Shrine holds telethon

By KATHLEEN LAMANNA- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

To mark the 130th anniversary of the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville and to take note of nearly $2 million in donations raised over the past year and a half, the shrine held a "radiothon and telethon" Sept. 18-20.

A foggy morning kicked off the event, which was broadcast online with the projected participation of some local radio stations. The telethon also honored the Jesuit Fathers who, after 130 years of active ministry, will soon be leaving ministry at the shrine.

Six hours of the telethon are available for viewing at http://nationalshrine.tv or the shrine's main website, www.

martyrshrine.org. The program includes narration of the shrine's history by local residents, including newscaster Jack Aernecke; a virtual tour of the shrine's features today; and musical performances by local youth and adults.

"It concludes all of our efforts" of raising funds and awareness for the shrine, said Joey Caruso, an avid volunteer who organized the telethon. As the kickoff neared, tables draped in red cloth and vases of flowers fronted Native American artwork and a podium where donations would be announced.

The telethon also featured special guests Jacob Finkbonner, a young man whose miraculous healing led to St. Kateri Tekakwitha's canonization; and Timothy Schmalz, an artist who created the well-known "Homeless Jesus" statue (see photo on facing page.)

Jacob and his family were visiting the shrine for the first time. On Sept. 19, Mr. Schmalz was scheduled to sculpt a model for one of several works he has been commissioned to make for the shrine, volunteer Julie Baaki told The Evangelist. Mrs. Baaki had brought her infant son along with her as she helped with the telethon's kickoff; she said she has seven children, and her family attends Mass at the shrine every day of the week.

Mr. Schmalz will create a grotto with a statue of Our Lady of Martyrs, a St. Kateri grotto, a crucifix for the shrine's ravine and a life-sized sculpture of St. Isaac Jogues holding St. René Goupil. The shrine has also purchased a Homeless Jesus statue to place on the grounds.

The shrine is the site where Jesuit missionaries Ss. Isaac Jogues, René Goupil and John Lalande were martyred in the 1640s, as well as the birthplace, in 1656, of St. Kateri, the first Native American saint.

"The blood of the martyrs fertilized the ground for St. Kateri to grow out of," said Mrs. Baaki, who believes that donations to the shrine are crucial so that the site's history doesn't "get lost in the shuffle."

According to Mr. Caruso, donations have made their way to Auriesville from 38 countries and 27 states.

However, for volunteers at the shrine, "it's never about money," Mr. Caruso told The Evangelist.

Also on the telethon's schedule were Masses celebrated by Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger and Bishop Emeritus Howard J. Hubbard.

(Contact the shrine at 518-853-3033.)[[In-content Ad]]