St. Martha Church in Morton Grove Welcomes New Catholic Relics for Christmas Celebrations
The Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church in Morton Grove is making headlines this Christmas season with the addition of two Catholic holy relics, one from St. Luke the Evangelist and the other from St. Juan Diego. These relics join a collection of over 3,100 others at the church, making it one of the largest collections in the world.
The St. Luke relic, a wooden plaque with a carving of a bull, symbolizing the evangelist, contains the tip of St. Luke’s right thumb. Rev. Dennis B. O’Neill, the curator of the shrine, explained the significance of the relic, noting that St. Luke is an important figure in Christianity and is credited with writing the Gospel of St. Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.
The St. Juan Diego relic, a bone fragment of the saint, was added just before the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom Catholics believe Juan Diego had a vision in Mexico in 1531. The relic was welcomed with a special Mass at St. Martha Church, attended by 400 Catholics, and later blessed by O’Neill before being taken to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines.
O’Neill, who has a passion for relics and their connection to the saints, regularly searches for new relics to add to the collection. He believes that relics serve as a tangible connection to the saints and allow people to feel a personal connection to them.
The shrine’s collection of relics is considered sacramentals by the Catholic Church, objects that open channels of communication between the faithful and Jesus, Mary, or the saints. O’Neill emphasized the belief that the saints continue to love and support us even after death, and relics serve as a way to maintain that connection.
With the addition of these new relics, the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church continues to be a place of reverence and devotion for Catholics in the Morton Grove community. The relics serve as a reminder of the rich history and traditions of the Catholic faith, providing a unique and spiritual experience for parishioners and visitors alike.