Archbishop Sheen: A Medieval Dispute? A Medieval Solution!

We saw this one coming, but I never thought it would result in the suspension of the Cause of the Venerable Fulton Sheen.  As you may have heard, the Cause of the popular Bishop has been suspended due to a dispute over his body. 

In brief: his home diocese, Peoria, which sponsored the Cause and has done Trojan work over the last twelve years or so, has asked the Archdiocese of New York to allow the remains of the soon to be Blessed to be returned to the diocese so First Class relics can be taken to be prepared for the veneration of the faithful and a shrine established. Over the last number of years there has been a rather tense situation with regard to this request because New York, where the Archbishop is buried - in the crypt of St Patrick's Cathedral, is not so keen to let him go.  As tentative plans are being considered for the beatification ceremony in Peoria (the beatification miracle has yet to be approved by the Congregation of the Causes of Saints and the Holy Father but it seems the miracle will pass through those stages fairly easily) the request was made again, and it seems New York has said no: Fulton ain't moving. So the Bishop of Peoria, in consultation with the Congregation in Rome, and with its advice and support, has suspended the Cause and it is now relegated to the historical archives.

So there we are. What would Fulton say? Well, he would not be impressed and given his passionate sense of reason he would make his views known so no one is left in any doubt. However, without an apparition or sign from heaven (which would then be subject to the Church's discernment process - which would take us into the next century before a judgment is made) we are at an impasse. This is like being back in the Middle Ages when the citizenry of dioceses, cities and towns were fighting over who owned which Saint, and then went about all over the place stealing Saints's bodies. Fulton would not be impressed.

So, who deserves to have the body? Well, both dioceses have a case. The home diocese of Peoria is the sponsoring diocese for the Cause and the Bishop and people there have worked hard to get it to where it is. They financed part of it, but a lot of the finance came from people all over the world who made contributions out of devotion to a man they consider a Saint. Usually the diocese that sponsored the Cause should have the relics, or the greater part of the relics, of the Beatus or Saint. Peoria is his home, and he was a priest of that diocese, so justice might well dictate that Fulton should come home. It is also worth noting that the Holy See expected that the body would be returned to Peoria.

However, New York also has a case. Fulton was Auxiliary of New York, and lived most of his life there. He retired there. Most importantly he ministered there with great success. He filled St Patrick's Cathedral just as Ambrose filled Milan's Cathedral. People came to New York, a city at the centre of the world, to see him and hear him. If the world wants to come to venerate his remains, then the most central place is New York. Fulton was buried in the crypt of St Patrick's as an honour to thank him for his extraordinary ministry in the city and archdiocese.

So, there we have it - both dioceses have a case; there are reasons for and against each diocese: now what should be done? Given that we no longer divide up the bodies of Saints, thankfully - relics are just portions, it will not be a case of Solomon's judgement where half of him heads off to Peoria and the other half stays in the Big Apple. For such a Medieval dispute some might suggest such a Medieval solution. However, there is another Medieval solution which may be the best way to resolve this dispute and allow Fulton's beatification progress: let the Pope decide.

The Pope is not just the head of the Church on earth and symbol of unity within the Church, he is also the one who settles disputes. From time immemorial conflicting bishops, kings, nobles and others appealed to the Pope to settle disputes and his judgement was binding since he was the Vicar of Christ and his word was the word of God on the matter. That faculty still exists, and it is exercised in many ways, one being the right of every Catholic to appeal to the Holy Father in issues of canon law etc. In annulment cases, for example, if a person or couple is not happy with the decision of a tribunal, they have the right to appeal to the Pope. 

Let Pope Francis decide where Fulton is to rest, and both dioceses accept that decision even if it goes against them.  The only snag is that Francis might decide to send him to the cathedral in Rochester where he was Ordinary - smell of the sheep and all that. Would Fulton like to return to the place which caused him so much grief?  Well, sending him there might itself start another row...

There is no doubt that people are shocked, confused, saddened, and I would even dare say, scandalized, by the suspension of the Cause and the dispute which led to it. With all that is going on in the world, the systematic martyrdom of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East being one issue the Church needs to engage with, a fight over the body of a Saint is unnecessary, unseemly and a distraction. The Bishop of Peoria has asked for prayers and that is a good request, so let us all pray that common sense and Christian charity will prevail. We are living in dark times, we need hope and we need models of joy and faith to inspire us - the Ven. Fulton is one of these. Let's get this out of the way so the Church can celebrate the life, holiness and teachings of one of her most faithful sons and give us all a boost in these challenging times.

PS: Just reflecting on it, I  think Fulton is probably laughing in heaven: two dioceses fighting over his body, both want him. He surely remembers the years when no one wanted him as he preached the truth in a time when not even Bishops and priests wanted to hear it. 

