, both of Charlotte, are cousins of the young saint, and they called the relics' visit to the Charlotte diocese a humbling and inspiring moment.
Andy Goretti and his wife Janet, members of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, and Everitt, a member of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, attended Mass and spent time venerating the relics during the pilgrimage's stops in both cities.
Pictured: Children venerate the major relics of St. Maria Goretti Oct. 23 at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
The national tour, which continues through Nov. 12, is under way just weeks before the Church begins an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy on Dec. 8. Besides the Charlotte diocese, the tour included stops at 24 other dioceses spanning 16 states.
St. Maria Goretti died in 1902 after being repeatedly stabbed by a young man who had attempted to rape her. The 11-year-old's last words were of mercy towards her 20-year-old attacker: "I forgive Alessandro Serenelli ... and I want him with me in heaven forever." Serenelli reported that St. Maria appeared to him in his prison cell six years after he was incarcerated on a 30-year sentence for her death. That occasion began his dramatic transformation from a violent and ruthless man to that of a renewed soul intent on spreading devotion to God and his saintly victim. St. Maria is held up by the Church as a model of the virtues of forgiveness, mercy and purity.
St. Maria's mother Assunta Goretti was unable to care for her surviving children after the girl's death, and the family was split up. Three of her brothers moved to America and put down roots, raising large families – some of whom eventually settled in Charlotte.
Related story and photo gallery: Greensboro, Charlotte parishes host relics of St. Maria Goretti
ANDY AND JANET GORETTI
Andy Goretti's grandfather Giovanni Goretti was St. Maria's cousin.
"Overall, growing up Catholic and having St. Maria Goretti as a relative was always an honor and humbling. I am the youngest of 10 children, and my mother always stressed the importance of faith and the Catholic Church and our connection to not just a saint, but a forgiving saint."
Two of Andy's siblings, brother Nicholas Goretti and sister Carolina Stratton, are members of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.
"It was always a thought for my wife Janet and I to someday attend her relics in Nettuno, Italy, so having the relics come to the U.S. and make stops in the Carolinas is really just a small miracle," he explains.
He went to see the relics in Greensboro and in Charlotte.
"The tour stop in Charlotte was pretty amazing and humbling. I also had the fortune to venerate in Greensboro the Friday before, and that was a very peaceful time and experience with St. Maria's relics."
His family also brought up the gifts at the Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church Oct. 24. He admits he has declined bringing up the gifts at Mass in the past out of feelings of unworthiness, but this time he agreed when approached by the tour's organizers.
"I have never brought the hosts up in my life. I never quite felt worthy or comfortable doing it when asked in the past, as bringing the hosts up, to me, is one of the most honored parts of Mass.
"On Saturday, I did not feel nervous or uncomfortable, but instead felt very privileged and honored to be taking the hosts to so many that went out of their way to come see St. Maria Goretti. I felt it was the least we could do as her descendants.
Father Carlos Martins of Treasures of the Church, which is leading the tour of St. Maria's relics in the U.S., gave an inspiring homily in which he recounted the story of St. Maria's mercy and her attacker's remorse, Andy says.
"Maria didn't put her faith in a situation. She put her faith in God," Father Martins said in his homily. "Because she made this decision, she left this world a saint."
Andy and Janet Goretti and their children, Alex, Natalie and Drew, bring up the gifts at Mass honoring their saintly cousin Oct. 24 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte.Says Andy, "He did a fantastic job retelling the story and the personal miracles he was aware of. Having my children hear the story from him will be something they, nor my wife and I, will ever forget.
"Both Friday and Saturday's visits with St. Maria's relics, the venerators and Father Martins were easily the biggest highlight in my faith life. If nothing else, I would like to thank all that went to see the relics in the Carolinas and that I felt very privileged to attend Mass with so many who came out to touch St. Maria."
Andy's wife Janet, who came into the Church in 2004, said attending the Oct. 24 Mass was truly moving. "I was amazed to see the extraordinary number of people there. Father Carlos' narrative of the events surrounding her attack, death and the conversion of Alessandro Serenelli was so moving."
Learning of St. Maria's mother's tremendous suffering moved her the most, she says. "Assunta Goretti is an inspiration to all of us who are mothers and know how much we suffer for our children.
"The message of forgiveness is so strong throughout the story of St. Maria Goretti and so appropriate in today's world," she adds. "It is something we all need to practice daily – especially, as Father Carlos shared so emphatically, forgiving ourselves."
BARBARA EVERITT
"As a child, I often heard about Maria's story and carried her holy card in my missal," recalls Barbara Everitt, another Goretti cousin. "As time passed and I became immersed in life (three children of my own, teaching high school, moving away from most of my family), the story also dimmed. I regret saying that I did not stay as connected as I should have.
She heard about the relics tour from a cousin in New Jersey, and said, "the fire returned. I was so excited to recognize that I could, in fact, personally see her relics."
