MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A bone belonging to St. Maria Goretti has been added to the new altar at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Mississauga in honour of young people.

Joining the relics of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi — which were transferred from the old altar at the end of March — it is a “first class relic,” said Fr. Joseph Grima, pastor at St. Francis of Assisi. Grima said this means the bone has documentation from the Vatican confirming it is from St. Maria Goretti.  

Grima said he chose the relic of St. Maria Goretti because she presents youth with a model of purity to look up to. “In our society today we’ve kind of lost the idea of conserving or giving our purity to the Lord,” he said.  

“This (the presence of relics in the altar) is a good reminder to us that when we celebrate Mass, we celebrate with all the saints and angels in heaven.”

St. Maria Goretti was only 11 years old when a young man named Alexander tried to rape her. She resisted, and consequently, the young man killed her. Before dying, Maria forgave him. The murderer later realized his wrongdoings after a dream he had of Maria and went to apologize to her mother.

She chose to die rather than submit to the young man, said Grima. “She believed it (her virginity) was a value that she wanted to hold dearly.”

(Gagliano, 20, is a life sciences student at the University of Toronto.)