God can use relics to work miracles

by Letters Editor · August 18, 2011

From: Tony Meehan, Cape Town – A reader was shocked that pilgrims at the beatification of Pope John Paul II venerated the casket and a relic of the blood of the late pope (Open Door, July 13).

As explained in Michael Shackleton’s response, the Catholic Church has a tradition of respecting relics of holy people, but understands that these things, in themselves, are only material items. They have no powers of magic and cannot perform miracles; only God can work miracles. However, God can and does use people and relics to work his miracles.

Confirmation of this truth in the Church’s age-old tradition goes back to the days of St Paul; with the Bible being quite clear on God’s use of holy people and their relics to work miracles: So remarkable were the miracles worked by God at Paul’s hands that handkerchiefs or aprons which touched him were taken to the sick, and they were cured of their illness, and the evil spirits came out of them (Acts 19:11-12).

In some respects, though, I can relate to the reader’s questioning, as I am also a little uncomfortable with certain kinds of veneration.
However, I think it is important that those who express their spiritual emotions by touching and/or kissing statues or crucifixes must clearly understand that these actions cannot and must not be done in an idolatrous or superstitious way, but only as a means of raising their minds to their God.