Saints and Relics in Waimanalo!

Praise the Lord!  Oahu has another public place of devotion where locals and visitors can come to pray and personally encounter Saints through their precious, sacred relics.  This new reliquary-shrine is located in St. George Church in Waimanalo.

Some of the backstory: last year, during the St. George Parish's annual September Feast Day Celebration for St. Lorenzo Ruiz, I happened to have a talk with the resident priest, Fr. Raymund ("Fr. Ray").  When he expressed his personal interest in relics, I suggested he make use of their relic of St. George the Martyr.  The priest replied, "What relic?" ... so I proceeded to tell him about the 1st Class (bone) Relic that was embedded at the base of a large icon of their Saint hanging high at the back of his church (see below).  Fr. Ray was surprised; in the 5 years he's been at that parish, he was well-aware of the icon but never noticed the spiritual treasure that was there all along (as far as I can recall, the reliquary-icon was in the same spot in that church for 40+ years).

For those not familiar with St. George, he was a secret Christian born in Cappadocia (now in Turkey), who served as a Roman soldier in the region of Lydda during the reign of the pagan emperor, Diocletian.  When the emperor launched his persecution of Christians in 303 A.D., he first ordered all his public officials - including his vast army - to make offerings to Rome's pagan deities.  At that point, St. George bravely professed his faith in Jesus Christ and flatly refused to worship heathen gods.  He was consequently apprehended, but stood firm in his beliefs, despite cruel torture; miracles were said to have been worked by St. George during his trial and, along with his active evangelization while imprisoned, he drew many converts to Christ.  In the end, the Saint was beheaded for his faith in our one true God, thus earning him the glorious palm of martyrdom.

Devotion to this Martyr flourished after his heroic death and was at an all-time high during the Middle Ages.  He was counted among the popular group of Patron Saints known as the "14 Holy Helpers".  This group included such Saints as St. Barbara, St. Blaise, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Christopher, St. Margaret of Antioch, and other Martyrs and Saints from the early period of the Church.  The "Helpers" were renowned for their effective intercession and St George, in particular, was invoked against skin diseases.  Furthermore, his veneration is something we share with our Eastern/Orthodox brethren who grandly refer to him as either the "Holy Great-Martyr St. George" or "St. George the Wonder Worker".

So, going back to Fr. Ray - after our conversation, he later went into the church and was excited to discover the relic; he then called me to ask for advice on how to better honor it.  Having grown up in Waimanalo and being a former parishioner, I was familiar with the church layout and suggested he establish a new prayer space near the front of the church for the relic.  I also provided him with a sketch of what I envisioned for a suitable shrine that would blend in with the existing church interior.

Fast-forward to now - this ministry is happy to report that Fr. Ray acted on my suggested design and had the cruciform shrine constructed with the assistance of a carpenter-parishioner; it turned out beautiful!

Last night, St. George Parish began its annual 9-day Novena leading up to the Feast of St. George on April 23rd.  In conjunction with the start of the novena, a blessing ceremony to inaugurate the shrine and formally install - not just the relic of St. George - but also a hair-relic of St. Damien of Molokai and a "memorial stone" of St. Lorenzo Ruiz (from the site of his martyrdom in Japan) was celebrated! ... And this ministry had the privilege of introducing the relics to the attendees, via a Saints & Relics Presentation.

ABOVE:  This author's original design concept.

BELOW:  The finished shrine, which was

intended to mimic the look of the abstract 

crucifix behind the main altar (left photo).

     

It goes without saying that the event was meaningful and edifying, thanks mostly to Fr. Ray's enthusiasm and pride over the new shrine ... and those of us present responded, likewise.

The relics being processed to their new shrine

where Fr. Ray blessed and incensed them.

I left the church very hopeful that, going forward, "St. George the Wonder Worker" will be blessing his parishioners in a special way, along with Sts. Damien and Lorenzo.  I sense this shrine will bear much good fruit for all the Waimanalo community.

