Feasts

A saint is a disciple of Jesus Christ, who lived a life of extraordinary fidelity to the Lord. Saints are people who in this life were so united to Jesus Christ that with His help they strove to do the will of the Father in everything, devoting themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor. Saints give us shining examples of all the virtues, including: faith, hope, and love both of God and every human being; prudence (or practical wisdom), justice, fortitude (or courage), and temperance (or self-mastery); detachment, purity, and obedience; humility, simplicity, and magnanimity. Each saint is noteworthy for certain particular virtues. For this reason, the church proposes them to its members as friends and companions in the following of Christ, as models to imitate, and as intercessors with God.

What is a Relic?

A relic is something connecting with a saint or blessed, including a part of their body (example: hair or a piece of bone), their clothing, or an object that the person used or touched. Relics are classified:

1^st class Relic- a part of the person’s body, for example: blood, hair, and bones:

2^nd class relic- an article touched by the person or touched directly to part of his or her body:

3^rd class Relic- something touched indirectly to the person, in other words, something touched to a 1^st or 2^nd class relic, to the tombs or reliquary, etc.

It is not the kind of relic or how big it is that is important, but rather the faith and prayer that the relic occasions. By the communion of saints, it is that person who is close to us, blessing and praying for us.

Why do we Venerate Relics?

The veneration of relics is an ancient custom dating from the reverence shown at the graves of the martyrs even in the time of the apostles. In the year 156 A.D., the inhabitants of Smyrna wrote a letter describing the death of St. Polycarp, their bishop. After he had been burned at the stake his faithful disciples wished to carry off his remains, but the Jews urged the Roman officer to refuse his consent for fear that the Christians “would only abandon the Crucified One and begin to worship this man.” The smyrneans explained, “ We took up his bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place, where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy and to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom.”

Miracles have been worked by God in association with relics- the women cured of a hemorrhage by touching the hem of Christ’s cloak (Matthew 3:20-22), the sick who were healed when St. Peter’s shadow passed over them (Acts 5:14-16), :and God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of St. Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12). It is not that some magical power existed in them, but just as God’s work was done through the lives of [holy people], so did His work continue after their deaths. Likewise, just as [others] were drawn closer to God through the lives of [holy people], so did they (even if through their remains) inspire others to draw closer after their deaths.

In all, relics remind us of the holiness of a saint and his cooperation in God’s work; at the same time, relics inspire us to ask for the prayers of the saints and to beg the grace of God to live the same kind a faith-filled life.

What do we express when we venerate Relics?

· The belief in everlasting life for those who have obediently witnessed to Christ and His Holy Gospel here on earth;

· The truth of the resurrection of the body for all persons on the last day;

· The doctrine of the splendour of the human body and the respect which all should show toward the bodies of both the living and the deceased;

· The beliefs in the special intercessory power which the saints enjoy in heaven because of their intimate relationship with Christ the King; and

· The truth of our closeness to the saints because of our connection in the communion of saints - we as members of the Church militant or pilgrim Church, they as members of the church triumphant.

Feasts of some Saints: Holy men and women .... Saints

All Saints: November 01

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious: January 04

St. John Neuman, Bishop: January 05

St. Hillary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: January 13

St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr: January 21

St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr: January 22

St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor: January 24

Conversion of St Paul: January 25

St. Timothy and St. Titus: Janary 26

St. Angela Merici, Virgin: January 27

St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church: January 28

St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr: February 03

St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr: February 05

St. Paul Miki, martyr: February 06

St. Dominic Savio, Mystic: March 09

St. Patrick, Bishop: March 17

St. Joseph, the Chaste husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary: March 19

St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr: April 13

St. Catherine of Sienna, Virgin and Doctor of the Church: April 29

St. Joseph, the worker: May 01

St. Philip and St. James, Apostles: May 03

St. Damien of Molokai, Priest & Missionary: May 10

St. Matthias, the Apostle: May 14

St. Rita of Cascia, Religious: May 22

St. Philip Neri, Priest: May 26

St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop: May 27

St. Justin, the Martyr: June 01

St. Marcellinus and St. Peter, Martyrs: June 02

St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr: June 05

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious: June 21

St. Irinaeus, Bishop and Martyr: June 28

St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles: June 29

Blessed Junipero Serra, Priest: July 01

St. Thomas, the Apostle: July 03

St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Franciscan Tertiary & Queen of Portugal: July 04

St. Maria Gorretti, Virgin and Martyr: July 06

Blessed Kateri, Tekakwitha, Virgin: July 14

St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: July 15

St. Mary Magdalene: July 22

St. Joachim and St. Anne, the Parents of the Blessd Virgin Mary: July 26

St. Martha, July 29

St. John Mary Vianney, Priest: August 04

St. Dominic, Priest: August 08

St. Lawrence, the Deacon, Martyr: August 10

St. Clare of Assisi, Virgin: August 11

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious: August 12

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest and Martyr: August 14

St. Stephen of Hungary: August 16

St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church: August 20

St. Rose of Lima, Virgin: August 23

St. Bartholomew, Apostle: August 24

St. Louis of France, Priest: August 25

St. Monica: August 27

St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: August 28

St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church: September 03

St. Matthew, the Apostle: September 21

St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church: September 30

St. Theresa of Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church: October 01

St. Francis of Assisi: October 04

St. Bruno: October 06

St. Denis, Bishop and Martyr: October 09

St. Teresa of Jesus, (Avila) Virgin and Doctor of the Church: October 15

St. Luke, the Evangelist: October 18

St. Paul of the Cross, Priest: October 20

St. John of Capistrano, Priest: October 23

St. Simon & St. Jude, Apostles: October 28

St. Martin de Porres: November 03

St. Charles Borromeo: November 04

St. Frances Cabrini, Virgin: November 13

St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor: November 15

St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr: November 22

St. Andrew, Apostle: November 30

St. Francis Xavier, Priest: December 03

San Juan Diego, Hermit: December 09

St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr: December 13

St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church: December 14

St. Dominic of Silos, Benedictine Abbot and Mystic: December 20

St. Stephen, the First Martyr: December 26

St. John, the Apostle, The Evangelist: December 27

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs: December 28

Feasts of Angels and Archangels

Michael, Gabriel and Raphael: September 29

Guardian Angels: October 02

Feasts of the Dedication of the Basilicas

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome: November 09

The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome: August 05

The Dedication of the Basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Rome: November 18

Coming Soon..... work in progress.

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