The “traveling“ reliquary of St. Damien de Veuster.
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The “traveling“ reliquary of St. Marianne Cope.
The Diocese of Honolulu is making available to other dioceses, parishes and religious institutes first class relics of St. Damien and St. Marianne for veneration. The Office of Worship, which is coordinating the use of the “traveling” relics, has published on the diocesan website the protocols for the transporting and displaying of these relics.
First class relics are parts of the saint’s body, which in these and in most cases, are bone fragments.
The purpose of relics is to promote “the true and authentic veneration” of saints, “whose example instructs the Christian faithful and whose intercession sustains them” the website states, quoting the Code of Canon Law.
The only persons whose relics can be “reverenced through public veneration,” the website says, are of those who have been beatified or canonized.
Here are some of the rules listed by the Office of Worship for borrowing a traveling relic:
The relic is to be transported only by a “person designated by the Bishop of Honolulu.”
The entity requesting the relic must reimburse the Diocese of Honolulu the airfare of the person designated to travel with the relic, provide him or her living accommodations, meals and ground transportation.
A secure storage place must be provided for the relic while it is not being venerated.
A donation to the Diocese of Honolulu for the work of the Father Damien/Mother Marianne Commission is encouraged but not required.
All other local expenses involved in the visit of the relic will be the responsibility of the requesting entity.
A suitable table or stand, but not the altar, must be provided for the reliquary to be reverently displayed.
At least two trustworthy persons are required to stay with the relic while it is on display
The relic of St. Damien is displayed in a reliquary about the shape and size of a cigar box, made from the wood of a monkeypod tree St. Damien planted at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Church in Kaluaaha, Molokai. It holds a bone from a foot of St. Damien, visible through an oval Plexiglas window.
The relic of St. Marianne is a bone fragment housed in a wooden Tau cross (Franciscan cross in the shape of the Greek letter Tau), which can be laid flat or displayed on an accompanying wooden stand. With its base it is about 13.5 inches high.
The Diocese of Honolulu owns each relic.
The diocese, parish or religious institute receiving the relic should plan prayers and devotions to accompany the relic display. These may include Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, anointing of the sick, or the rosary. It is also recommended that priests be available for the sacrament of penance.
The diocesan website provides sheet music of hymns about St. Damien and St. Marianne to use for devotions.
All activities should be properly planned and promoted, the website says.
The person accompanying the relic may also have books, videos and other souvenirs of the saints available for purchase. Proceeds go to the Father Damien/Mother Marianne Commission of the Diocese of Honolulu, which promotes devotion to the two saints.
The site also answers eight “frequently asked questions” regarding relics including, “What is a relic?” “Where did the Catholic tradition of venerating saints’ relics come from?” “When did veneration of relics begin?” and “Are lay Catholics allowed to have first-class relics in their homes?”
For more information, go to catholichawaii.org/catholic-essentials/saints-traveling-relics.