ABOVE:  Parishioners venerating the relics

after the night's novena prayers.

BELOW:  Me, with Fr. Ray ... in front of the 

end-result of our successful collaboration.

If you're a Waimanalo resident, or just happen to be passing through Windward Oahu, make a "mini-pilgrimage" to St. George Church for Mass and veneration; take advantage of the special presence of the Saints in their rare bodily remains!  As this ministry can readily testify, time and time again, God works through his Saints and their relics ... and miracles and graces are often just a prayer away!

St. George, Soldier and Martyr,

pray for us!

Another war?

It seems like it's one after another - news of violence ... bloodshed ... and threats of WAR.  Just yesterday, Iran launched a missile attack against Israel, the repercussions of which could mean a new war that would likely involve other key countries.  It can all be overwhelming for many people.

Reflecting on these current events, I couldn't help but think how we could've, perhaps, avoided turmoil like this.  Sadly, Heaven has been warning us for decades now of the dreadful consequences of our sins, and we were also given direction to change our ways and even how to prevent calamities.  The following are just a few excerpts from messages spoken by the Virgin Mary during modern-day Church-approved apparitions ...

+ FATIMA, Portugal

  "... continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war for she alone can help."

  "... If people do what I ask, many souls will be saved and there will be peace."

+ AKITA, Japan

[from a message given to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa on 10/13/1973]

  "As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity.  It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one never seen before.   Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful.  The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead.   The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son.  Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary.  With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests."

Our Lady of Cuapa

+ CUAPA, Nicaragua

[from a message given to Bernardo Martinez on May 8, 1980]

  "Pray, pray, my son, the Rosary for all the world.  Tell believers and non-believers that the world is threatened by grave dangers.  I ask the Lord to appease His justice, but, if you don't change, you will hasten the arrival of the Third World War.  I want the Rosary to be prayed every day.  I want it to be prayed permanently, within the family ... including the children old enough to understand and to be prayed at a set hour … in the home."

Did we pay attention to our Holy Mother and amend our ways?  Judging by the current state of our world, we most likely, as a general society, ignored these messages despite the urgency of her words (note, in particular, the Cuapa message!).

Closer to home for me, and on a less grander scale ... and perhaps directly related to what just happened between Iran and Israel, is something that's been ongoing in our Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace since October 2023.  I blogged about it last year (see here), but as a recap - there are uncanny images resembling the Madonna and Christ Child ... and the suffering face of Jesus ... visible on a pillar near the Sanctuary.  This author first spotted them on 10/2/2023 (coincidentally, 5 days prior to the Hamas attack on Israel).  I, nor any of the regular parishioners, recall the figures being there before.

I didn't know what to make of the images, at first, but after the Hamas/Israel incident a few days after, I was inclined to believe the tableau and the attack were connected; that the figures in our Cathedral are not just random blotches, but are indeed a prophetic sign from Our Lady of Peace (the cathedral's namesake), asking for prayers for peace ... so I've been doing so routinely, and urge others who also discern the holy figures to pray, too.

        

Left:  A recent photo of the pillar image,

taken in April 2024.  Right: Two visiting

priests from the Philippines gaze with

joyful awe at the holy figures.

Now, with this escalation of events in Israel, I am more convinced that we could be seeing something BIG unfolding in real-time, right before our very eyes; something dire requiring our serious attention and much prayer.

Again, in her many appearances throughout the centuries, our Blessed Mother has cautioned us; her guidance was also consistent in how to respond to horrific events looming before us: Conversion, Prayer, and Penance.  With the world spiraling more and more out of control, isn't it about time we pay heed and make positive changes in our lives?  Let us begin with a simple prayer ...

Lord Jesus, King of Peace,

have mercy on us.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace,

pray for us!

We ask for a speedy and

peaceful end to the

war in the Middle East ...

as well as, all other wars

raging in the world

today.  Help us to amend

our lives.  Amen.

