Journey with the Saints

Welcome!

We invite you on a pilgrimage with the relics in our Cathedral.

What is a pilgrimage? Any journey to a place of religious significance to seek transformation - physical, mental, and/or spiritual.

What is a relic?  A relic is an item connected to a saint.  It can be First Class (a body part like hair or bone), Second Class (an item used by the saint), or Third Class (any item touched to a first- or second-class relic). The Apostles’ relics in the Cathedral are all First-Class Relics.

Why do we pray with relics?  God’s grace can flow through relics to people who pray with them. Relic-related healings and miracles occur in both the Old and New Testaments (see 2 Kg 13:20-21 and Mk 5:27-29).

How do I begin? Pause to prepare by inviting the Holy Spirit to be with you.  Open your heart. Name your wounds, your mistakes, your needs, your efforts, or your questions. What do you hope to achieve on this pilgrimage? What prayer do you want answered?

Next? Move toward the relics. Allow the Holy Spirit and the angels to lead you. You may spend your entire visit with one relic, or a few, or all. Approach with prayerful anticipation. It is appropriate and helpful to respectfully stand or kneel near the relics. You may touch the reliquaries with your hand or with other holy objects, which would turn those objects into third-class relics. 

Read the reflection near the Saint. Tell the Saint what is in your heart.  Listen; identify what you are feeling/sensing.  You may notice an immediate physical, spiritual, or emotional effect, or your transformation may be more subtle.  Your answer may come later. Trust that your encounter will have a real impact. 

How do I conclude? We invite you to conclude today’s pilgrimage in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel by following the directions near the prayer shrine.

Here's a little prayer to get us started:

Merciful and loving Father,
thank You for Your angels and saints,
whose joy it is to help me become holy.
Help me to be mindful of them,
to hear their loving voices,
and to receive their help for Your glory.