Aquinas Catholic Middle & High School in David City unveiled three relics of young saints during an all-school Mass Aug. 25.
The relics were donated by Father Caleb Hile, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Bruno and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Abie. He is also theology teacher for Aquinas sophomores. The relics will remain on permanent display in the school’s St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel.
The relics belong to St. Maria Goretti, St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, and St. Gemma Galgani. All three saints were associated with the Passionist tradition and died at a young age, making them especially meaningful patrons and examples for the students of Aquinas Catholic.
During his homily, Father Hile explained how he received the relics while visiting Rome. At the Church of Saints John and Paul, a Passionist center, he was able to obtain relics of several saints connected with the religious order. He later chose to donate three of them to Aquinas Catholic.
“These are saints who are very much connected with young people,” Father Hile explained during the Mass. “They remind us that holiness is possible at every age.”
St. Maria Goretti was an Italian virgin and martyr who died defending her chastity. Before her death, she forgave her attacker and prayed for his conversion. Her example witnesses to the dignity of every human person, the virtue of purity, and the transformative power of forgiveness. She is recognized as a patron of young people and victims of sexual violence.
St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was a Passionist student known for his prayer, charity, joyful self-discipline, and devotion to Christ’s Passion. Before entering religious life, he enjoyed a lively social life, but eventually responded generously to God’s call. He died of illness at the age of 23 and is honored as a patron of youth and students.
St. Gemma Galgani was a young Italian mystic who maintained a deep devotion to the Passion of Christ and patiently endured serious illness and suffering. Although she was unable to enter a cloistered religious community because of her health, she lived a life of profound prayer and spiritual dedication. She is also associated with devotion to guardian angels and with St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Father Hile encouraged students to learn about the saints and to ask for their intercession. He particularly emphasized St. Gemma’s devotion to her guardian angel, reminding students that the Church teaches that each person is accompanied and guided by a guardian angel.
The permanent display in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel will provide students with a visible reminder that the saints were real people who faced difficult circumstances, made courageous choices, and sought to follow Christ faithfully.
The chapel, named for the school’s patron, is intended to be a place where students can pause for prayer and grow in Christian virtue. Pope St. John Paul II described a chapel as a place where believers can find “nourishment and direction” and where the life received in Baptism continues to grow.