NOTICE: The images in our cathedral have not been evaluated by the Honolulu Diocese, nor will they likely be.  What this blogger and others see on the pillar, and how I interpret them are strictly my personal opinions. 

Saint of the Month - April 2024: Saint Gemma Galgani

 

St. Gemma Galgani

The Passion Flower of Lucca

Feast: April 11th

This biography is long overdue, and this writer is embarrassed to admit it since St. Gemma is one of my Patron Saints - a personal favorite - along with St. Anthony of Padua (d. 1231).  She has not only obtained many signal graces for me, but her example of victimhood spirituality continually inspires me!  Consequently, I am especially happy to pay tribute to this Saint by blogging about her incredible life.  Please allow her to inspire you, as well ...

Gemma Umberta Maria Galgani was born on March 12, 1878, in the small Italian town of Camigliano, Italy, but her father - a successful pharmacist – relocated the family to a larger home in nearby Lucca shortly after her birth.  Soon, however, the Galganis were hit with a string of misfortunes, starting with the mother – the pious Aurelia Galgani – contracting tuberculosis when Gemma was only 2-years-old.  The dreaded disease claimed not only the mother five years later, but it also took two of the Saint’s brothers (one was a seminarian), along with one of Gemma’s little sisters.

Despite these early tragedies, and likely influenced by Aurelia's example, Gemma developed piety from a tender age.  Her budding faith was also nurtured by Bl. Elena Guerra (d. 1914) and her teaching congregation - the Sisters of St. Zita in Lucca - to whom Gemma was sent to be educated; she was well-liked by her teachers and peers for her intelligence, devotion, and her kindness, but eventually had to drop out of the school due to chronic illness.

At 16, our Saint developed Spinal Meningitis, which left her bedridden and in dire condition.  She spent the time at home in spiritual reading and prayer, and was graced with a series of mystical encounters with St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin, who Gemma admired after reading his biography (he was only ranked a Servant of the God at the time).  Gabriel directed the sick girl to pray a novena to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the visionary nun of the Sacred Heart Revelations (she was only Beatified at the time) … and he returned daily, for the duration of the novena, to pray with Gemma.  She was completely healed at the end of the prayers!

The miracle of Gemma’s cure seemed to open the door to other mystical charisms in her life, among which were reported the following:

• Ecstasies, which came upon her during periods of prayer and spiritual contemplation – gradually or sometimes suddenly – which left her oblivious to the external world.

• Apparitions of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin from whom she received direction.

• Visits from the Holy Souls from Purgatory for whom she prayed and performed voluntary penances.

• Familiar contact with her personal Guardian Angel, who further mentored and assisted the Saint, and who she saw visibly with uncommon frequency.

These various supernatural manifestations caused friction between Gemma and her family, as they misunderstood her … and she was often ridiculed by her siblings.  To make matters worse, her father died when she was 19, and the task of caring for her younger siblings fell upon her shoulders.  Poverty then followed for the Galganis, which was somewhat alleviated when Gemma was taken-in by an aunt.  Things did not fare better for her, though, as the Saint was still subjected to scrutiny and suspicion because of the ongoing phenomena that continued to surrounded her.  Furthermore, her relatives were extremely annoyed by Gemma’s resistance to their efforts to marry her off.

Her situation escalated in June 1899, when the Lord marked the young maiden with His Sacred Stigmata, which bled every week, via wounds that opened in her hands, feet, side, and around her head, beginning on Thursday nights and ending Friday afternoons with no trace of injury.  To the suffering of the Stigmata can be added occasional attacks from demons who, enraged by her holiness and sacrifices, sought to intimidate and frighten her, via frightful apparitions and physical harrasment, but to no avail.

