On the surface, the Gift Shop would appear to be just that – a place to purchase religious items for one’s self, and gifts for another. Scratch the surface, and the experience is greater than just shopping for both visitors, and the staff who serve them.

At Martyrs’ Shrine, the staff are ‘People for People’ and this certainly applies in the Gift Shop. We enjoy assisting pilgrims in their journey towards having a deeper relationship with God, through the intercession of the Martyrs.

Many heartfelt conversations struck up in the Gift Shop have brought pilgrims closer to God without necessarily starting out with that intention. Often, pilgrims are curious about the significance of a particular item they see in the shop, which leads to a conversation and then further questions and answers.

Very often, visitors and pilgrims feel more comfortable asking a member of staff these questions rather than going directly to a Jesuit Father. Maybe they have been away from the church for some time and are rediscovering their faith, or perhaps they were not raised catholic but are curious about the faith in later life. This can be an opportunity for our team to introduce them to one of our Jesuit Fathers (usually by way of a blessing for the item they just purchased) and explain who they are and how they serve the shrine. Time after time, this proves to be a comfortable transition.

The Martyrs’ Shrine Gift Shop offers a wealth of Catholic Devotional merchandise stretching far beyond the everyday Medals, Crucifix, Rosaries and Holy Water Bottles. We are excited to announce the launch of our Online Gift Shop offering a wonderful range of items for people who may not be able to visit. Please visit our website www.martyrs-shrine.com/giftshop.

Debra Peach,
Marketing & Communications Coordinator