On 10th December, 2016, the Maria Alonzo Goretti Group made their official launch to kick off the resumption of Goretti Group activities. This auspicious occasion was held in the Holy Name Compound. Specially invited guest and well-wishers were treated to an evening filled with music and entertainment as the new members were welcomed into their family. But before I go into the details, I would like to flash back into the past to where it all started.
Maria Alonzo, a teacher at Holy Name, was the proud creator of this group. She and her students started the group as means of an extracurricular activity and expose the girls to charity works. Along with the visiting hospitals and the sick, the girls came together and composed their own music and songs such as ‘Sing out my Soul’, ‘Here O Lord’ and many other songs which are still sung today. Maria Goretti is the patron saint of youth that gave this wonderful group its name. After 49 years, the group flourished and became a successful charity group that spreads Maria Alonzo’s passion and love all around Trinidad. Unfortunately, Maria died August 2nd. Although it is an emotional time, the Goretti members will always remember the motto she taught them: ‘If I can help somebody with a word or song then my living shall not be in vain.’
The ceremony started at the chapel where a mass was held to bless the new members on the beginning of their journey with the annuncio as their special guest. Ceile, one of the older Goretti members, made a spectacular and emotional speech about their beloved teacher and inspiration and said this:
“She planted a seed. Today that seed bears fruit as we admit the new members of young women who are willing to commit not only to the motto but to the work of Maria Alonzo Goretti Group. Today Maria Alonzo’s legacy lives on and in just 3 months these young people but showed initiative, teamwork, friendship and caring. It is an emotional evening because we are seeing the revival of the group come to fruition and we know that with the girls who are here this evening there is joy. Joy because it marks an important day in their lives reflecting on the decisions that they made. And they made it. They made the commitment to be a part of the Goretti group. they will go in self-confidence. they will be courageous they will always be willing to help. And they will always be a Goretti group member.”
The girls took the audience’s breath away with their marvelous voices and fantastic playing, rejuvenating the spirit of what the Goretti group use to be. There harmonious melody brought tears to some of the audience eyes’ as they were moved by our girls. The spirit of the Goretti group lives on in our girls now as it did 50 years ago, bringing back the passion and love the group once felt and shared to the world.
