The Saints & Their Relics

We Catholics venerate the relics of the saints because of the Church’s profound reverence for the bodies of those who lived and died in union with Christ. According to Catholic Tradition, the body is not merely a shell but a temple of the Holy Spirit, sanctified through Baptism, the Sacraments, and a holy life. When a saint dies, their soul then enjoys the Beatific Vision, but their body remains a sacred vessel through which God’s grace often worked during their earthly life. Just as people once sought healing by touching the hem of Christ’s garment or by being in the shadow of St. Peter (Acts 5:15), so too we Catholics know and believe that God works miracles through the bodily remains of His saints, their relics, which we preserve and venerate.

This veneration is deeply rooted in Scripture and tradition. The Old Testament recounts how the bones of the prophet Elisha brought a dead man back to life (2 Kings 13:21), and in the New Testament, objects touched by St. Paul—such as handkerchiefs—were used to heal the sick and cast out demons (Acts 19:11–12). The early Church, likewise, preserved and honored the remains of martyrs, celebrating holy Mass at their tombs and building altars over their relics. The Council of Trent affirmed this practice as in perfect accord with Apostolic Teaching, clarifying that veneration is not worship (which belongs to God alone) but an expression of honor and love for God’s holy ones, who intercede for us in heaven.

Furthermore, relics serve as tangible reminders of the Communion of Saints and the hope of the resurrection. They connect the Church Militant (we who are still living in the world) with the Church Triumphant (those who now live in Heaven–the saints!) and inspire imitation of the saints’ virtues. In venerating relics, Catholics place their trust in God who glorifies His saints and chooses to work through visible signs. Just as Christ’s incarnation sanctified the material world, so the relics of the saints remind the faithful that holiness touches both soul and body, and that God continues to work wonders through those who loved Him unto death.

(What is a reliquary? It is “container” that holds sacred relics so that they might be properly display for veneration.)

This weekend (July 5–6), the faithful will have the special opportunity to venerate TEN holy relics at St. Bernard following Holy Mass. These sacred relics are entrusted to the care of the Priestly Fraternity of the Sacred Heart—a fraternity of diocesan priests devoted to mutual support and to living their priesthood in imitation of the Most Sacred and Loving Heart of Jesus.

The relics were recently received by the Fraternity, and through the generosity of Treasures of the Church, the priests were offered the chance to acquire reliquaries at a special wholesale rate totaling $4,716.00. A generous benefactor has already contributed $2,200.00, allowing the reliquaries to be sent in good faith. The remaining balance of $2,516.00 is to be paid as funds allow.

To assist in this effort, another donor has come forward to match all contributions made toward the reliquary fund. Thus, in addition to venerating the relics this weekend at St. Bernard—and also on the weekends of July 12–13 at St. Ann and July 19–20 at St. Ignatius—you may participate in this work of beauty and devotion by making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the remaining cost. Any funds received beyond the balance will support future endeavors of the Priestly Fraternity of the Sacred Heart.

Fraternity contact info: https://adseptentriones.com/2024/12/21/the-priestly-fraternity-of-the-sacred-heart/

Below is a list and description of the 10 relics: