relics QUESTION from Caleb Ceby September 21, 2001 Hello how does one go about obtaining relics. A friend of mine has obtained a couple of relics and gave me the address but i have lost the friend and the address since. Do you have any relics? Where did you get them? Thanks you very much for your time. Caleb Ceby
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on September 28, 2001 Dear Mr. Ceby:
You can usually get 3rd Class relics from the monasteries of the Saint you are interested in -- such as a Franciscan Monastery for a 3rd Class relic of Francis; or from the organizations promoting the cause of a potential saint -- such as Padre Pio; and some relics are available at Shrines -- such as at Lourdes. Try writing to some of the shrines or monasteries of the Saints you are interested in.
1st Class Relics, however, are more closely regulated. First Class relics are for public veneration and thus private individuals collecting 1st Class relics is discouraged. The Vatican Office in charge of Relics will not normally give a First Class relic except to a Church or Oratory upon the request or endorsement of a bishop.
There are people who may procure First Class relics for you in Rome. I do not have the address of anyone. But, I too, discourage private individuals collecting First Class Relics.
Those who do have collections of First Class Relics should either donate them to a parish or religious community where they can be publicly venerate, or loaned to a parish or religious community for public veneration.
The religious community I am with, the Order of the Legion of St. Michael, is seeking relics for a Shrine and Relic Chapel that we are preparing here in South Dakota. Anyone wishing to donate relics to us may send them to:
Legion of St. Michael, P.O. Box 184, 307 N. Richmond St., Roscoe, SD 57471 Back to Index Page