Saints & Relics Presentation: St. Elizabeth Church "Edge" Group

Saints were the main topic of discussion at tonight's presentation for St. Elizabeth Parish's Edge Group (Edge is a nationwide Catholic ministry especially geared towards middle schoolers).  What was great was several parents also attended the event, which made for more opportunities for this ministry to plant faith-seeds in families.

The lineup of holy persons featured this night included the Servant of God, Charlene Richard of Louisiana; Ven. Anne de Guigne; Bl. Carlo Acutis; St. Margaret of Castello; Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin ... and their daughter - St. Therese the Little Flower whose Feast also happened to be today.

In addition, I also brought along a relic of the True Cross of Jesus, which awed the audience based on gasps I heard when I announced it.

     

Relics of Ven. Anne and Bl. Carlo

My ministry's relic of the True Cross

       
Relics of St. Margaret of Castello,

Sts. Louis & Zelie, & St. Therese.

Based on the intermittent laughter, cheers, and comments, it appeared the kids were engaged in the games we played, and enthralled by the stories of the featured Saints, who I emphasized as heroes of the Catholic Faith; positive role-models to look up to and imitate.

     
Can you spot the 7 differences between

the two drawings shown above before the

answers are revealed in 30 seconds?

After the presentation ended, all the children showed their enthusiasm for the remarkable people they learned about by lining up to honor them; the adults did the same.

     

Adults & children touched the reliquaries;

applied sacramentals to them; took photos

& scanned the QR codes to view softcopy

"Bio-Cards" of each holy person.

Overall, I believe it was a successful presentation, particularly because of a singular moment I witnessed: after the kids and adults all converged at the snack table, a lone girl returned to the relics display.  She put her hands together and laid them on the table ... closed her eyes ... then quietly began praying.  She was motionless for quite a while, obviously in total "connection" with St. Therese (see the photo below).  PRICELESS.

It's moments like this that keep this ministry - this author - going.  Faith-seeds were definitely planted and it's all well-worth the work that goes into prepping and conducting a Guadalupe House Presentation.