Providentially, God  provided Gemma with a holy spiritual director – a Passionist priest named Fr. Germano Ruoppolo (now a Venerable in the Sainthood Process) – who expertly guided the Saint by requiring her strict obedience; ordering her to keep a diary; and by downplaying her mystical gifts in order to keep her humble.  She complied with everything Fr. Germano asked, and his priestly blessing also served to protect her from diabolic attacks … and knowing the difficulties she endured in her family home, the priest was instrumental in having Gemma moved in with an exceptionally devout family in Lucca, named the Gianninis.  In this new home, the Saint was afforded the freedom (and privacy) to practice her faith and experience her ongoing divine encounters with the dignity she deserved; she was treated as a daughter by the Giannini family and remained with them until her death.

Under the direction of Fr. Germano and the maternal care of Aunt Cecilia Giannini, Gemma’s sanctity reached its pinnacle - she was a model of humility, obedience, modesty, chastity, devotion, and generous self-sacrifice.  Furthermore, the Giannini household became privy to added charisms manifested in the Saint's life:

• Prophetic foresight

• Levitation (Gemma was witnessed lifted several feet above the ground to the figure of Christ on a large crucifix in the Giannini home)

• Transverberation (the piercing of the heart with the “Wound of Divine Love”)

• Incendium Amoris (being on fire with Divine Love) (Gemma once complained to our Lord that her heart was too small to adequately love Him, after which it immediately swelled-up to approximately 5 times its normal size, displacing two ribs without causing any pain to the Saint; a tangible, elevated heat emanated from her, as well as, a luminous glow being seen from her chest on many occasions, especially during her ecstasies).

Towards the end of her life, Gemma had often expressed to her confessor her desire to become a Passionist nun, but her goal was never realized because of her precarious health and the mystical sufferings she endured.  She did, however, correctly predict that after her death, a monastery of Passionist Nuns would be founded in Lucca and she would eventually be with them then.  All happened as she said.

This hidden mystic’s life ended on April 11, 1903 – a Holy Saturday – after she succumbed to the same disease that claimed many of her family members (Tuberculosis); Gemma was only 25-years-old.  Almost immediately, a spontaneous devotion sprung up in Lucca around the memory of the “Passion Flower" of Lucca.  Her cause was taken up by the Passionist Congregation, who considered her one of their own, and successfully concluded in her Canonization on May 2, 1940.

St. Gemma's tomb in Lucca, Italy

Today, Gemma’s tomb and relics are enshrined under the main altar of the sanctuary dedicated to her in Lucca … and which are lovingly cared for by nuns from the adjoining Passionist Monastery!

Dear St. Gemma, as you opened your

heart in total surrender to the Love of God,

help us open our hearts to Him!

Messages from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: March 2024

Message given to Marija on March 25th, 2024:

  "Dear Children!  In this time of grace, pray with me for the good to win in you and around you.  In a special way, little children, pray united with Jesus on His Way of the Cross.  Into your prayers put this humanity, which wanders without God and without His love.  Be prayer, be light, and be witnesses to all those whom you meet, little children, so that the merciful God may have mercy toward you.  Thank you for having responded to my call."

Message given to Mirjana during her annual apparition on March 18th, 2024:

  "Dear Children, by the merciful love of God, I am with you.  That is why, as a mother, I am calling you to believe in love - the love that is union with my Son.  With love you help others to open their hearts to come to know my Son and to come to love Him.  My children, love makes it for my Son to illuminate your hearts with His grace, to grow in you and to give you peace.  My children, if you live love, if you live my Son, you will have peace and you will be happy.  In love is victory.  Thank you."

The Flame of Love graces Hawaii!

"... I am providing you with so powerful

a grace: the burning Flame of Love from

My Heart, that has never before been

offered as it is now."

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann

This author had the joy and blessing of attending one of two presentations given today about the Church-approved private revelations called the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary or simply the Flame of Love.  The speaker was none other than Mr. John Sullivan III, the International Coordinator of the devotion's worldwide apostolate.

Mr. Sullivan speaking at St. Pius X

Church in Manoa, Honolulu.

