WELCOMING THE FIRST-CLASS RELIC OF ST. FAUSTINA TO OUR PARISH

A relic is a sacred object associated with a saint and is treasured by the Church as a tangible connection to those who lived heroic lives of holiness. A first-class relic is a physical part of the saint’s body, such as a bone fragment. Relics remind us that the saints were real people who faithfully followed Christ and now intercede for us before God. Through them, we are encouraged to grow in faith, holiness, and devotion.

After several months of communication and arrangements with the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Krakow, Poland, we are grateful and blessed to announce that our Parish has obtained a first-class relic of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (Reliquae ex Ossibus is a Latin phrase that translates to "relic or fragment from the bone). 

 

This precious gift comes at a time when devotion to the Divine Mercy Chaplet is steadily growing among our Parishioners, together with a deeper appreciation of the spirituality of St. Faustina. Therefore, the Parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, Kuantan, is honoured to receive this special relic as a spiritual treasure for our community.

 

As Catholics, our primary devotion after the Holy Eucharist is always our love for Christ through prayer, especially the Holy Rosary. Alongside this devotion, the Church also encourages other devotions that draw us closer to God. The Divine Mercy Chaplet, entrusted by Jesus to St. Faustina, is one such devotion that reminds us of God’s infinite mercy and compassion.

 

We received the first-class relic from Sr. Norberta at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków, Poland. Sr. Norberta, together with the Mother General, Miriam Janice, and the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, kindly assisted in making all the necessary arrangements. 

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), a member of this congregation, was chosen by Jesus to proclaim His message of Divine Mercy to the world. Through her diary and witness of faith, millions have come to trust more deeply in the rich mercy of God.

To mark the arrival of the relic, we will have a special Divine Mercy Chaplet, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Eucharistic celebration. This celebration is our way of welcoming St. Faustina into our Parish family. Her presence among us through this relic will inspire us to grow in devotional prayer, practise works of mercy, and trust more completely in God’s unfailing grace.

We warmly invite all Parishioners to join us this Sunday (28 June) as we welcome the relic of St. Faustina and continue our Novena to St. Thomas the Apostle, our patron saint. May St. Faustina and St. Thomas intercede for us and lead us ever closer to Jesus Christ.