Is That For Real?

 

Today is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and I'm sure all over the Church relics of the True Cross are being exposed and venerated.

 

However, many still doubt that these relics may be genuine, and one of the most frequent accusations aimed at such relics is that there are so many relics of the Cross there is enough wood to build a battleship.  The Dutch writer Erasmus, I believe, was the one who came up with this quip, and the Protestant reformers spread it throughout the world as a means of undermining the cult of relics.

 

Well, one Frenchman decided to see if this quip was true.  Charles Rohault de Fleury carried out an extensive investigation and published his findings in his Mémoire sur les instruments de la Passion in 1870. He conducted an exhaustive search of all the known relics of the True Cross, cataloguing and carefully measuring them. In his archaeological research he discovered that a typical Roman cross, usually constructed from pine-wood, measured three to four metres in height with a cross beam of about two metres. This would give a weight of approximately seventy-five kilogrammes with a volume of 178,000,000 cubic millimetres. Taking the sum of all the relics in his catalogue, he calculated the volume which amounted to 4,000,000 cubic millimetres, 174,000,000 short of an average Roman cross. 

 

So, even if de Fleury had overlooked a number of relics, even sizeable ones, it seemed Erasmus’ little quip was untrue.  So if today you come before a relic of the True Cross at Mass or in a reputable church or community, then it is most likely the real thing.  And remember information for your next bout with an evangelical.

 

Happy feast day!

Holy Epiphany - Still Christmas!

For many today appears to mark the end of Christmas - the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, yet we still have a week to go:  the Christmas Season lasts until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which this year falls on the 13th January.  So we have another week to feast and we can stave off the diet for a little longer, and yes, contrary to common practice, we can still wish each other a "Happy Christmas".  I think the time has come for us Catholics (and all Christians) to resist the secularisation of our feasts and seasons, and the best way to do that is to be true to liturgical time.  The secular world celebrates Christmas before Christmas and then rushes back into ordinary time after the day itself.  We should not rush into Christmas nor rush out of it, but rather linger in preparation (Advent) and then enjoy at leisure the festivities of the Lord's birthday. 

Christmas can be divided into various parts, all of which have a great deal of meaning for us.  We have Advent (the mini Lent) to prepare us, to rekindle the soul (lose a few pounds in anticipation for the feasting!) and reflect on the Jewish people's faithful waiting for the Messiah.  Then the great feast breaks out upon us on Christmas Eve evening and the Day itself which lasts for eight days - the Octave.  This solemnity is so important one calendar day is not enough for its commemoration - we need eight!  So Christmas Day lasts a week in calendar time. 

Then the Season continues as we revel in the birth of the Lord and prepare for his Epiphany.  You could say that as we feast we also accompany the Magi on their way to Bethlehem.  Today we celebrate that great Epiphany as we fall down with the magi before our Infant King, our Divine Messiah.   Then, in the days after Epiphany we may reflect on the Lord's hidden years - the Incarnation in our midst, as we prepare for the feast of the Lord's Baptism and the beginning of his public ministry.  All this time we continue to feast (mince pies, Christmas cake and the turkey curry!).  For the real diehards who just can't let go, we have the "Christmas outpost feast" - the Presentation of the Lord on the 2nd February - our feast of lights, Candlemas.  And then we are all ready for Lent!  Perhaps at that stage, we will need it!

There are people who think we Catholics are killjoys, dreary and no fun at all; well, if Catholics actually entered into the liturgical seasons they would realise that nothing could be further from the truth.  Traditionally Catholics were known for their revels (hence one of the reasons the Protestant reformers broke away from us - they wanted a more penitential approach to faith).  Now there were times when things got out of hand, and that was not good.  However a true living of the Christian faith is one where both fasts and feasts are kept and honoured.  As our Holy Mother Foundress once said: "there is a time for penance and a time for partridge".  Wise words indeed.

And speaking of wise words, today we turn to the wise men, or the Magi and their encounter with the Divine Child.  What an encounter that must have been.  These scholars who spent their lives looking for signs in the sky see the star and are led by it to that Divine Child prophesied by their philosopher Zoroaster.  The Scriptures tell us that they fell down and did the Child homage - they did not discretely bow, nor nod or do the liturgical hop, but rather fell down before him.  Such humility.  And what an insight - they have come to him whom they sought all their lives and they throw themselves before him, worshipping him, perhaps even thanking him.  Our Lady must have been astonished by their devotion - these were pagan men and yet they believed.  We think of the Lord's words about the centurion: "I have not found such faith in Israel" - I wonder, when he said that, if he was thinking of the Magi who came to see him as a baby: no doubt Our Lady, who "pondered all these things in her heart", would have told him of their faith.  Our feast today teaches us than God can work even in pagan lands and in other religions, planting a seed which is to lead the adherents of those religions to Christ.  That is what Vatican II speaks of in its documents.