I recall first reading bits about the Flame of Love over 25 years ago from pamphlets, and it's exciting for me to see how the devotion has spread exponentially since gaining approval in 2009!  It now seems to be a frequently discussed topic in various faith-based social media platforms, and there are prayer cenacles throughout the world.  In a time when our society is becoming increasingly godless and, consequently darker, the reported messages received by the late Elizabeth Kindelmann (d. 1985) from Jesus and our Blessed Mother are also highly relevant.  It really does appear to be the hand of God at work.

From what I gathered from this afternoon's talk, the gist of the messages are:

• The Holy Virgin is lamenting the sins of the world and is offering us her own love - the Flame of Love of her Immaculate Heart - which she desires to ignite in our own hearts.

• Our Lady desires that we not only open ourselves to the gift of the Flame of Love, but to also "add our love to this Flame and pass it on to others..." in order to bring about a positive, spiritual change in the world.

• The Flame of Love is none other than Jesus, himself, who desires to fill us with Sanctifying Grace and, thus, intimately live within us and work through us.

• The actual miracle of the Flame of Love is its spreading from one heart to another, causing a blazing conflagration of Divine Love and Light that will "blind" Satan, rendering him powerless in our personal lives; within our families; and through all the world.  Thus, ushering in the era of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as prophesied at Fatima.

It was a great presentation and I found the Flame of Love revelations beautiful and inspiring ... and John's delivery was excellent.  I actually picked him up from the airport this morning so had a one-on-one conversation with John while driving to the church-venue where we attended Mass together - my impression of the man is that he doesn't only tirelessly preach the message, but he is totally committed to living it!  Hence, the sincerity and the passion that was evident during his talk.

Me, with Mr. John Sullivan in St. Pius X

Church prior to the first presentation.

I anticipate our local Church will reap an abundant harvest of good spiritual fruit from these presentations.  In fact, there were clear indications that God was providentially behind John's coming to Hawaii with the Flame of Love message.  First off, he was only initially scheduled to make a 6-hour layover in Honolulu during which he planned to meet with a friend of mine named Margaret ... but when John's scheduled visit to Papua New Guinea fell through, time opened up and Margaret seized the opportunity to connect him with the Coordinator of our Diocesan Evangelization Task Force (another close friend named Dominic).  Amazingly, within an unusually short span of time, Dominic received the necessary approval for John to speak in our diocese and the venues were secured! 

Then, yesterday morning (a day before John's talks), after attending morning Mass at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua, I stopped to pray at the parish's outdoor shrine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  I asked the Blessed Mother for the favor of a solid response to a question I had and snapped a photo of the sky - below is the remarkable pic that resulted:

"I place a beam of light in your hands;

it is the Flame of Love of my heart.  Add

your love to this Flame and pass it

on to others ..."

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann,

April 13, 1962

For me and several friends, we discerned the brilliant figure of the Holy Virgin amongst the clouds ... and note the "beams of light" streaming down from her!  The photo not only answered my question but was it also a prophetic, visible sign of special graces to descend upon Hawaii through the Flame of Love?  Based on the serendipitous circumstances, I believe so.  We are indeed being graced in an extraordinary manner, and I thank our Lord and dear Blessed Mother profusely for their kindness towards us.  Praises be to God!

The shrine to the Immaculate Heart of

Mary at St. John Vianney Church (note the

golden flames of love above her heart).

There are more talks scheduled for tomorrow - see here - which I strongly encourage Oahu Residents to attend, if possible.  Otherwise, to learn more about the Flame of Love Devotion, visit its official website by clicking here.

Prayers revealed to Elizabeth Kindelmann.

"We shall fight fire with fire: the fire

of hate with the Fire of Love!  I obtained

this grace from the Eternal Father on

your behalf by virtue of the five Blessed

Wounds of My Divine Son.”

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann

Saint of the Month - March 2024: Blessed Giustina Bezzoli Francucci

Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci

An Enemy of Demons

Memorial: March 12th

Our featured holy person for March 2024 is Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci.  Born in Arezzo, Italy, circa 1237, she was a woman of noble birth who was apparently touched by the Holy Spirit from a very young age.  Biographers report that, as a child, she displayed pious and penitential tendencies that were exceptionally mature for her age.  For example, she preferred praying in solitude rather playing with other youngsters, and she often skipped meals in favor of giving her food to the poor.

