Relics of Roman Catholic saints go on display in Montreal

More evidence that Roman Catholicism is a religion of superstition and idolatry, as reported by the Montreal Gazette, September 17, 2019 (links in original):

Relics from two modern Catholic saints, including a vial of blood from Saint John Paul II, will be on display in several churches around Montreal starting on Friday.

Pilgrims can pay their respects to the relics of the former pope and a linen used by Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) during the week-long tour. The visits are free and open to the public.

Traditionally, Catholics venerate relics by touching or kissing the reliquary, in which the fragment of the holy person’s physical remains or personal item is kept.

They also seek the saint’s assistance spiritual guidance of physical healing.

“It’s a feeling of having the saint close to you,” said Erika Jacinto, a press officer at the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church of Montreal. ‘It’s really unique.”

From earliest times, Christians have honoured relics, which are the physical remains and personal effects of early Christians who were martyred or lived holy lives.

When Pope John Paul II visited Quebec in 1984, an estimated 350,000 people celebrated mass with him at Jarry Park, the largest religious gathering in Canadian history.

Padre Pio was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002 after a campaign crediting him with acts of healing and making reference to signs of stigmata, a term the Catholic Church uses to refer to bodily wounds on an individual that correspond to the wounds of Jesus Christ.

John Paul II was declared a saint in 2014 after he was canonized by Pope Francis.

Events will be held in Spanish with simultaneous French translation because the organizers of the event are from Columbia.

When the relics visit St-Thomas à Becket Parish in Pierrefonds on Monday night, events will be in English only.

Here is a detailed schedule of the tour, which is being organized by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal and Totus Tuus Canada, a missionary community.

Friday, Sept. 20

St-Nazaire Parish, 111 Belanger Ave., LaSalle

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Saturday, Sept. 21

Notre-Dame Basilica, 424 St-Sulpice St.

2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. — public veneration



Sunday, Sept. 22

Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, 1085 de la Cathédrale St.

2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. — rosary and confessions

3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. — “Pray, be hopeful and let nothing disturb you” Conference (Spiritual theme of St-Padre Pio with messages for the family from Saint John Paul II)

3:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. — break

4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. — conference

5 p.m. — mass and veneration of relics



Monday, Sept. 23

St-Thomas à Becket Parish

4320 Ste-Anne St., Pierrefonds

6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration (English only)



Tuesday, Sept. 24

St. Kevin’s Parish, 5600 Côte-des-Neiges Rd.

6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. — rosary, mass, talk and veneration



Wednesday, Sept. 25

St-Gilbert Parish, 5420 des Angevins St., St-Léonard

From 6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Thursday Sept. 26

Paroisse St-Éphrem, 3155 Cartier Blvd. W., Laval

From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Friday, Sept. 27

St-René-Goupil Parish, 4251 Parc René-Goupil St.

6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m. — public veneration



Saturday, September 28, 2019

St-Louis-de-France Church, 825 St-Louis St., Terrebonne

8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. — public veneration



St-Charles-Borromée Parish

3341 St-Charles Rd., Terrebonne

2:30 p.m.to 6 p.m. — public veneration