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Roman Catholic St. Maria Goretti Visits Chicago

By Yvonne Hortillo | October 12, 2015 1:04pm
 The body of Roman Catholic St. Maria Goretti, the youngest canonized saint and patron of youth and young people, visits Chicago and the U.S. for the first time.
St. Maria Goretti visits Chicago and the U.S. for the first time.
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RIVER WEST — The body of a Roman Catholic saint arrived to much fanfare in Chicago, but mostly from the police detail assigned to protect her.

St. Maria Goretti, patron saint of youth and young people and the youngest canonized saint of the Catholic church at 11 years old, arrived to an enthusiastic and solemn audience on the steps of St. John Cantius Church on 825 N. Carpenter St.

A boys' choir sang a hymn, and church pastor the Rev. Frank Phillips blessed the saint's glass casket with incense. 

The saint's convoy was preceeded by sirens and two helicopters. The glass coffin containing a wax statue which houses St. Goretti's remains was conveyed into the church by officers with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Illinois State Police, and the Chicago Police.

"St. Goretti is a dignitary of the church," Fr. John Casewell said. 

"What we hope most of all is that people will experience that mercy and healing that Pope Francis wants us to experience in this Year of Mercy," Casewell said.

Casewell calls the visit "unprecedented." St. John Cantius is the only Chicago stop for the relics, which had only left Rome twice since St. Goretti's canonization in 1950. This is her first tour of the U.S., and the first in Chicago.

Attendees took the opportunity to practice their faith during the visit. The relics were welcomed with a sung English mass at close to 7 a.m., and many stayed for a 7:30 a.m. mass. The line to a confession box near the front nearly reached the length of the church to the back, and many recited novenas and prayed the rosary.

Andrew Rosa, 49, is a 19-year parishioner of St. John's parish and regularly volunteers at the parish. He says he wantrf to welcome the saint to his parish.

"It's like my home, the parish. I'd like to welcome her to my home," Rosa said.

St. Goretti's remains will be on display until 6 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13, when she will be moved to St. John Vianney Church in Northlake for veneration there. 

Inside the church:

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