2006 Youth Supplement

Indiana youth celebrate the saint they call their own

Photo caption: On Oct. 15, more than 300 youths and family members from across the archdiocese gathered at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to celebrate the canonization of St. Theodora Guérin. During Mass, teenagers participating in the opening procession carried 11 banners that represented the 11 deaneries in the archdiocese. (Photo by Katie Berger)

By Meredith Riley (Special to The Criterion)

While many pilgrims from all around the world journeyed to Rome to celebrate the canonization of St. Theodora Guérin, many youth from Indiana made pilgrimages of their own.

On Oct. 15, more than 300 youth and their families gathered at Saint Mary of the Woods west of Terre Haute, the place where St. Theodora started her mission and is buried. Some traveled from as far as New Albany to celebrate the canonization of the first saint from Indiana.

On the long journey, many listened to CDs that were given out that had praise and worship songs, a rosary and told about the life of St. Theodora. You could feel the excitement among the youth as we all prepared to celebrate the life of a woman from our own “neck of the woods.”

We were invited to go on tours of the grounds to help get a better understanding of everything that St. Theodora did. After the tours, Mass was celebrated.

The opening procession included 11 banners that represented our 11 deaneries. Every parish from these deaneries was represented on the banners. The Archdiocesan Youth Council helped with the planning for this event and served as readers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, greeters and gift bearers.

The Gospel reading was the parable of the 10 virgins. This seemed to be a very fitting passage, especially for all the youth who are trying to discover their own call to sainthood and to “always be ready for the Lord.”

The piety shown by all was evident as we were able to pray before the remains of St. Theodora after the Mass. This experience has shown that sainthood is not beyond our reach. If a woman from our diocese can be canonized a saint, what is stopping all of us?

St. Theodora, pray for us!

(Meredith Riley is a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Franklin.) †