Exhibition of Relics of Saints in Kluang

Oct 14, 2015

By GF Prer-Cadore
A team from the Penang Diocese Catechetical Commission (PDCC) headed by Fr Mark Michael of St Michael’s Church, Alor Setar recently held an exhibition of Relics of Saints in St.Louis Church.

Johnson Louis, leader of the team, said that people who experience the living God through encounter with the Relics had the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the Saints and thus strengthen their Catholic faith. He said that the practice of the veneration of the remains of Saints started in the 11th Century.

There are three classes of Relics, namely:

First Class: Instruments or body parts of those declared Saints by the Church.

Second Class: Items used by the Saints during their life eg. clothing, a book or a rosary.

Third Class: Pieces of items that have been in contact with a 1st or 2nd Class Relic.

Simon Anthony explained that there are four steps to Sainthood.

Firstly, the person considered for sainthood must have been dead for five years. (Pope John Paul II waived this rule for Mother Teresa of Calcutta.) Then, the Vatican grants a Nihil Obstat which means “nothing now hinders.”

Secondly, the postulator who coordinates the process must prove that the candidate lived heroic virtues and is considered “Venerable.”

Thirdly, the candidate is recognized as “Blessed.” Finally, if a second miracle has been achieved through the candidate’s intercession, he or she is canonized “Saint.”

About 100 people visited the Exhibition over two days. The Exposition was held in conjunction with the Feast Day of St Louis, patron saint of the Kluang church (SLC).

Fr Devadason, parish priest of SLC, was pleased with the response. “They (the Saints) can intercede for us” he said. “I am happy to see many young children enjoying the five-minute video of the Relics on display. To venerate the Saints is a profession of belief in several doctrines of Catholicism. I congratulate Johnson and Simon for their initiative in bringing these Relics to St Louis Kluang.”

David Soosay, of the Tamil Sabai, and Anna Puroni, a Vincentian, of St Louis Kluang felt that the PDCC Team had given Kluang parishioners an opportunity to see and experience for themselves the significance of the relics of the Saints that have touched our lives in some way or other. Nancy Darin, of the Bahasa Apostolate, said, “It’s amazing. These relics have withstood the ravages of time.”

The Relics displayed included: a bone fragment of St Maria Goreti, a stigma bandage belonging to St Padre Pio, a cloth item belonging to St John Paul II, sand from the the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle, stick and sand from the tomb of St John de Britto, a wood cross that belonged to St Rose of Lima.

All the items were professionally framed or encased in glass compartments, and each item was accompanied by a printed explanation and a certification.

The PDCC Relic team brought to Kluang a total of 45 Relics. Since 2013, the team has held exhibitions in 14 Churches in Peninsular Malaysia.