Since the last review was written in 2015, and today we're in 2022, I'd like to add our experience…read morehere.
We're new to the area and sought a church that offers Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Having completed a Google Search, we were brought to St Maria Goretti in Arlington.
We arrived to the parish office and I had asked about if the church had a cry room for us with toddlers to attend mass. The male organist stated that the cry room is closed due to covid and hasn't reopened. Fair enough. I asked what people with toddlers did during mass and he shares that there's the back entry way or going outside to the porch area. That sounds welcoming.
I asked where the Adoration chapel was and he said that it was behind the door we were standing near but that the entrance was around to the outside entrance. Ok. He mentions that it's a small room and points at my toddler son who isn't keeping his feet still. I nod and say, "We'd just like to say hello to Jesus."
Myself and my two toddlers head outside to peek into the Adoration room (not chapel) to say hi to Jesus and there are three people praying in what looks like a walk-in closet. So the cry room is closed but this small room is open. Ok.
The kids and I excuse ourselves to the small garden in front of the parish office to see the statues and walk to the main entrance of the church to check out this back entry way of where we can stand for mass with our toddlers, but the doors are locked. Ok.
The sign pictured and attached to this review states that if we would like to revere Jesus in the main church, to ask the church office for admittance.
We three make our way back to the parish office to ask about entrance and meet an African American music woman who just stepped out of the office if there might be any doors open to the church or if she might be able to let us in. She shrugs and says curtly, "Why?"
Mind you, I'm a five foot tall woman with a 2 year old and a 3 year old latched to me so they don't take off in two directions at a new place that sits on a busy street.
I reply, "So the kids and I can say hello to Jesus since the Adoration room is small. It says on the door to ask for permission."
She gets more curt and responds, "We just don't let anybody in there."
Ok. I reached for the kids hands and say, "Ok. I see we're not welcome here."
She immediately comes to and says, "Well, it's not that. I'm going in now if you want to come in. " That hurt, but I told the kids we'd say hello to Jesus and frankly, we're needing Him pretty badly today. I nodded and said we'd only be five minutes maximum.
We go inside, the kids sit on the pew in the front row, I sing softly for the kids and complete the prayer, "Father, I abandon myself into Your Hands," and then we bless ourselves and leave. We're in there two minutes, tops.
We will not be visiting this church again, sadly.
