Friends in High Places
Several years ago when I was the Safe Environment Coordinator for the
Diocese of Green Bay, one of the actions I took was to ask Bishop Ricken’s
permission to name St. Maria Goretti the patron saint of our program. My reason for the request was to help address
the reality that there is a spiritual element to a safe environment program
that requires spiritual assistance. I
turned to St Maria Goretti for several reasons; the primary one being that as a
12-year-old girl who had been brutally and mortally attacked, she extended
forgiveness to the man who attacked her.
She appreciated that she herself was set free by extending mercy.
I have had numerous discussions with people who were
victims of abuse as children who have spent decades of anger at themselves, at
their perpetrator, and their families and at the Church. They struggle to find peace. The only answer, and I understand that it is
not easy, is to be as Jesus on the cross and offer forgiveness. Forgiveness is not cheap. Maria’s assailant still went to prison. But the reality is that we are dealing with
people’s eternal souls. Maria’s
assailant struggled for years, but eventually accepted forgiveness even from
Maria’s own mother.
One of the powerful realities of our Catholic faith is
that we embrace the reality that all of those faithful witnesses who came
before us are still active in love. They
pray for us. They love us because they
now live forever in the very love of God.
In my final year in the coordinator role, we held a
Safe Environment Summit where we discussed all aspects of caring and protecting
the most vulnerable among us including children, those with cognitive
challenges and the elderly. One of the
speakers for the day was a religious sister who now works with an organization
that works with educating youth on how to protect themselves from those who
would prey upon them. She surprised me
in the morning of the Summit with a relic of St Maria Goretti. “My aunt gave me this relic on the day that I
took my final vows. It has been tucked
way back in my dresser drawer ever since.
But when I heard you explain why you named her the patron saint of your
Safe Environment Program, I thought I should give this to you.” I was stunned. I placed the relic on the speaker’s
podium so St Maria Goretti was with everyone who presented that day.
That fall I retired from my role with the
Diocese. As I cleaned out my office I
took the relic of St Maria and held her close.
I really wanted to take the relic with me, but in the end I realized
that the relic was intended not for me personally, but for our child protection
program. I left the relic with the
person who continues to work hard to ensure that no other person is harmed by
the Church or any of our programs.
Two weeks after my retirement I met with Mother Mary
Catherine, who is my spiritual director.
Mother and her Order works with young adults and high school children,
drawing them deeper into the love of God.
That happened to be a sunny and beautiful autumn day and Mother
suggested that we have our conversation outside on the deck. I had intended to speak with her about the
relic of Maria Goretti when Mother stopped me and said excitedly, “Before we
start I have something for you!” She got
up and hurried inside. After a few
minutes she returned and said, “Someone gave me this recently, but as soon as I
held it, I felt that I must give it to you.”
With that she placed a little reliquary in my hand, “It’s a relic of St
Maria Goretti!”
His Peace <><
Deacon Dan
Comments
Post a Comment