A table in a church adorned with a decorative cloth featuring golden crosses, a gold ornate monstrance with candles on either side, and a framed image of Saint Carlo.

Yesterday relics of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare and St. Carlo Acutis visited my parish.

St. Francis is very important to me so I had to go! However I was working yesterday evening. So I asked the parents of my fourteen  year old special needs guy Sean who I take care of in the evening if it was OK if I took him. They were fine with it. When I walked in with him I saw the line already snaked all over the church. After a couple minutes he was twisting out of my hand and yelling “bathroom!” So I took him there and lost our place in line, phooey. I was just wondering how we were ever going to make it through when someone in charge took us to the front of the line and explained to the people behind us. When we reached the front he made prayer hands. After a second or two he said, “OUCH!”

He sometimes does that just because he likes saying it. Then he clapped really loudly and I thought, “OK yeah time to go.” It wasn’t much but I felt uplifted as we left. Tears came to my eyes in the parking lot. I don’t really cry anymore – not for years. So that was a big deal. A small gift of tears. 

St. Francis was the first Saint I ever loved even before I was ever religious. Mostly I told him that- that I loved him and thank you. 🙏  I am sure the Saints  blessed my young charge also. In any case we both left happy. 

I plan to write St. Francis a letter later to say more to him. 💕

A woman in a pink shirt and headscarf warmly greets a boy in a black shirt near an altar with religious icons and candles, in a church setting.