Gifts from God in His Providence
- Reflections on the new Instruction on Relics
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| Dr Michael Sirilla of Franciscan University of Steubenville. |
Dr Michael Sirilla, Director of Graduate Theology and
Professor of Dogmatic and Systematic Theology, Franciscan University of
Steubenville, speaks with Vatican News about the new Instruction from the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "Relics in the Church: Authenticity
and Preservation."
Christopher Wells
A new document issued by the Congregation for the
Causes of Saints earlier this month provides new directions for
the care and veneration of the mortal remains of holy men and
women.
The Instruction “Relics in the Church: Authenticity
and Preservation” replaces the appendix to the document Sanctorum
Mater, which deals with the manner of conducting an inquiry into the causes
of saints – that is, the procedure by which the lives of holy men and women are
examined as part of the process of canonization.
Vatican News spoke with Dr Michael Sirilla,
Director of Graduate Theology and Professor of Dogmatic and Systematic Theology
at Franciscan University of Steubenville in the United States.
“A relic is a gift from God in His providence,” Dr
Sirilla said. “Relics have a very central place in the Church, and in history,
culturally as well.” He said we honour and venerate the bodies of holy men and
women, because in this life, their bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit.
Dr Sirilla said that, in the new Instruction, one sees,
first of all, that the Church “is very cautious, and in a
certain respect you could say scientifically rigourous” in verifying the
authenticity of relics. He noted some of the “very clear, detailed, and new
guidelines” in the instruction, including involving the heirs of the saints in
the process of authenticating and preserving any relics. The document, Sirilla
said, also re-affirms “that trade and sale of relics, and their exposure in
profane or unauthorized venues is absolutely forbidden.”
In the interview with Vatican Media’s Christopher Wells, Dr
Sirilla also speaks about his own experience with relics, and the graces he and
his family received through the intercession of the Saints.
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