At just 12-years-old, Giustina disclosed her desire to enter religious life to her family, but was met with intense opposition from both her father and paternal uncle.  A serious illness then struck her father, which caused him to reconsider, granting her leave to follow-through with her plan to become a nun.

Giustina chose the Benedictine Monastery of San Marco, where she entered at 13.  Upon crossing the threshold, a dove alighted on her head, indicating the special presence of the Holy Spirit upon her.  Once inside, she cast aside her fine clothing to wear the coarse habit of the sisters; the only personal belonging from the outside world that she kept was a crucifix, which she treasured all her life.  

As a young nun, by all accounts, she was a model religious who impressed her companions with her faithful adherence to the Benedictine Rule, her humility, and obedience to her superiors.

The incorrupt body of Bl. Giustina

enshrined in Florence, Italy.

Four years after Giustina’s entry, war forced the Sisters of San Marco to merge with the Benedictine community in the nearby Monastery of All Saints, where the Beata’s stay was short-lived.  At their new home, word came to her of a holy hermitess named Lucia, who had taken up a solitary life of contemplation amongst the ruins of a remote abandoned castle in Civitella.  Inspired, Giustina obtained necessary permission from her Bishop to become a recluse, herself, and was welcomed by Lucia.

In the woods, the two women quickly became solid friends and lived a spiritual regimen of poverty and austerity.  They lived off the land and spent their days in prayer and meditation; signal graces were granted by our Lord to the pair.  For example, packs of wolves roamed the area, but the protection of their angelic guardians kept the two anchorites free from their attacks.

After a few years of peaceful coexistence, Lucia fell ill and was lovingly cared for by her companion. She died after a year, leaving Giustina alone in their tiny hermitage … but the Beata persevered in her voluntary isolation, adding extreme mortifications to her spiritual exercises in her desire to conform closely to Christ Crucified: she wrapped an iron chain around her waist; wore a hair-shirt under her outer clothing; and regularly used a flagrum.  Ecstasies and visits from her Divine Spouse were sublime consolations that sustained her in her difficult mode of life.

Giustina remained 35 years in the castle ruins before her rigorous lifestyle took a toll on her health – her eyesight began failing, which prompted her to return to the Monastery of All Saints where the Benedictines welcomed her back with open arms, given her fame of sanctity.

A closer view of Bl. Giustina's face.

The Blessed lived her last 20 years completely blind but still in fruitful ministry.  Her charisms of effecting cures and working miracles became well-known in the region, attracting pilgrims to her monastery ... and it was also noted that to be in her presence was enough to cast out demons from the possessed!  Such was the great power of the Holy Spirit working through her.

By the time she died on March 12, 1319, Giustina was already revered as a local Saint.  Cures occurred at her grave, on which a lily sprouted after her burial ... and spontaneous exorcisms of possessed individuals continued to occur.  Her body, discovered incorrupt 10 years after her passing, was initially enshrined in the Arezzo monastery, but was later transferred in 1968 to the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria del Fiore in Lapo, Florence.  It remains there, today, in a simple glass-sided shrine for the public to venerate.

Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci's cultus was recognized and approved in January 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, effectively Beatifying her.  Presently, a second "official" miracle is still needed for her Cause to advance to Sainthood.  Let us pray for it.

Bl. Giustina Bezzoli,

advocate against evil spirits,

pray for us!

Coming to Hawaii in March 2024!

Oahu Residents, mark your calendars ...

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners ... spread the effect

of grace of thy Flame of Love over all of

humanity ... now and at the hour of

our deaths.  Amen.

Monthly Message of the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: February 2024

  "Dear Children!  Pray and renew your heart so that the good which you have sown may bear the fruit of joy and oneness with God.  Darnel has seized many hearts and they have become unfruitful*; that is why, you little children, be light, love and my outstretched hands in this world, which yearns for God Who is love.  Thank you for having responded to my call."