We too must fall down before him and do him homage: worship and adore Christ.  Yes he became a man to be one with us, to speak to us and redeem us.  But he is also our God and our Lord and we must pay him that homage that is due to him. I remember when I was a seminarian we were told by a liturgist that we must not kneel for the Liturgy of the Eucharist: "We are a liberated people, so we do not kneel, we stand before God".  We are indeed a liberated people, but surely do we not kneel before our Liberator, to thank him if for nothing else?   And when our Liberator is the God who made the universe and us, well, then we must kneel, as do the Elders in the Book of Revelation.  I think the Magi, those wise men of the world provide us with a good example.

On this day our thoughts are, of course, on Bethlehem as we meditate on this event, but we should also pause and go in spirit to Cologne where, we are told, the bodies of three of the Magi are venerated.  Traditionally called Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, they are honoured as Saints in the Church, and if you go to Cologne you will see the tremendous devotion pilgrims have for these men.   The reliquary in which the relics of the three are preserved is the biggest reliquary in the world, and on this day, it is opened to reveal the three bodies, each one wearing a crown.   All of this points to the Epiphany as a historical reality, as discussed by Pope Benedict in his recent book, and that is no harm at all.  There are times when we need to be reminded that heaven has touched earth, that miracles do happen, that God became man and the story of his birth is no mere fantasy, but wonderful and true.  Some will say only a child would believe such stories, well then, let us be children - after all, as the Lord tells us, the kingdom belongs to little children.  So here we are: back to the humility and faith of the Holy Magi.

St Caspar, St Melchior, St Balthazar, pray for us; bring us to the Divine Child, the King of Love, and there let us fall down before him and adore.

The Reliquary Shrine of the Holy Magi in Cologne Cathedral

The Reliquary opened to reveal the crowned heads of the Magi

Relics: A Human Thing?

Pope Benedict venerates relics "ex sanguine" of Blessed John Paul II during his beatification ceremony

Last Thursday the Fraternity in London held a Mass in honour of Blessed John Paul II, in accordance with the Indult granted by Rome.  The relic of the Blessed Pontiff was present, and I had the privilege of offering the Mass. We had a great crowd, and a beautiful choir provided the music – the Happy Day Gospel Choir.   Members of our monthly prayer group were joined by other devotees of Blessed John Paul, and people from the arts and film industry. 

As noted by my colleague, Caroline McCamley, we were covered by the Catholic Herald.  In fact I was in the airport when I got the call from the journalist: the article was quite good, so I hope it will help bring more attention to the London group who meet faithfully every month.

Some of the comments at the end of the article were interesting.  The Catholic Herald has its regular trolls who denigrate various articles and the doctrines and teaching of the Catholic faith, and it seems some of the trolls popped up over the bridge in response to our article.  This time it was the cult of relics.

I suppose for some non-Catholics and even for some in the Church the veneration of relics may seem odd and perhaps ghastly – I think one commenter (troll?) called us “ghouls” for venerating the relic of Blessed John Paul: curious.   The veneration of relics is an ancient practice and not confined to Catholicism.  Buddhism, much beloved of many critics of the Catholic faith, cherishes relics of Buddha, not only items associated with him, but also his ashes and other bodily remains which are enshrined in stupas and attract numerous pilgrims. The relic of Buddha’s tooth, saved from cremation, is venerated in Sri Lanka, for example.   The tooth is regarded as a symbolic representation of the living Buddha, and so various rituals and ceremonies have grown up around the relic. 

Buddha's tooth, venerated as a relic by Buddhists

Muslims also venerate relics of Mohammed and other holy people in their faith – Muslims could hardly be accused of idolatry by critics of the cult of relics.  Mohammed’s tomb is a place of pilgrimage, and among his relics cherished by his followers is a lock of his hair and his cloak. 

Relics of Mohammed venerated by Muslims

Indeed, while we are at it, we’ll push the boat out and remind our critics that even atheists cherish relics: the veneration shown to the bodies of Lenin and, for a time, Stalin, reveals that even those who do not believe in God, still feel the need for some form of the cult of relics, recognising by their “devotion” that there is something positive and distinctly human in this practice. 

Lenin's body venerated by his devotees

In terms of Christianity, relics have been part of the devotional life of the faithful from the beginning.  During St Paul’s lifetime, for example, people obtained relics of him – handkerchiefs which had touched him, and these were instrumental in the healing of the sick (Acts 19:11-12).  The devotional life of the Church since then has included relics, most potently those of the martyrs which were venerated in memory of the sacrifice they had made for Christ.   God has worked through this devotion to relics, working miracles, but most importantly bringing people closer to himself through his Saints. 

