Saints & Holy Relics Speaking Presentation & Visitations, 11/4/2017

What a busy and fruitful day it was - our dear Blessed Mother and a group of Saints touched many souls in Honolulu and Kailua today... all for the greater glory of God and our beautiful Catholic Faith!

+ Speaking Presentation & Holy Relics Visitation:

Pauline Bookstore, Honolulu

It started with this morning when I had the honor of sharing the lives and relics of several Blesseds and Saints as part of our local Pauline Bookstore's efforts to promote the Faith, via regularly scheduled seminars.  This month I was the invited guest speaker and presented on the topic of Saints and Sacred Relics since November is traditionally dedicated to the honor of the Saints.

A nice group of people attended the event and were given the opportunity to view and venerate genuine relics from the following holy individuals: Bl. Alberto Marvelli (bodily relic); St. Andre Bessette of Montreal (blood relic); Bl. Anne Marie Rivier (bone relic); St. Bernadette of Lourdes (bone relic); St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai (coffin wood relic); St. Margaret of Cortona (clothing relic); St. Maximilian Kolbe (hair & clothing relics); the Martyrs of Chimbote, Peru - Bl. Michal Tomaszek & Bl. Zbigniew Strzalkowski (clothing relics); St. Peregrine Laziosi (bone relic); St. Padre Pio (stigmata bandage relic); the soon-to-be beatified Ven. Solanus Casey (clothing relic); St. Therese the Little Flower (bone relic)... and extremely rare relics of good ol' St. Joseph (cloak relic) and Our Lady (veil relic).

15 relics of the Blessed Mother and

various Blesseds and Saints were exposed

for the edification of the participants.

Based on my observations and the feedback I received after, the audience appeared enthralled by the many stories and little anecdotes that I shared about each Blessed and Saint... and were very grateful for the relic exhibit.

   

Left:  Participants gathering and waiting

for the start of the presentation

Right:  Participants gathered around the

relic display altar after the talk.

What never fails to amaze me is when people approach me after to share that they have a particular affinity with a certain Saint and were pleasantly surprised and moved to discover the Saint's relic present.  This happened again today for several people and I find it remarkable because I bring different relics to each presentation.  One example stands out for me - today I included a 1st class relic of the French founder, Bl. Anne Marie Rivier, as a last minute addition and only after being strongly prompted by a persistent interior voice.  As it turned out, the Pauline Sister who invited me - Sr. Joanne - was excited to see her relic since Sr. Joanne grew up in the Philippines attending a parochial school run by Bl. Anne Marie's nuns - the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary!  These good Sisters had ingrained in her a respect for their holy founder so there was a soft spot in Sr. Joanne's heart for the beatified French nun.

A fun selfie with Sr. Joanne, friends, and some

audience members after the presentation.

I don't believe in coincidences, but rather, I believe things worked out the way they did with my selection of relics because Bl. Anne Marie and the other Saints simply wanted to visit and touch bases with the individuals who have befriended them!  It's a classic example of the Holy Spirit at work, bringing the inhabitants of the earth and Heaven into a closer union!

* * * TESTIMONY * * *

 "Hey Peter, I wanted to tell again what a good presentation you gave and to tell you how much I appreciate your ministry.....when I hear about how much the Saints loved God and others I feel inspired to try to be better. God bless you and keep you safe always!"

 ✝️ Your Sister in Christ, Monica

+ Pilgrim Statue & Holy Relic Visitation: 
First Saturday Rosary for Peace at St. Anthony of Padua Church

Being that it's also the first Saturday of the Month, later in the afternoon I drove to Kailua Town for our parish's monthly Rosary Prayer Meeting.  This time around the holy person I chose to feature before our prayer began was my blog's Saint of the Month - Bl. Pius [of St. Aloysius] Campidelli (read about him by clicking here).

I displayed a relic of the Blessed beside my Rosa Mystic pilgrim statue but there wasn't much I could really relate about his life, as far as specific details went... so I also shared some of my personal reflections on Bl. Pius' method of attaining sanctity; how he basically lived his day-to-day life and did the most ordinary chores with extraordinary love, which at the end made him a truly great soul.

After the Rosary Prayer ended, a woman who had recently started attending the First Saturday Devotion just a few months ago approached me to relay how her continued attendance has made a positive difference in her life and she always feels "close" to Our Lady during our group-prayer.  Furthermore, she was thoroughly impressed by Bl. Pius and testified that it made her happy to know that he was just an "ordinary guy" because she, herself, was just ordinary... but she felt much hope that she could perhaps follow the Blessed's example and make it to Heaven, too!  Again, much kudos to the Holy Spirit, as well as to Our Lady and Bl. Pius Campidelli, in leading another soul closer to God.

   

A painting of Bl. Pius of St. Aloysius

Campidelli and the 1st Class (bone) Relic

of his in my ministry's custody that was

displayed at this month's meeting.

For any locals out there looking for spiritual encouragement and inspiration, feel free to join us at our monthly Rosary.  The next First Saturday Rosary for Peace at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua will be held on December 2nd, beginning at 4:25pm in the Day Chapel.  All are welcome!