Relics of four prominent saints go on display at St. Gregory the Great

While every saint is important in God’s kingdom, the relics of what some might consider big leaguers are on brief display for veneration at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville.

They are relics of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. They were available for public viewing and veneration Thursday, Oct. 3 and Friday, Oct.4 from the conclusion of Noon Mass until 7 p.m. Then, beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 4, Friar Matt Foley, president of St. Francis High School, will speak about what it means to witness a Franciscan heart in action. Faculty and students from the school will be present to share their knowledge as well.

Students at St. Gregory the Great School had the first chance to see and venerate the relics during their school Mass, Thursday morning.

“What is a relic? It comes from a Latin word, and I know some of you are studying Latin, and that Latin word means ‘remains.’ A relic is remains,” said Father Leon Biernat, pastor of the Shepherd and Saints Parish Family, during his homily. “Of course, there are first, second and third class relics. These are first class relics and why? Because they’re actually part of the body of the saint.”

Encased in separate small golden crosses are bone fragments of Saints Francis, Clare, and Anthony, while within St. Maximilian’s cross there is a sample of his hair.

To explain the significance of relics to the children, Father Biernat opened his homily by pointing out the upcoming holy day of All Souls, the day during which Catholics remember and pray for deceased loved ones. He asked the children, have they ever wanted an object that belonged to a loved one who died?

Some students responded, revealing the items they’d wanted include a blanket, pictures, a sports trophy, and in one case a grandparent’s shirt that was converted into a pillow.

Why do people seek these things? Father Biernat asked. 

“So that you feel close to them, right? We would want something that belonged to somebody who maybe has died,” he said. “Why? We want to remember them, and we want to feel close to them.”

Relics of saints, he continued, help bring the faithful closer to those saints. Upon the conclusion of Mass, Friar Timothy Blanchard, an instructor at St. Francis High School, also spoke of the connection relics bring. He used the example of a friend who lived in California who would bring him oranges. Those fruits gave him a sense of connection to his friend so far away.

“These relics are a little connection to heaven, right? Like that friend in California is that connection to someone who’s on the other side, who’s rooting for us, who wants us to live in that peace and that joy to share with others,” Friar Blanchard said. “That’s what we’re recognizing today. We know these saints are sharing with God in heaven. Why wouldn’t we want to take the time to venerate them?”

To understand the relics, though, one must understand what was happening during Mass, Friar Blanchard added. He pointed to the cross.

“What is the cross? The cross is Christ’s victory over death, right? His infinite love, His victory over death,” he said to the students. “We realize that these aren’t just lifeless pieces, but that there’s more to this. There’s something beyond these relics. So, as you take some time today to come up and visit St Clair, Anthony, Kolbe and Francis. Don’t ask them for oranges. Ask them how you can grow in holiness.”

Students were invited up to touch the relics with an object, perhaps a rosary or holy card or some other sacramental object. Some used their pencil cases or water bottles, or their fingers. Teachers also took advantage of the opportunity.

These relics were once owned by the late Father Anthony Konieczny, a Franciscan with the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. Upon his death in 2008, the relics were entrusted to the Binder family, who have loaned the relics to St. Gregory the Great for this brief veneration opportunity.