That said, there have been abuses, and these must not be encouraged.  The Church is quite strict when it comes to these and reminds the faithful that relics are a means to faith, not faith itself.  Relics are also the remains of human beings and so they must also be respected and cared for.  In the past, in the quest for relics, some grisly things were done to the remains of the Saints – such things must not be repeated: the bodies of the Saints must now be respected and preserved – when relics are taken it must be done with respect for the integrity of the body.  No one “owns” a relic, they are merely custodians, and relics must be protected and safely passed on for future generations.  Relics can never be sold, that is a sin.  If money changes hands it must only be to cover the costs of the preparation of the relics.

Relics are venerated rather than worshiped – they are not the object of faith, but a help to faith.  In venerating a relic we venerate the Saint or Blessed who is to bring us closer to God.  They are like keep-sakes, but more sacred since they are the blessed remains of the holy ones.  When used correctly, relics can bring great joy and assistance to the faithful.  I had one such experience of this recently. 

Fraternity Relic of Blessed John Paul II.

A few days after the Fraternity received the relic of Blessed John Paul I got a call from a friend who told me of a lady who was dying and who had a great devotion to Blessed John Paul: she asked me if I could give her a blessing with the relic.   I called into the hospital to see the woman.  She was a good woman who had dedicated her life to the sick and dying herself, and she was suffering greatly.  As soon as she received the relic her face was transformed with joy – she said that John Paul had come to visit her as she was preparing to die.  As she told people later, peace flooded her soul and all fear passed away.  She lived for another couple of weeks, but her family say that from that day she was joyful and serene and died a peaceful, holy death.  Through his relic, Blessed John Paul came to her and assured her of his presence and prayers. 

I have no doubt that God, Our Lady and Pope John Paul were already with the lady, but the Lord used the relic of the Pontiff as a tangible sign to remind her that they were there with her and she need not be afraid.   God can used relics to bring comfort and hope, and to assure the Church on earth of the prayers and loving care of the Church in heaven.  The pilgrimage of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux around the world is one such blessing: millions, many facing difficulties in their lives, have been lifted up by the visit of the relics of the Little Flower to their country.

So abuses aside, when properly understood, the veneration of relics can bring many blessings and increase our faith.

Extraordinary Gift For The Fraternity

Yesterday, the feast of St Therese, the Fraternity received a most extraordinary gift: His Eminence, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, sent us a first class relic of our co-patron, Blessed John Paul II, ex sanguine, from his blood.    The Cardinal, as you know, was Blessed John Paul's personal secretary and friend, and he looked after the Pontiff in his final illness.  To say that we are thrilled is an understatement!  The relic will be available for our ministry in the Fraternity and for the veneration of our members, those we work with and the faithful in general.  This wonderful gift comes after the Congregation for Divine Worship and Sacraments granted us the Indult to celebrate Blessed John Paul's feast.  A sincere thanks to His Eminence for his kindness and generosity.

Since we are on the topic, I want to remind you of our celebration of the feast day.  The Fraternity will host a Feast Day Mass in St Mary's Church, Drogheda, on the 22nd October at 7.30pm.   The new first class relic will be there and those who attend will be able to venerate it.   Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate the feast with the Fraternity, and you can pass on the word to your friends, particularly those who were devoted to the Blessed Pontiff.

Also for those who might be interested - Fraternity members and others, we are planning a pilgrimage to Poland next year in honour of Blessed John Paul.  The tentative dates are the 21st to the 29th May 2013.  We are working on the details and accommodation at the moment, but we will let you know as soon as things have been finalised.  We will probably stay in Krakow, but take tours to the various places associated with John Paul - Wadowice, Czestochowa, Kalvaria, as well as visiting other places of note, among them Auschwitz.  So if you are interested make a note of the dates.

In terms of what has been happening - well, what a week!  Former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese certainly made the headlines with her attack on the Catholic Church in a radio interview last Friday.  Giving us the benefit of her wisdom she said that the Church needs to become more like the Anglican communion and use the synod system to decide, it seems, our beliefs and practices.  She seems to resent the role of the Pope as the universal pastor and Vicar of Christ, or at least that role in real terms, she would prefer if the Pope permitted democracy.  I wonder if Mrs McAleese is actually up to date with what is happening in the Anglican communion - it is falling apart as the synod system has led to the abandonment of Christian doctrine in favour of relativism.  Surely if Mrs McAleese wants us to adopt that system, does she mean she wants the Catholic Church to fall apart and become as irrelevant? 

I think this idea shows extraordinary naivety and blindness on McAleese's part.  However she had even more objectionable things to say.  As I saw it, she implied that the Church imposes obedience because it has lost the argument on various issues, most notably for McAleese, contraception.  Ironic this: as she sees Humanae Vitae as a lost argument every day its prophetic nature is being underlined as modern men and women dig even deeper holes for themselves, sexually, and continue to undermine the stability of relationships and family life. 

