April 18, 2018

Faithful feel touched by saints at ‘Treasures of the Church’ exhibit

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Kathleen Harrington

 

PITTSFIELD – “I felt called to be here.”

That was the sentiment among many of the faithful who turned out on Monday night to attend the “Treasures of the Church” exposition of saints’ relics at St. Mark Parish in Pittsfield.

The traveling ministry stopped in western Massachusetts for one evening before heading to New Hampshire. Father Carlos Martins of the Companions of the Cross serves as escort of the relics as they travel throughout North America.

“Saints are God’s masterpieces of creation,” said Father Martins, calling them “giant billboards pointing to God.” Encouraging those present to open their hearts fully, he said, “You will have an experience of the living God through the encounter with relics of his saints.”  

He began by teaching about the significance of relics, their origin in Scripture, and their role in interceding with God on behalf of those who pray. References can be found in the Old Testament in 2 Kings, when a corpse was buried with the prophet Elisha and the man came back to life and rose to his feet; in Matthew when the woman was healed of her hemorrhage by touching Jesus’ cloak; and in the Acts of the Apostles when the sick lined the streets so his shadow might touch them as he walked by.

Enclosed in “thecas,” and displayed in reliquaries, 150 relics are included in the exposition. The theca resembles a locket into which a relic is placed, securely tied with red thread, and then sealed with red wax imprinted with the ring of the bishop who produced the relic. Each relic has a certificate of authenticity.

Included in this traveling exhibit were first-class relics which are fragments of the body of a saint and second-class relics like a fragment of the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Martins encouraged people to touch rosaries or holy cards to the reliquary making the item a third-class relic.

“There is going to be one saint who will reach out to you tonight. Find your saint,” Father Martins said.

Taking part in the evening enabled those in attendance to receive a plenary indulgence, thanks to a decretum from the Apostolic Penitentiary. “Within twenty days you must go to confession, receive communion, and pray for the intentions of the pope,” Father Martins explained.

That teaching struck a chord with Sean Laclair of Otis. The parishioner from Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield said Father Martins’ teaching was important. “I really like how he explained sin. I don’t think most people really understand confession,” said Laclair. Father Martins said it was necessary to approach the saints with pure intentions. “If you give God your heart, wholly and completely today, then you will experience the power and presence of the living God today.”

Included in the presentation was a relic of the youngest saint, Maria Goretti. Brutally killed at the age of 11 for refusing to surrender her virtue, the young girl chose to forgive her murderer, a neighbor by the name of Alessandro Serenelli. Appearing to the unrepentant man as he served his prison sentence, she forgave him, a vision that lead to Serenelli’s conversion.

Elevated in 1950, Maria Goretti became the first to become a saint in the presence of her mother and her family.

“It’s pretty exciting to see the relics,” said Selina Laclair as she waited in line to “walk with the saints.”

 “I didn’t really understand about relics before. There are so many saints!” she said.

Quietly lining up, people approached the altar where the fragments of the True Cross and the veil of Mary were placed.

Brigida Arace, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Pittsfield, joined the line. “I saw this in the bulletin and had to come to see,” she said.

Father David Aufiero, pastor of St. Mark Parish, said a priest friend in eastern Massachusetts first told him about the traveling exhibit. He said it took a few phone calls and emails to bring the “Treasures of the Church” exhibit to Pittsfield.  

“It’s amazing,” Father Aufiero said of the vast display in the hall. “It’s very powerful. If you take the time to venerate each saint, someone will reach out to you.”

Friar Bernard Kellogg, who is in temporary profession with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, traveled from Griswold, Connecticut, with a small group of friends to experience the exposition of saints’ relics.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the True Cross and the veil of Mary. But being a Franciscan, I obviously have a special fondness for St. Francis. And we follow the spirituality of St. Maximilian Kolbe, so I want to see them,” he said.

More about the “Treasures of the Church’ exposition can be found at www.treasuresof thechurch.com. A DVD about the relics included in the traveling ministry also can be purchased through the website.