Tag: relics

Knights Silver Cross visits Diocese

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The faithful at five Diocese of Venice parishes were given the unique opportunity to venerate the relics of six Mexican martyrs during a special tour by the Knights of Columbus Silver Cross.

The relics are those of six Catholic priests, and members of the Knights of Columbus, who accepted death rather than halting their public practice of faith during the Cristero War of 1926 to 1929.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Nov. 24, 2024, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, to mark the start of the tour at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Port Charlotte.

Bishop Dewane said these martyrs should serve as an example to all as they lived their faith with courage nearly a century ago.

“For these six young priests, they were clear who was King in their life, there is no doubt,” Bishop Dewane said. “Christ must be the King for you and me. If someone else, or something else has taken that role, we have to look at how we set about changing that in the life we live.”

The relics – tiny slivers of bone – are housed in a silver, cross-shaped reliquary and it was placed in front of the altar so people can pay their respects after Mass. The reliquary with the relics of the six priests was presented to the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus in 2001.

The six priests, Fathers Luis Bátis Sáinz, José María Robles Hurtado, Mateo Correa Magallanes, Miguel de la Mora de la Mora, Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán, and Pedro de Jesús Maldonado Lucero, were among 25 Mexican martyrs whom St. John Paul II canonized in 2000.

At the time of the Cristero War, the anti-clerical government, in the wake of the Mexican Revolution, banned public religious rituals. Catholic clergy and lay people resisted, and many were arrested, tortured or killed. The rebellion is depicted in the movie “For Greater Glory,” and includes Father Hurtado’s story and death in 1927 at the hands of Mexican troops.

The Silver Cross, which is normally housed at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Headquarters Museum in New Haven, Connecticut, was brought to St. Maxmilian Kolbe Parish at the behest of Kellmis Fernandez, who serves as the Florida Knights of Columbus Hispanic Development Coordinator.

“My heart is bursting with joy to see everyone here,” Fernandez said. “This is something very special. We have been after this for quite a while. I think providence is great, because these are people who gave their lives for their belief.”

While in the Diocese of Venice, through Nov. 2, the Silver Cross visited San Antonio Parish in Port Charlotte, San Pedro Parish in North Port, and Holy Cross Parish in Palmetto, before being transferred to the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Present for the Mass were the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard, as well as representatives of the Supreme, State and Diocesan Councils.

Blessed Carlo Acutis relic now at Cathedral

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Epiphany Cathedral in Venice has secured a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint.

Blessed Carlo Acutis was a young Italian teenager with a deep love for the Eucharist and an inspiring faith in God. Blessed Carlo was born in 1991 and dedicated his short life to spreading the devotion to the Eucharist, which he called the “highway to heaven.” Known for his exceptional skill with computers, Blessed Carlo created a website documenting Eucharistic miracles from around the world, using technology as a way to share his faith. He died from leukemia in 2006 when he was only 15.

The relic was obtained by Msgr. Patrick Dubois, Rector of Epiphany Cathedral, while he was on retreat in October and had the opportunity to pray at the Shrine of the Renunciation in Assisi, Italy, where Carlo Acutis’ body is permanently exposed.

“While there, I visited the Chancery and, as a means to continue in some way the Bishop Conference’s outreach last year for a greater Eucharistic Revival, and also, so as to enable our parishioners, our school children, and indeed, all the faithful who would visit Epiphany, I asked if our Cathedral in Venice could be given a first class relic of the soon to be canonized, Blessed Carlo Acutis,” Msgr. Dubois stated.

Thanks to the kindness and support of Most Reverend Domenico Sorrentino, the Archbishop of Assisi, the request was immediately granted, and Msgr. Dubois was elated to bring back with him the relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane formally welcomed the relic to the Cathedral during a prayer service following a Mass for students at Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School on Nov. 5, 2024.

“Blessed Carlo Acutis spent his whole life devoted to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.  He understood his invitation to the Banquet of the Lord,” Bishop Dewane said. “He always kept Christ at the center of his life. He never forgot that invitation he had to the Banquet that Christ prepares for all of us. Despite his illness, he didn’t ask to be excused from going to church for Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, or prayers. He heard those excuses of people who weren’t there at the Banquet and he kept his word to Jesus. You and I are called to do the same. Called to remember; called to pray; called to come to the Mass – the Eucharistic celebration – and to love God and love our neighbor.”

As part of the prayer service, Bishop Dewane incensed the relic and led the students in prayer for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis

“A relic is a representation of the individual and reminds us that we have to follow the example of these young men and women who have become or are on a journey to become saints. We have to strive to do that in our own lives,” Bishop Dewane continued.” You might think that’s pretty severe. It is not. It is doing what the Lord asks us to do.”

In a decree on May 23, Pope Francis approved a second miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, paving the way for him to become the first millennial saint. The recognition of the second miracle attributed to Acutis’ intercession means he will be canonized during Jubilee of Youth Festival on April 27, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square, which is part of the larger Jubilee Year.