The former President also believes the Church has it wrong on homosexuality.  In fact, and here is the most offensive thing she said, she blames the Church for the mass suicide of young men in recent years because of its teaching on homosexuality.   This is despicable and deeply insulting: there is no evidence to back up McAleese's claim and her comments are unacceptable and deserve, I think, a formal rebuke from her bishop.  Now the former President has her own agenda on this issue - homosexuality is a personal issue for her family, but making such groundless and dangerous allegations against the Church is disengenuous.

There were many things I found offensive with the interview, but over all I resent McAleese's using her position as a former President of Ireland to give her a platform to attack the Church and to prevent anyone from taking her on: after all if any one of us should publicly rebuke her many will defend her because of her record as President and she knows this.  I greatly admired her as President, but I'm afraid my admiration has diminished.  

One question I would like to ask her though: if the Anglican Communion is the best model for Catholicism, then why stay in the Catholic Church?  At this stage she knows the Catholic Church will not change to suit her opinions, so why not go over to the greener fields on other side of the river?  She can use the bridge she constructed during her presidency.   

I was sent a rather interesting link yesterday regarding The Irish Times and its objectivity.  It seems the paper of record may not be as trustworthy as it would have us believe.  Apparently when it reported on the small turn out for a pro-choice rally recently, it was rebuked by pro-abortion advocates, and so the paper revised its figures upwards.   So much for journalistic standards.  When it comes to pro-life events they are usually ignored by the paper, but if covered the figures are drastically reduced.  I see "MediaWatch" in the Alive! newspaper also takes the Times to task, this time over its reporting on Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's speech at the MacGill summer school.  The paper tried to give the impression that the Archbishop and Cardinal Brady were at variance over the issue of abortion.  The Archbishop wrote a strongly worded letter of complaint and accused the paper of "mischevious misrepresentation", and it seems the Archbishop is quite correct in his assessment. 

And as we're talking about Archbishop Martin, I see he is trying to get a new system of sacramental preparation going in his diocese - a welcome development, I think.  For too long the sacraments were given just because you were in a certain class in school regardless of faith or practice.  To refuse First Communion or Confirmation to children of unbelievers brings the wrath of parents and media on your head.  I know of one case where parents refused to have their child baptised, but still wanted her to receive First Communion: they did not want her to be a member of such an abusive Church, but still wanted her to "have her day out with her friends", and they had plenty of support for their position.  Madness!  As priests we can do very little since the programmes and the actual system is set in place by the bishops: we can only supplement it with sound material and do the best we can to try and get people to Mass and to practice the faith.  However a new approach is needed and hopefully Archbishop Martin's initial steps will help usher out the old and bring in a new, more evangelical and responsible system. 

Of Meat And Holy Things

It is well known that when Catholics abandon part of their faith, its practice or their heritage, the secular world takes it up and transforms it according to its own ideology.  We all know of the example of Gregorian Chant: as the hippy Masses unleashed folk, rock and sentimental pop on the liturgy, burning the old hymnals, the secular world and record companies took to Chant and made a fortune out of the few monastic communities who battled on singing the ancient music of the faith.  When priests and religious dropped black habits and clerical clothes for Hawaiian shirts and collars and ties, young Goths took to black and made it a statement for their lifestyle and beliefs. 

Two interesting stories in the news today remind me of two more Christian practices which many have abandoned but the secular world has embraced.  Fr Ray Burke has a brief post reminding the faithful in England and Wales that the rule of abstinence has returned: from today, by decree of the bishops Catholics in England and Wales are to abstain from meat (and yes, chicken is meat).   This may come as a shock to some.  When abstinence was abandoned, vegetarianism suddenly became a fashion.  When fasting was dropped, we suddenly heard of all these diet and de-tox practices which were good for the body and mirrored the old way of fasting in the Church - bread and water, or in the case of the de-tox - water and fruit.  I wonder if the Irish bishops would consider following their English and Welsh brothers?  After all, Pope Benedict in his Letter to the Irish asked that we offer our Friday penances in reparation for child abuse - reinstating the law of abstinence would be an excellent gesture.  Of course the leaders of the ACP would have stokes if that happened.

George Weigel in his weekly column is urging the Russian Orthodox Church not to pussyfoot on the issue of removing Lenin's body from public display and burying it.  I am reminded of the horror stories I was told of relics and bodies of the saints being buried or even discarded by many following Vatican II.  Skips, rubbish tips and dumps were filled with the bones, clothing and belongings of the canonised and beatified as the liberal theologians told the faithful, in particular the religious, that these things were not no longer needed  - the Church needed grow up and discard such superstitions as the veneration of relics.  As the years passed, though, many of these same people ended up in as practitioners of the New Age worshiping the elements and feeling the power that is in crystals (aka bits of glass or shiny stones).  