Everitt is a descendant of Domenico Rossetti, who married Maria Goretti's sister, Rosa Carlini. Rossetti is her paternal grandfather's father, which makes St. Maria and her grandfather first cousins.
"I remember my grandfather always saying Maria was his cousin and that he was a baby when she moved away from Corinaldo. His aunt and other cousins moved back after Maria was killed," she explains.
Her grandfather moved to New Jersey as a young man and had nine children "who in turn had scores of offspring," Everitt says.
Everitt attended the Solemn High Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church Oct. 24 with one of her daughters and her 12-year-old granddaughter Sara. "It was so beautiful. To think that Maria was the same age as Sara when she was martyred is a sobering thought. To realize that Maria's resolve resulted in hundreds of thousands of pilgrims venerating her is humbling. To be related to her is a gift – a gift I will never take lightly again."
She is also thankful for the gift of her newfound relatives, Andy and Janet Goretti, whom she had not met before.
"Finding out about Andy, a cousin that lives so near to me, is another gift from Maria!"
"What a difference in all of our lives has been made by this little saint. We are blessed to be a part of her family and so honored to have an intermediary in heaven."
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
What others said about the tour of St. Maria Goretti's relics
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What others said about the tour of St. Maria Goretti's relics
"The reception and veneration of the relics of a beloved saint is an occasion to bring to the fore that which is generally hidden from view. The supernatural gift of faith, an otherwise invisible reality, took form this weekend in a tapestry of thousands and manifested in an almost miraculous way giving us all a glimpse of the hidden power that animates the lives of believers. Not only were the holy relics of a saint on display, so was the supernatural gift of faith. The saint and the holy faith of believers synergistically radiated a moving display of holiness and grace. Personally and pastorally, I am profoundly grateful to St. Maria Goretti."
— Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, which hosted the tour in Charlotte
"The parishioners, staff, clergy and faculty of Our Lady of Grace Church and School were all very excited to welcome her to the parish in October. It is a great honor that we can be a part of this great Pilgrimage of Mercy. Maria Goretti's tour around the States in conjunction with the Church's message of forgiveness is very dear to all of us at Our Lady of Grace. It was in God's infinite mercy that Mary was spared original sin and so could be filled with grace upon grace. Father (Eric) Kowalski and I stress frequently in our teaching and preaching that nothing can separate us from the love of God except an unrepentant heart. St. Maria Goretti is the witness of faith in action! She offered her death to soften the heart of her attacker, and he was saved.
"I was particularly excited to share St. Maria Goretti with our parishioners and all the visitors who came to Greensboro and Charlotte for these days of prayer. When I was in Rome, I visited Maria's church in Nettuno on many occasions. That church, too, is the parish of Our Lady of Grace! Moved by her story, softened by her life's witness and inspired by her heroic death, I saw how far this little girl had come in her walk with the Lord at such a young age. First, it put me to shame! Secondly, however, it challenged me to seek nothing but Christ, nothing but a radical love of Christ. Without having to make a pilgrimage to Italy, I hope the faithful visiting her will be challenged, as I was, to conversion and radical love."
— Father Noah Carter of Our Lady of Grace Church, which hosted the tour in Greensboro
"St. Maria Goretti's visit to Charlotte was a special grace, for all of us who helped plan the event and for everyone who attended. Her choice to hold fast to God, and her extraordinary act of forgiveness, is a powerful witness to us all and especially to youth. We were pleased to see so many young people come out in her honor, and seek her friendship and intercession."
— Rick Rotondi of Saint Benedict Press, sponsor of the relics tour to North Carolina
"When I learned that St. Thomas Aquinas was looking for volunteers to help make St. Maria Goretti's visit run smoothly, I jumped at the opportunity. It was amazing to see so many people come to venerate her relics and ask for her intercession. I have been suffering with a herniated disc in my back, and the pain sent me to the ER on Friday. The pain was still so bad on Saturday that during Mass I had to stand to listen to Father Carlos' homily (which was amazing). So I taped my St. Maria prayer card to my back and today is the first day in weeks that I have been pain-free. Perhaps even more important than the pain relief is the message of mercy and forgiveness that I took away with me.
"My oldest was confirmed the very next day and I was so full of joy and kept praying the prayer that Father Carlos taught us on Saturday: 'St. Maria Goretti, in imitation of you and for love of Jesus, I forgive anyone who has ever hurt me, and I pray for forgiveness from anyone I may have hurt.'
"What a beautiful weekend filled with so many graces!"
— Brice Griffin, volunteer from Charlotte
"At a time when Christ is being censored throughout the public square, we see that violence and sexual perversions of all sorts flood our airways and poison our children daily. By following St. Maria Goretti's example of love, forgiveness of her attacker and devotion to chastity, we can through our example help bring Christ back to the public square and do our part with Christ's help to lead the next generation to a holier life.
"This pilgrimage is about more than experiencing relics, it is about coming away with a conversion of heart to lead the life Christ wants for us."
— Jackie Gallagher, organizer for the North Carolina leg of the relics tour