DEKALB—“I get to give people an experience of the living God,” said Father Carlos Martins, CC, to a filled Christ the Teacher University Parish,  Oct. 23.

As a member of the Companions of the Cross, Father Martins travels with first and second class relics of many saints as well as pieces of the cross of Christ and other such items, bringing them to parishes across North America. He spent several days in late October, showing the exhibit in several parishes in the Fox Valley area and some in the neighboring Archdiocese of Chicago.

The priest began in the church with an information-packed talk. In it, he described the saints as “giant billboards pointing to God … and God also points to his saints as His masterpieces.” God, he said, is “a perfect gentleman” who “enters the hearts where He has been invited and where room is made for Him.”

He detailed four “handcuffs” that keep Catholics from welcoming that perfect gentleman: refusal to attend Sunday Mass, refusal to confess sins sacramentally, refusal to make a complete disclosure of sins in confession, and refusal to extend forgiveness to those who harm them.

First class relics, Father Martins explained, are the body of a saint or a fragment of their body. Second class relics are something owned by the saint, such as a piece of their garment. Third class relics are usually-religious items touched to first, second or third class relics. He also showed and explained how the Church assures that a relic is authentic, showing slides of documents and a seal on a theca — a small locket with a glass window that allows the relic to be viewed. Reliquaries are the larger containers holding the theca.

Following his talk, those present were welcomed downstairs where relics of 166 saints and blesseds — plus one Servant of God, Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus — were displayed. The saints hailed from the beginnings of the church (the Apostles) to recent times (Pope St. John Paul II) and most centuries in between.

Each reliquary was accompanied by a brief biography and picture of the saint. People searched out particular saints and learned of saints they had not heard of or knew about only vaguely.

Father Martins’ directions included permission to pick up the smaller reliquaries, and touch the larger ones. Many people prayed silently with the relics of saints, and several touched rosaries or other items to the reliquaries.

Father Martins ended his talk with a detailed account of St. Maria Goretti. He emphasized the good that resulted, “all because Maria chose to forgive; she chose to be a saint!”

As the details of their lives illustrated, saints may all be different, but they all, indeed, said “Yes” to God, welcomed Him into their hearts, and chose to become saints.