In Russia the bodies of the "saints" of the Soviet Union, the mass murderers Lenin and Stalin, were embalmed and put on the display for the "veneration" of the "party faithful" (aka everyone in Russia, whether they liked it or not): a practice learned from us Christians who preserve the sacred remains of our holy ones.  Stalin has been quietly removed and buried - Lenin's body still lies in state, but many want him out and interred.  It seems the Orthodox Church in Russia is hesitant to support this despite the fact that Lenin was responsible for the martyrdom of many Orthodox Christians. 

Thankfully respect for relics is growing again, although the secular world, primarily through eBay, is trying to cash in on this.  It is disgraceful that relics should be sold on the open market, but is is even more disgraceful that relics should fall into the wrong hands.  Relics are sacred and must be cared for - we do not own relics, we are merely custodians and part of that role is making provision for those relics in our care to ensure they are returned to Orders and congregations, or are passed into safe hands.  As for Lenin, well, I think we can bury him.

The St Vitalis Skull: The Whole Truth!

It seems the whole St Vitalis thing has really intrigued my friends - they are all talking about the skull.  At a Consecration Mass on Tuesday evening a number were huddled around in a group pondering over my blog on an iPhone and discussing whether the skull was authentic or not.  Today another mate, a priest, has informed me that he and his school pal now living in England, have finally worked out how the skull ended up in Ireland.  It's so funny I thought I'd share it.

Young Anglo-Irish gentleman (henceforth referred to as "your boyo") is doing the grand tour thing.  Starting off with great intentions he ends up availing of the services of those whom it is not moral to avail services of, and after a number of services your boyo ends up with a rash or another such aggressive complaint that tends to come from availing too often of services that it is not moral to avail of. 

In desperation he seeks a cure of this aggressive complaint before he goes home, otherwise how could he explain how he ended up with this complaint when he was supposed to be finishing off his education?  Perhaps (it is cited by my friend and his pal) in such desperation your boyo was introduced to a foreign gentleman who informed him that there was a cure to be found in the rub of the relic of St Vitalis of Assisi, whose patronage covers such aggressive complaints.  And you would never guess, but he knows where to get the skull of this saint for the rubbing, but it will require a tidy sum and the utmost secrecy: if the priest found out there would be war.  Though it offends his respectable Protestant sensibilities, your boyo agrees, hands over the dosh (translation: money) and off goes yon foreign gentleman to raid the sacristy. 

However, the foreign gentleman does not go to the local church, for the relics of its saints and martyrs are guarded with great jealousy because there is always the threat that the crowd from the parish next door might stage a raid to grab whatever relics they can - a common pastime in Europe at the time.  He takes another turn and ends up in the local charnel house, where rifling through the various skulls of the dearly departed picks one, that of the late Signora Maria Teresa Benedetti-Morales fine upstanding mistress of the Buon Amici hostelry out the Milan road, who died at the ripe old age of 93 after burying three husbands, all rich, and finally succumbing herself following an incident with a hazelnut.*  And polishing up the skull, the foreign gentleman brings it to your boyo.  Delighted, with utmost faith in the fake, your boyo heads off back to the manoral pile in Ireland hoping this Vitalis of wherever will do the job and return him to his pristine state.  

We may never know if your boyo got the cure, but if not, the skull of the saint would be enough to distract the mater's attention.  And so it remained in the ancestral seat until one day a young little auctioneer arrived on the scene with a heap of dosh to carry off the skull to Hollywood with the promise of making it famous.  Here endeth the proposition.

The late Signora Maria Teresa Benedetti-Morales (note the resemblance to the skull)

Indeed!  I take it, then, they think it is a fake.

* That bit about Signora Benedetti-Morales is my insertion, which I do admit might not be the most inspired; call it a bit of colour, if nothing else.

The Case of St Vitalis: It Gets Worse

Further to my post yesterday on the sale of the skull of St Vitalis, more information is emerging, and I'm afraid it's not good.  This affair just gets seedier the more we go on.

In an interview on Irish radio yesterday the auctioneer said that the head had been bought by a Hollywood actor who wanted it for the "shock value".   This actor bought the head for €3,500, even though much higher bids were made - our bid was higher than this,  and there was another much higher again at €10,000.  The auctioneer admitted that these bids, from Irish bidders, were excluded from the auction because the owners wanted the head to go out of Ireland.  Now this is very odd given that they opted to put the head up for sale in an open auction in Ireland.  At the very least this is very strange and merits, perhaps, a more official investigation into how the auction was conducted. I am not an expert on codes of behaviour for auctioneers, but I do get a fishy smell here.

