A first class relic of our patroness, St. Angela Merici, was placed in our altar and sealed during the dedication of the church. Relic is derived from the Latin word reliquiae, meaning ‘remains’ and a form of the Latin verb relinquere: to ‘leave behind.’
To venerate the relics of the saints is a profession of belief in several doctrines of the Catholic faith: (1) the belief in everlasting life for those who have obediently witnessed to Christ and His Holy Gospel here on earth; (2) the truth of the resurrection of the body for all persons on the last day; (3) the doctrine of the splendor of the human body and the respect which all should show toward the bodies of both the living and the deceased; (4) the belief in the special intercessory power which the saints enjoy in heaven because of their intimate relationship with Christ the King; and (5) the truth of our closeness to the saints because of our connection in the communion of saints: we as members of the pilgrim Church, they as members of the Church triumphant.
There are three classes of sacred relics. The first-class is a part of a saint’s body (It is this type which is placed in an altar). A second-class relic is a piece of the saints clothing or something used by the saint, and a third-class relic is an object which has been touched to a first-class relic. In preparation for the consecration of our altar, Cardinal DiNardo requested a first-class relic of St. Angela from Rome. Along with the relic (we have received a small piece of a bone) we have received a certificate of authenticity from one of the Roman curial offices. The relic itself is placed in a reliquary (a container for the relic), sealed with wax and a stamp of authenticity.
The relic of St. Angela Merici was placed in our altar and sealed. The altar is Christ, the suffering servant, who sacrificed his life for our salvation. We placed a relic of St. Angela in our altar as we consecrated it and prayed, through her intercession and patronage, that she will be a spiritual companion for us as we walk this journey of faith together. By her prayer and example, we too unite ourselves to the sacrifice of Christ and are transformed more and more into His Body for the life of the world.