The other day Fishwrap‘s Mickens, channeling his inner Luther, scurrilously dissed Catholics for venerating the relics of saints. HERE Pope Francis had the bodily remains of two great Capuchin confessors, that is saints who were great receivers of confessions, Sts. Padre Pio and Leopold Mandić, brought to Rome so that pilgrims might be inspired by them. Mickens snarked:
“Do the men in the Vatican — including our dear Pope Francis — really think that dressing up dead bodies, even of the holiest of saints, is really going to help people “understand the ways in which God’s great love manifests itself in their daily lives”?
Here is the video of the procession with the relics from CTV. Try to ignore the syrupy music by Frisina.
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“Less talk. More processions.” Can’t remember who said that…
A few months ago I would have totally passed by any article relating to veneration of relics. But now, after attending the exposition of St. Maria Goretti at a parish in southern New Hampshire last October I have eyes to see as St Matthew tells us in his Gospel 13:15-17. In less than 24 hours more than 4000 people went through the exposition at our Church. The priest that travels with the relic of St. Maria Goretti is Fr. Carlos Martins. He is a convert from atheism. In his homily (YouTube- search “Maria Goretti +KofC”) and DVD he gives the scriptural support for veneration such as 2Kings 13:21.
The exposition of St. Maria Goretti was one of the most powerful events I have ever participated in. Best part of the whole experience for me was that my 21 year old son, who battles with demons like depression, anxiety and addiction told me that ever since he went to see St. Maria Goretti that he feels so much better about things. He has a prayer card and crucifix that are third class relics.
This “rationalist & modernist” world view has robbed many Catholics of the transcendent. What we need is the truth and understanding that St. Matthew shares :
Matthew 13:15-17
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them
The answer to Mr. Mickens’ question is, “Yes. Certainly.”
Knight 13904, you are an inspiration today. I’ll pray for your son with great hope.
Holy men of God, pray for us.
Fascinating: not only does he object to confessions, but confessors too!
And yes, we need many more processions.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to venerate the first class relics of Saint Anthony of Lisbon and Padua. I cannot describe the feeling I had when my hand touched the glass, but I will never forget it.
Venerating saintly relics is definitely real hard-identity Catholicism. Pagan epitaphs would say “tu fui, ego eris” as a grim reminder of our inescapable fate, but the saints say the same thing to us as encouragement.
Quite some time ago I organized a Catholic men’s group meeting and we invited a local Croation priest to give a talk. at the end he got up and asked, “Would anyone like a relic of (then) Blessed Leopold Mandi??”
I, being a clever guy, noted that the relic was from his capuchin habit and remarked, “Oh! this is a second class relic!”
The priest, greatly offended, shot back, “What do you mean second class!? I can assure you that these are perfectly good relics! There is nothing second class about them!”
I still kept it.
The parish where I am the music teacher in the school has a first class relic of our patron, St. Margaret Mary. I always spend some time venerating her relic when I am the sacristan for our weekly school Mass. What a gift to the Church she was!
@Knight from 13904- I too went to venerate St. Maria’s body when she stopped at one of the national shrines only 20 minutes from my house. When I finally made it to the shrine at 10pm, the Mass in her honor that started at 7pm was just getting out and there were still at least 2,000 people there who remained until midnight. It was an amazing experience to say the least. I also join my local KoC council tomorrow on Ash Wednesday, being sponsored by my father, who was brought in by my grandfather, and my great-grandfather before him. Pray for Fr. McGivney’s intercession for me and my family as I join.
Speaking of the veneration of relics…readers may be interested in knowing the relics of a great Maronite Catholic saint, St. Charbel Makhlouf, will be making their way around the US:
http://www.stsharbelusa.org/#!dates/xmkmr
We are blessed to be having them come close by to a Maronite Catholic parish in PA.
I’m pretty sure I read that the relics of St. Maximillian Kolbe will also be in the Eastern US later this year.
Based on the imaging I’ve seen here and other other sites, this procession seems to have clearly drawn more devoted Catholics to St. Peter’s Square than Pope Francis’s audiences and Angeluses in recent months…
There is little evidence that Mickens or the remainder of the coven at Fishwrap qualify as holding to the Creed. The comments and articles at the site are enlightening as to the state of the Church in the West, and particularly of the clerical class. It turns the stomach.