Apart from that I am deeply disturbed about the whole thing.   That the probable relic of a Saint was bought for its "shock value", the media interest, and even the auctioneer's own attitude on national radio, all of this is offensive not only to Catholics as we see the possible remains of one of our martyrs disparaged and traded as if mere consumer objects, but even on a human level that the earthly remains of a human being should become an object for such derision  is offensive.  That an actor should be the one to buy it for a lark is also sad - when I heard I was reminded why our Fraternity was founded - another actor that needs our prayers.

I suppose it must be prayers all round: the actor, the auctioneer, the family who sold it, the media leading the derision.  As a friend pointed out to me yesterday: "God will not be mocked" - and he won't.  So we will have to pray and leave things in the hands of God.

Reflecting on this whole affair, I suppose we should not be surprised that the secular world should be so callous when it comes to the most cherished treasures of the Church.  Following Vatican II thousands of relics were unceremoniously dumped, many rare ones being lost forever.  Some were buried, but others, unfortunately, were thrown into bins and rubbish skips.  I know of one situation where the sisters of a congregation had to relinquish their personal relics so they could all be disposed of.  If the Church and her representatives should treat relics with such contempt, why are we surprised when ignorant secularists do the same - at least they buy them to show them off to their friends - "shock value" is not as bad as pure contempt and embarrassment.

Thankfully in recent years, a new generation is rediscovering the significance of relics and the Church is trying to clamp down on the sale and abuse of them.  Relics, for us as Catholics, are cherished mementos of Our Lord and our saintly heroes.  They do not possess magical powers and we do not worship them: we venerate them as holy things.  We are not alone in this: the Buddhists preserve relics of Buddha and venerate them, and some Muslims honour the relics of their heroes - objects which belonged to Muhammad are held in great esteem by his followers (I wonder would the auctioneer have dealt with a relic of Muhammad in the same way as the head of St Vitalis - if he did he would now be in hiding).   Relics for us Catholics serve as reminders of the Saint or Blessed's presence.  If they are first class (pieces of the person's body or hair), we venerate the sacred remains as at their tomb, the remains of one who has become holy and who now stands in the presence of God.  They must always be treated with the utmost respect.

The sale of the skull of St Vitalis gives the impression that relics can be owned - they can't.  Those who have relics of a Saint or Blessed are no more than custodians for a time, and they have a duty to ensure that when they die, or if they give them as gifts, that they go to reliable people, or, even better, they go back to the Church, diocese or religious family from which they came.  So if you have relics you must be very careful and ensure they do not fall into the wrong hands.  By and large, to ensure this, the Church and many religious families will now only give first class relics to churches and members of the clergy.  This will also fulfil the requirement that they be used for the veneration of the faithful.  So if you have relics, make provision for them in your will.

If we learn anything from this sordid affair of the head of St Vitalis, is for us Catholics to be more protective of our holy things - how the Eucharist is treated is far worse than that dished out to relics.  We should use this situation as one which will lead us to a greater devotion, a deeper living of our faith.  And we must also learn to pray more, especially for those who make little of holy things. 

The Case of St Vitalis

Thank you for your prayers over the last few days.  It seems a number of you worked out what the situation was as some contacted me to ask if they could help.  It was all much appreciated.  We were trying to save the relic of St Vitalis which was coming up for auction in Duleek and which was sold yesterday.  Unfortunately, despite the prayers, we failed.  I do not know who bought the relic, but we can only hope it will be respected.  The modern trade in relics is positively medieval and shameful; it is also a big business and deeply offensive not only to the Church which cherishes the sacred remains of her Saints, but to every human being as human remains which should be respected are traded on the open market.  Ironic isn’t it: many reject the Church and her teachings and her Saints, but they still want her treasures, including the relics of her holy ones.

A number of us formed a consortium to see if we could save the relic.  We found ourselves in a tight spot because Canon Law forbids the sale of relics, but allows for an effort to buy them if they can be saved from desecration.   We contacted the auctioneer and made an offer, but he refused to entertain any offers – the head was going to auction regardless.  That led me, personally, to conclude that there were other issues at play here apart from selling the skull.  We could not contact the family who were selling it – their identity was protected – as it probably needed to be.   We then got some money together and tried to make some effort to buy it at auction.  With an eye to Canon Law we recognised that morally we could not fuel a frenzied competition, and so we limited the amount and left the rest in the hands of God.  We failed, but we still leave the matter in the hands of the Lord and his providence.

