A First Class Relic of the soon-to-be Saint Carlo Acutis, will be presented to the parish priest of Ardfinnan, in Co. Tipperary three days after Carlo’s canonisation by Pope Leo XIV of the first Millennial Saint in the Vatican on Sunday 7th September.
Fr Michael Toomey will be among some parishioners from Ardfinnan and thousands of others who will gather in Rome, to con-celebrate the Mass with Pope Leo XIV, along with Carlo’s parents and family, to be part of the Canonisation of both Carlo Acutis and with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Fr Michael will then travel to Assisi, where the remains of Carlo Acutis lie in repose for people to see and venerate, and he will receive the authorised First Class Relic from the Bishop of Assisi. The relic will then remain permanently at Holy Family Church in Ardfinnan, where the recent blessing and instillation of a statue of Carlo Acutis and shrine in Ardfinnan to the new saint has already drawn thousands from across the country to see it.
A first-class relic is a physical part of a saint’s body, such as a bone, hair, or blood, that is highly revered in the Catholic Church as a means for God to bestow grace and encourage veneration and prayer. These relics are considered the most significant form of relics and often become focal points for pilgrimages and devotion, as they are seen as a powerful connection to the saint’s spiritual power and closeness to God. There are other official First-Class Relic’s permanently on display in Ireland including in St. Annes Church in Sligo, and the Friary in Killarney, and now Holy Family Church Ardfinnan in Co. Tipperary will be the latest church to now have a relic permanently on display in the country.
Parish Priest of Ardfinnan, Fr Michael Toomey said: “I am deeply honoured to have received the news that our village parish in Ardfinnan has been granted the gift of a First Class relic of a Saint whose life has already been shared with many of our young people and parishioners across our pastoral area and beyond. Our shrine has attracted many thousands across the country since its instillation in January which has a life size statue, an interactive biography and a livestream of Carlo’s tomb in Assisi where daily thousands pass by his tomb to pray and be inspired by his short and remarkable life’. “Carlo is a powerful example of faith for young people. Having his statue here and now his First Class Relic in our parish encourages people to come to the church from all over the Ireland. It makes the church a place to pray in a special way for young people who have been amazed at Carlos’ story and can easily connect to him because of similar interests they have particularly with computers, gaming, and football who can be seen reposing in Nike trainers, his jeans and sweatshirt ” said Fr Michael.
A Mass of Installation of the relic will be celebrated in Holy Family Church Ardfinnan on Sunday October 12th at 12 noon and the relic will then be permanently on display for people to come and venerate at any time. People may come anytime of the day to the village church to visit the shrine in Holy Family Church, Ardfinnan, Co. Tipperary – Eircode E91 W7P3.
For more on Carlo Acutis go to: www.waterfordlismore.ie/carlo-acutis
The tomb of Carlo Acutis in Assisi (shown below).