The veneration of the relics of St. Pio and St. Leopold is highly laudable, but what truly motivated this event? Pardon my cynicism, but the veneration of relics does not appear to be regarded highly in certain circles and the legion which inhabits them. Was it for the sake of the evangelization of the faithful? Or to boost the tally of the flagging Holy Year?
I come to this sort of thing with the awe of a little child. See how great our God is! The bodies of his Saints sleep the sleep of peace… until He comes again. There is such promise of the soon-coming of the Lord to awaken His own and to raise up their bodies glorified on His great Day.
With the threats from ISIS and various sheikhs to destroy Rome and break our crosses and worse, here is the way by which we may first and foremost defend ourselves from the enemy whose malevolence cannot abide the sanctity of the Saints of God.
May the processions proliferate everywhere the Catholic faithful are to be found!
Since Mr. Mickens indicates he is curious about what Pope Francis thinks, I assume he will be open minded and give thorough consideration to what Pope Francis has to say about the veneration of relics, imitation of the saints, and in particular, the examples of Christian life offered by Sts. Padre Pio and Leopold Mandi?, rather than just mocking it as “kooky.”
I’ve only seen short excerpts of today’s homily, but it sounds like Mr. Mickens has some reflecting to do, after his claim that confession is, “a practice that most Catholics know (correctly) is not essential to their membership in God’s household.” Here’s what EWTN reported Pope Francis said:
“When someone forgets the necessity of being forgiven, they slowly forget God, the Pope explained. They forget to ask for forgiveness, and they don’t know how to forgive. The humble priest, the one who feels like a sinner, is a great forgiver in the sacrament of penance. Others who wrongly feel themselves pure ‘only know how to condemn.’
Whoa. Considering he was talking specifically about the sacrament of confession, a phrase like “the necessity of being forgiven” seems to pretty starkly contradict the claim that confession is not essential. If Mr. Mickens says one thing, and Pope Francis contradicts him, then one of them must be wrong. I wonder which one it is.
Radio Vatican reported he also said this:
“the confessional is for pardon – and [even] if you cannot give absolution – let me say hypothetically – please, do not beat up on the penitent; “
Gee, part of that sounds nice. Like maybe we shouldn’t be afraid of the sacrament because confession is a gift from God, instead of just a chance for priests to belittle us. But then there’s the part about not being able to give absolution. It almost sounds like we have to actually be sorry and want to change, but that’s mean because it doesn’t accept me for who I am.
There is really excellent news. The relics of the Saints are *immensely* valuable as a reminder of God’s Love to His Church. And it is very good to hear that St Leopold Mandic is being brought to people’s attention. There is the incidental benefit that rejoicing in the relics of the Saints is about as “unecumenical” as could be – when there is so much of a tendency to indifferentism, this and other exhibitions of the relics of the Saints is a reminder that the Church is still Catholic – not Protestant, not schismatic, not secular, not of this world. Since the present season ends in the Resurrection of Christ, Who “has abolished death”, to exhibit the relics of His Saints at its beginning was surely a very happy inspiration.
Who knows, maybe the Holy Father will define the Mediation of Our Lady… Now that would be good.
There is an expression, “A thief looks at a Saint, and sees only pockets”. But to see only an occasion for ridicule and scorn…
A few weeks ago, I saw some of the relics of Pope Saint John Paul II. Some of his vestments, books, etc. I was moved deeply. I have a third class relic of Ven, Solanus Casey and often ask for his prayers.
Sts. Padre Pio and Leopoldo Mandi? pray for us!
St. Leopoldo, so little known outside Croatia (at least in the circles I’ve been part of), is one of my absolute ‘favourites’, ever since finding a thick, Italian, hardback book about him from the late ’50s amongst my late great aunt’s possessions. Such a joy that he is one of the patrons of the Jubilee Year, a saint we have so so much to learn from.
Padre Pio is especially beloved, and not a saint to be trifled with when it comes to confession. And yes, I *DO* think this might move a few souls to the Confessional. Process away! Come to the States!