Holy relics

The gang… Junebug and Gary (in red) and the Lovely Ning and Sam… our family through Why Catholic? at St. Paul’s in Flour Bluff… joined us for a special dinner on Valentine’s Day 2009, and we had a fantabulous time as usual.

Junebug’s prompting

That evening, Junebug excitedly told us about visiting a chapel with the Legion of Mary.  She didn’t recall its name or much else other than having been… and still was… in awe of all the relics there.  “You just have to go see it!  It’s such a special place!” Junebug remarked, adding that she’d never known about relics until then.

“I know just what you mean!” I said.  “I didn’t know anything about relics until I received mine from Father Roderick.  And I treasured them… until I gave them away.  Thanks so much for telling me about the chapel!  I’ll have to visit to take photos for my blog.” 

Elusive treasure

Junebug’s exuberant insistence that I “visit the chapel out by the Lexingon” stayed with me until May of last year.  That’s when, in driving around trying to locate it, I accidentally stumbled across the small, well-kept chapel on the corner of who knows where in the vicinity of the USS Lexington.   

Yet, within moments my joy downgraded a couple of degrees.  Our Lady Star by the Sea was locked, and no one was at its adjacent office.

To further dampen my enthusiasm, I’d forgotten my Coolpix; so I had to rely on my antiquated cell phone to photograph the chapel’s exterior.  Not a good idea at all, I found out later, ’cause I couldn’t email the photos to my Yahoo account. 

Still, things worked out fine.  I learned the name of the chapel and its location, so the visit wasn’t a total loss.

Now it’s just a matter of attending weekend Mass… Saturday at five-thirty or Sunday at nine… so I can finally see the relics that catapulted Junebug into OMG mode.

Shared keepsakes

Like Junebug, I’d never known about holy relics until… surprise, surprise… I received two third-class St. Anthony relics in the mail from Father Roderick, head of Franciscan Mission Associates (FMA) at the time. 

A relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial….  A third-class relic is any object that is touched to a first- or second-class relic.  Most third-class relics are small pieces of cloth (Wikipedia, 2011).

In the Bulletin of the Association of the Miraculous Medal (October 2010, p. 3), Father James G. Ward, C. M. writes, “Relics refer to the body tissues of saints, items worn or used by them, and things that have come in contact with the originals.”

The veneration of relics, most strictly the material remains of a saint or holy person after his death, has a long tradition in the Catholic Church….  St. Thomas Aquinas would explain that the relics “excite to love.”  It is really the saint who is being honored, and the relic assists the giving of that honor through both a visible sign and a physical link with the saint (St. Anthony Shrine, 2009).

I treasured my two St. Anthony relics but eventually gave them away to a couple of acquaintances whose life stories were filled with such despair that I thought the relics would give them hope.

By then, Father Robert had become director of FMA, so I wrote him a letter requesting another relic; and… wouldn’t you know it… he sent two.

I carried them with me, knowing full well that the time would come when I’d give them away as well.

St. Anthony chaplets

August, 2010, I gifted my two relics to Sabrina and Ruth with a note in the St. Anthony booklet I created for just for them.

Segy, our youngest, has always said, “The best gifts are those I want so very badly to keep but give away instead.”

In 1998, I wrote to Father Robert at Franciscan Mission Associates.

In 1985, Father Roderick sent me two St. Anthony relics.  But, over the years, as I met others in great need, I gave them away.  And now that I don’t have one, I feel empty.  So may I please have another relic?

And I was surprised, just as I’d been the first time, to receive not one but two.  But, even though I’ve treasured my two relics all this time, I’ve always wondered when the time would come that I’d have to part with them… again as before.

Looking through my Companion Prayers booklet on July 22nd, I suddenly took note of the St. Anthony chaplet prayers and the Miraculous Responsory for the first time.  I’d posted the latter in my St. Anthony post, but it just hadn’t registered till then. 

I decided to customize a chaplet just right for me and attach, not a regular medal, but the St. Anthony relic I’ve carried around all these years.  

