Relics

In light of the consecration of our new altar at the end of June, a lot of people have been asking whose relics were placed in the altar. I figured this would be the easiest way to share it with everyone. 

Originally, the relic I offered to have placed in the altar was that of St. Stephen, the first martyr. This was the only martyr’s relic we had in our possession at the time, and I wanted to keep the connection with the tradition. For those who do not know, the practice of placing a relic inside a properly consecrated altar goes back to the earliest days of Christianity, when Masses would be celebrated in the catacombs atop the graves of the martyrs. We even see this referenced in Revelation 6:9 where, as the fifth seal is broken, those who were killed for their faith in Jesus are underneath the altar in heaven crying out for justice. 

In addition to St. Stephen, Fr. Brommer (the head of the diocesan office for worship) brought relics of St. Gaudentius and St. Castus. Unfortunately, there are a couple of saints by each of these names and it is not clear which ones these relics belong to. Finally, Fr. Brommer also brought some additional relics at the last minute, but he did not name whose relics they are.

Many people tend to find the practice of venerating relics, especially first class relics (bones or pieces of the saint’s body), to be one of the Church’s more macabre practices. The reason why we Catholics do this is that human beings are creatures of both body and soul. We are as much our bodies as we are our souls, even after our soul has been separated from our body after death. So there is still an intrinsic connection to be found with the saint through their body; in venerating their relics, we are in fact venerating the saint. 

Whenever we come to Mass, may we ask for the intercession of Sts. Stephen, Gaudentius, Castus and the others!