While housed in the temporary church being used while Epiphany Cathedral is being renovated, the relic was put on display during the 2024 Diocese of Venice Youth Rally on Nov. 16, in Punta Gorda. The relic, in its reliquary and travelling case, was appropriately placed in the temporary Adoration Chapel set up for the Youth Rally.

Relics

Relics are usually broken down into three classes. First-class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a Saint. The Blessed Carlo Acutis relic is in this category. Second-class relics are something that personally belonged to a Saint such as a shirt, prayer card, sacred vessel or vestment, or book (or fragments of those items). Third-class relics are items that a Saint touched or that have been touched to a first- or second-class relic of a Saint. Sacred Scripture teaches that God can act through relics, especially in terms of healing and intercession.

Most Catholic church altars are embedded with relics. Many Parish churches host additional relics for veneration.

Reverencing the saints through the use of relics is not a required devotion of the Catholic Church but does reflect the Church’s belief that the saints in Heaven continue to intercede for us in response to our prayers. However, veneration of the saints through their relics — along with praying the rosary, wearing medals and going on pilgrimages — should not be misconstrued as adoration or worship, which are due to God alone according to the Church.

Faithful blessed to see Saint relics up close

Posted on by Bob Reddy

St. Katherine Drexel Parish was filled with the Faithful looking to view a traveling exhibit of Saint relics.

Being in the presence of 165 relics was a powerful experience for many. Notable pieces in the recent exhibition include a portion of the True Cross and a piece of the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A relic is a piece of the body of the saint, usually a bone, or an item used or owned by the Saint or an object that has touched the tomb of the Saint.

Even with several hundred people in the Parish Hall, everyone spoke in hushed tones and were in full reverence when they encountered relics of St. Joseph, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Maria Goretti, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Faustina Kowalska, Pope John Paul II and many more.

Some kneeled before certain relics, while other touched them with religious articles, such as medals or rosaries, and still others picked them up to place them close to their heart or kiss the item.

Sofia Thompson of St. Katharine Drexel was brought to tears by being in the presence of the relic of St. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church, known for her holiness, spiritual visions and writings who had great influence in the Church of the 14th century.

“She was such a strong remarkable woman that my whole family has adored forever,” Thompson said. “My late mother had a strong devotion to Catherine. She had several books about her and a large statue, which now sits in my bedroom.”

Hosted by Father Carlos Martins, C.C. (Companions of the Cross), the “Treasures of the Church” exhibit travels around the world to spread the experience of the living God, through an encounter with the relics in the form of an exposition. Father Martins explained what a relic is and isn’t, the history of why Catholics have relics from the Saints, and then the process of getting relics and verifying their authenticity.

The veneration of these sacred relics is a long tradition in the Church dating to the earliest days when the first Christians would gather near the tombs of the early martyrs. Miracles were connected with these sacred places and relics, which do not have some magical power in them, their power comes from God, Father Martins explained. “The fact that God uses the relics for healing miracles tells us that the Lord wants us to draw our attention to the Saints as models and intercessors.

In fact, every Catholic Church in the world possesses a relic on its altar, a tradition that dates back to the 4th century. The most recent example in the Diocese of Venice occurred in 2021 at the dedication of the new St. Paul Parish Church in Arcadia. At that time, Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over the placing of the relic of St. Juan Diego in the altar.

While this major exhibition travels throughout the world by invitation, four stops were made in the Diocese from May 9-12, 2022, including St. Katharine Drexel, Incarnation Parish in Sarasota, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naples and Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria. Students from Incarnation Catholic School, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School and Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, were each given private time with the relics before evening Parish presentations.

The relics were placed on tables, with information cards adjacent, scattered throughout the hall, with six special pieces on tables where people lined up to wait to see them.

Each exposition began with a multi-media presentation on the Church’s use of relics that is scriptural, catechetical, and devotional, leading to a renewal of the Catholic Faith for many people.  After the teaching those in attendance had an opportunity to venerate the relics of some of their favorite saints.

Father Martins said each person has a different experience when in the presence of relics. He said that it was important that people leave behind the sins that hold them back from growing closer to the Lord. He used the example of St. Maria Goretti, an 11-year-old from Italy who was brutally murdered, but completely forgave her attacker before dying.

“Your job today is for you to find your Saint,” Father Martins said at the conclusion of his presentation. “No Saint will force themselves upon you. If you perceive within yourself a commitment to get your life right with the Lord, a Saint will accompany you on that journey.”

Father Ricky Varner, Pastor at St. Katherine Drexel, was impressed by the presentation and exhibition noting that it could have been held over many days with huge crowds. “This was wonderful to have so many people come together and celebrate the Faith in this unique way. The saints have an important role for all of us as they speak to us and connect with us.”

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