MADISON — Pope Francis and the Holy See have given permission for St. Maria Goretti’s casket containing her remains to come to the United States this fall, ahead of the Year of Mercy — which starts December 8.
Msgr. Mike Burke, pastor of St. Maria Goretti (SMG) Parish in Madison, confirmed her remains will be at the church on Friday, Oct. 16 — the 125th anniversary of the saint’s birth.
SMG was not on the original list of places for visitation, but when organizers found out how many children are in the school, religious education, and youth ministry programs, they changed the schedule to include the parish.
St. Maria Goretti is the only place in Wisconsin where her remains will be.
“Can you believe this?!” said Monsignor Burke in the May 24 parish bulletin. “This is such an honor and privilege to have the human remains in our church for 24 hours on her birthday.”
St. Maria Goretti, the patron saint of youth, was martyred in 1902 at age 11 after turning down the advances of a young man. She was canonized a saint in 1950.
Typically, her body is kept in a crypt in Nettuno, Italy, south of Rome.
It has been reported that her body is incorrupt, but, it is kept inside a statue, which is lying down beneath the altar.