* NOTE:  "Darnel" is a type of weed.

Saints & Relics Presentation: Mary, Star of the Sea Youth Group, 2/23/2024

Praise the Lord! The Saints were once again warmly welcomed at Mary, Star of the Sea Church by its resident Youth Group.

It's always encouraging and a joy for this blogger to see young people being genuinely enthusiastic about our Saints ... and Relics, too - it's a positive and hopeful sign for our local Church!  In fact, I recognized a couple of girls at last night's presentation who were also at the same talk I conducted at a Girl's Retreat in another parish last month ... so it's a good indication that something from the last presentation actually motivated them to sit through another one.

Holy Family Relics

This time around, the holy persons/relics who were featured, included: St. Bernadette of Lourdes; Ven. Domenica Lazzeri; Bl. Miguel Agustin Pro; Bl. Sebastian de Aparicio; St. Maria Goretti; St. Peregrine Laziosi; St. Padre Pio; St. Therese the Little Flower; and the Holy Family!

Participants venerating the relics.

What definitely was affirming for me from this night was when a girl - Jade - who was one of the repeat-attendees, shared that, after listening to the presentation at the St. Ann Parish Girl's Retreat, she immediately knew who her upcoming Confirmation Saint would be - St. Maria Goretti, whose life touched her in a powerful way!  She was noticeably excited that I had also brought the Saint's relic to this event.

A reliquary of Bl. Sebastian de Aparicio

with a piece of his religious habit.

Judging by the youngsters' reactions and the testimony below from the Youth Group Coordinator, it's evident that the holy example of our Faith-Heroes and their respective relics are making a positive impression on people young and nature - the Holy Spirit is at work!  All thanks and praises be to God, our Blessed Mother, and the Saints!

   

Bodily Relics of Sts. Bernadette & Peregrine

 * * *  T E S T I M O N Y  * * *

Saints & Relics Presentation: St. John Vianney Church, 2/17/2024

Our children need good role-models.  Forget those superficial, self-indulgent celebrities and social media "influencers" out there who come and go - our children need God and holy role-models who truly represent positive values ... which is why when this author got a last-minute request to do a Saints & Relics Presentation today for CCD kids and their adult sponsors, I had to accept despite short notice.  After all, these youngsters will eventually grow up to be our future ... and children ignorant of God translates to a very bleak tomorrow for all of us.  Try to picture it.

So, this morning, I introduced my audience to several holy persons/relics with the triple goal of making our spiritual heroes better known and appreciated; inspiring deeper faith in the audience members; and to emphasize HOLINESS IS POSSIBLE FOR ALL.  Among those whose lives and relics were shared were: Ven. Anne de Guigne; St. Damien of Molokai; St. Margaret of Castello; Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati; St. Therese the Little Flower; and the Holy Family, too!

Holy Relics on display at St. John

Vianney Church in Kailua

        

After each talk, I always invite my audiences to approach the displayed relics to personally "meet" the Saints and to invoke their intercession for their various needs.  I allow people to respectfully touch the reliquaries and/or to apply their devotional items while they pray, but not pick them up.  This time around, the kids didn't even wait for the invitation - instead, as soon as I finished describing all the sacred relics present, they rushed the display tables ... and the adults followed!

Many took holy cards made especially for the event by the parish's CCD Director, and the children delighted in touching them to their respective reliquaries; those with cellphones took advantage of the QR Codes next to the relics to download "Bio-Cards" of each featured Blessed or Saint.

Adults and children having personal

encounters with Saints and Relics

Feedback received from several parents and grandparents present all agreed with me about our children needing quality role-models ... and it was encouraging for this ministry to know that the grownups were appreciative to learn about our awesome Church Heroes, alongside their kids.  God bless and help their families!

Jesus said, “Let the little children

come to me, and do not hinder them,

 for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs

to such as these.”

- Matthew 19:14