Then I had an epiphany… 

Since I had a second relic still in its original little bag, I thought, Ruth and Sabrina!  I’ll bead three identical chaplets, place the relics on theirs, and use a different
St. Anthony medal on mine.  I’ll write to Father Robert again and request another relic for my chaplet.  Hopefully, he’ll send two.

Sooo…  On Tuesday, July 23rd, I began using the chaplets.  I’ve taken turns with each one so that, when you pray on your own, you’ll know I’m praying with you, too.

Heart’s desire

I have to admit that it was very difficult to part with my last two St. Anthony relics.  In fact, that’s what kept me from beading the chaplets sooner than I did.

God knew how I felt, though, ’cause… right when I was having serious qualms about giving them away… I received a perfectly timed relic prayer card in the mail from FMA. 

In the days that followed, I internalized… again… what I have before: God knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8).

Since finding Our Lady Star by the Sea and gifting my St. Anthony relics, I’ve become aware of other holy relics: St. Elizabeth Seton’s at Sacred Heart Church in Nacogdoches, Venerable Margaret’s on Sister’s prayer card from the Flower of Carmel Monastery in Australia, St. Peregrine’s through Father Ralph at Stella Maris in Lamar, and Venerable Julia’s through Sister Maxie at the Missionary Daughters’ Solemn Place of Prayer in Kingsville. 

Moreover, as a very special gift from the Anthonians in November, I received a seventy-five minute video commemorating the exhibition of St. Anthony’s remains at the Basilica in Padua, Italy.

Could it be that parting with my treasured relics has helped me find more along the way?

           

            

               

           

        

                

P.S.  May 13, 2011

Joyfully, I received Venerable Father Casey’s relic badge, which I showed Junebug at Michael’s Confirmation.  I’ll be ordering another to surprise her with, as I think it’ll make her day.

P.P.S.  June 11, 2011

If you’d like to request a St. Anthony relic, contact

Franciscan Mission Associates
P.O. Box 598
Mt. Vernon, NY 10551-0598

September 13, 2011

Wow!  How amazing is it to find right here on my computer desk exactly what I’ve wanted for months?  To think that I’ve had St. Jude’s relic for a very long time and didn’t even know it till this morning.  Will wonders never cease!

October 4, 2011

I just received a letter from Franciscan Mission Associates in time for All Souls Day.

Additionally, Father Primo has replaced Father Robert, who served for the past fifteen years.

I guess it’s time to write that letter I’ve been putting off and wish Father Robert well on the next chapter in his book of life.

January 21, 2012

Steven and I drove to Stella Maris for the second time, and we arrived early enough to converse with Father Ralph before evening Mass.  I asked if he had his St. Peregrine first-class relic, and he did!  What a thrilling experience to hold it and pray for his intercession.

January 22, 2012

I went by Mary Ellen’s house to drop off both her St. Anthony relic chaplet and her Child Jesus chaplet, and she showed me the third-class relic she has of the nun who founded the Incarnate Word Order.  I didn’t have my camera with me, so I’ll take a photo another time.

Links of interest…  The holy relics of Christendom…  collection…  home page…  Legion of Mary…  Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish…  diocese page…  parishes online…  Relics…  about…  history of relic badges (Venerable Solanus Casey)…  holy…  incorruptibles…  miracle of the incorrupt saints…  more than I thought I’d ever know
(blog post)…  New Advent…  priest martyrs of Mexico…  relic of St. Anthony…  relics…  Saint Anthony’s remains on display in Padua…  saints…  stolen relic…  St. Anthony’s
bones a guide to the living…  what is a relic medal…  why relics…  wikipedia…  St. Anthony Basilica (virtual tour)…  St. Paul the Apostle Church…  facebook…  parishes online…  website…  Why Catholic?…

WP posts…  Right at home (St. Elizabeth Seton)…  St. Anthony…  Saint of miracles…  Si quaeris miracula…  Solano, Solanus, Solani (Venerable Solanus Casey)…
St. Jude…  St. Anthony Claret…  St. Jude novena…  St. Peregrine…  Powerful intercessor…  Stella Maris…  St. Peregrine relic…  Venerable Julia (Julia of the thorns of the Sacred Heart)…  Venerable Margaret (Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament)