All Saints

November always brings with it the solemnity of All Saints on the very first day.  We Catholics are privileged to recognize the ''Communion of Saints."    We have a wonderful custom at First Vespers of All Saints of gathering in our relic chapel and then singing the Litany of the Saints before we process into our main chapel for Vespers.   Our relic chapel contains over 550 relics and is one of the largest collections in the U.S.   It is an ideal place to begin our celebration; in the actual presence of the saints!

interior of relic chapel

Our chapels are also a stopping off point for the local "tourist industry."  With a local population numbering at 82 in the nearest town of Clyde, there aren't a lot of 'tourist' type activities except for ourselves and nearby Conception Abbey.   There isn't even a good coffee shop within 20 miles!

I gave a tour to a class of 8th graders just last week.  As you enter our relic chapel your eyes are drawn to a glass covered altar at the far end of the chapel in which you can see a clothed body reposing.   Now inevitably, the first question these kids always ask in a bit of a whisper is -"Is that a real body back there?"

St. Beatrice the Martyr

It certainly isn't something one sees every day!  "If you aren't afraid to look," I tell them, "you can actually see the bones of the hands through her gloves and the bones of the feet through her slippers."  This either brings a look of fear or excitement.   St. Beatrice is a martyr from the catacombs near Rome and is thought to have been about 13 years old when she was martyred in the early centuries of the church.


Being in a room full of relics of so many holy men and women really gives one pause.   Some of these saints were willing to spill their blood for the faith such as St. Beatrice.   None of us know for sure what we would do if faced with the situation of giving our life for our faith.

St. Therese relics

One of the more popular saints for our visitors is St. Therese of Lisieux.   She is also my confirmation saint so I have a great respect for this cloistered Carmelite.

I have no doubt the saints would have just described themselves as ordinary people like you and me...not doing anything extraordinary...just living their lives as best they could with the help of the grace of God.

...that is really our call, too...no heroic circumstances required...just continued faithfulness day after day in good times and bad...