Were we justified in doing what we did?  Yes, we fulfilled the narrow condition laid down by Canon Law and we were trying to save it.  What really got us going, and fulfilled the criteria, was our discovering that it was being suggested on gay websites that a gay sauna buy the relic for exposition in the sauna, since this St Vitalis was being described as the patron saint of genital diseases.  I was appalled when I read this, as were others and we were determined to do something to prevent this.  If a gay group had attempted to buy the relic, I hope they failed in their bid.

All that said: who is this St Vitalis, an unknown saint who has now achieved fame, or notoriety, on the web?  There are a number of St Vitalises (?), and while we do not know which one the skull belongs to, he is not the one the auctioneer and news reports say he is.  According to the reports it was the skull of St Vitalis of Assisi (1295-1370), an Italian hermit.  He is the patron of genital diseases, but he is not a martyr – the skull, if you take a quick look is identified as being that of a martyr.  So we can take it that all the hype was for nothing.  Now how did they come to identify the skull as belonging to St Vitalis of Assisi?  Well it was either pure ignorance or by design and all possibly via an internet search and the wisdom of Wikipedia.  If by design, it might be suggested that the reference to a saint and genitals would have guaranteed a princely sum and increased interest.    Decide for yourselves.  St Vitalis of Assisi’s relics rested in the Cathedral of San Rufino in San Vitale, Italy, southeast of Assisi until 2001 when they were returned to their original resting place in Viole di Assisi. 

Church of St Vitalis of Assisi, Viole di Assisi, where the relics of the hermit saint

are now preserved and venerated

So who was this St Vitalis?  It may be that of St Vitalis the martyr.  Now there are a number of known martyrs with this name.  The most famous is St Vitalis of Milan, husband of St Valeria and father of SS Gervase and Protase, he was put to death for his faith in the 1^st or 2^nd centuries by being buried alive with a pile of stones put on his head.  I notice some news reports try to merge this martyrdom with St Vitalis of Assisi.

The martyrdom of St Vitalis of Milan,  father of SS Gervase and Protase

 

St Felicity of Rome and her seven martyred sons, one of them being
St Vitalis

Another St Vitalis is the son of St Felicity of Rome who was martyred with his mother in 165 AD.  A third is St Vitalis of Hadrumetum in Africa, who was put to death with St Honoratus and ten companions during the persecution of Diocletian in 303: he was beheaded in Vellenaio on the 29 August 303. 

Tomb of St Vitalis of Bologna, and his master, St Agricola, who were martyred in 304,

preserved in the Church of  SS Vitale e Agricola, Bologna

A fourth is St Vitalis of Bologna, a Christian slave martyred with his master in Bologna, again during the persecution of Dioceltian, this time in 304: this St Vitalis was slain in the amphitheatre.   There is also mention of a St Vitalis who was martyred in the persecution of the Emperor Decius in 250 AD.  Or it may be the relic of another Vitalis who perished in one of the persecutions.  There are numerous martyrs, many of them unknown, and even many whose names were unknown but given a name to assist devotion – for example there is a clatter of St Victorias, Martyr: we do not know these women’s names, but they are venerated for their victory for Christ.  So this Vitalis could be an unknown martyr and just given the name or, indeed, the relic could just be a fake.

So how did an Anglo-Irish family come across this relic?  It has been proposed that an ancestor picked it up when on the Grand Tour.  For those of you who do not know about the Grand Tour, it was, simply, the rambles of rich young gentlemen around Europe in the 18^th and 19^th centuries to finish off their education.  It started as a means of completing a Classical education, bringing these young aristocrats to the ancient sites of antiquity: Greece, Italy, Turkey and Egypt.  That’s how it started.  By the middle or end of the 19^th century it had become the upper crust boy’s prolonged booze-up across the flesh pots of Europe where a quick glimpse of the remains of ancient Rome led to an drink and drug fuelled evening in the arms of a lady (or lad) in a local brothel. 

On these trips the young gentlemen did pick up souvenirs, though, to be honest, the relics of a Catholic martyr would not be expected to be among the objects brought home, not for Anglo-Irish Protestants who were not too fond of things Catholic.  So how did it end up with this family?  Perhaps the ancestor was interested in things Catholic and managed to secure the skull.  Now the skull could be a fake, a quick visit to the local charnel house and a bit of DIY by a local artisan with a percentage coming his way, might have satisfied the desire. 

If it is authentic, however, there may a few explanations as to how it ended up in the luggage home to Ireland, although one may be disturbingly possible.  No Catholic church, priest or religious community would hand such a major relic over to a Protestant gentleman regardless of who he was.  The skull may have been either spirited away by a corrupt official or sacristan for a nice tidy sum, or the future owner took matters into his own hands either as part of a jape or out of avarice – either way it is possible that the relic, if authentic, was stolen from a Catholic church.  We will never know.  All we know is that it ended up in a Co. Louth house, then bunged out into a shed, and now has been sold on the open market.  Not a savoury story at all.