From September 2023 through July 2024, the Treasures of the Church, a non-profit Ministry based in Detroit, Michigan, hosted a pilgrimage of the arm of the Apostle, St. Jude
Thaddeus in the United States, which included visiting 10 parishes in the Diocese of San Bernardino.
The St. Jude relic tour concluded in California with several stops made in the Diocese of San Bernardino at the following parishes:
• St. Christopher Parish, Moreno Valley on June 26
• Sacred Heart Church, Palm Desert on June 28
• St. Anthony Catholic Church, Upland on June 29
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Chino on July 1
• St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Chino Hills on July 2
• St. Joseph Catholic Church, Upland, on July 3
• Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, Corona on July 5
• The Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Community, Redlands on July 8
• St. Edwards Catholic Church, Corona on July 17
• San Secondo d’Asti Catholic Church, on July 20
Each visit included time for public veneration, a way to honor and draw near to the saint and to petition for their prayers and a special Mass celebrated in Saint Jude’s honor. Parishioners were welcomed to take personal items, such as a rosary, and touch it to the relic of St. Jude. The St. Jude relic is a first class relic, which is classified as the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone. When parishioners use an item to touch a first class relic, that item becomes a third class relic, which are items that a saint touched or have been touched to a first, second, or another third class relic of a saint.
The tour, “Apostle of the Impossible: the Tour of the Relics of St. Jude the Apostle,” marked the first time the relic has left Italy. Father Carlos Martins, CC, a Custos Reliquiarum (ecclesiastically-appointed curate of relics) and director of Treasures of the Church, led the relic tour nationwide.
When asked why the tour is happening now, Martins responded, “This pilgrimage comes to a nation still reeling from the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many still grieve a loved one claimed by the virus, numerous folks suffer the effects of long-Covid and other pandemic-related medical conditions, long-term isolation has led to depression for many and deterioration in mental health, there is widespread distrust of public policy and media reporting, and many face economic hardship due to closed businesses and inflation. The Apostle’s visit is an effort by the Catholic Church to give comfort and hope to all who need it.”
About the Saint:
As the son of Mary of Clopas (Cleophas), the sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary and one of the “three Marys” who stood by Jesus during His Crucifixion, Jude is the Lord’s first cousin.
Saint Jude’s visit offers a unique opportunity for devotees and the curious alike to experience a connection with one of the most venerated figures in Christian history. “Regarded as the patron saint of lost causes and desperate situations,” Martins notes, “the visit provides an opportunity for individuals to experience intimacy with someone who dwells in Heaven and beholds God face-to-face. It allows devotees to receive his blessing and entrust him with their petitions.”
About the Relics:
Saint Jude’s body was buried in the place of his martyrdom but was transferred to Rome during the time of Emperor Constantine. His tomb rests directly below the main altar of the left transept of St. Peter’s Basilica. Several centuries ago, his arm was removed and placed in a simple wooden reliquary carved in the shape of a priestly arm, imparting a blessing. They reside within the same reliquary today.
The tour included stops in numerous Catholic dioceses spanning most of the country, including Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Texas, and Oregon, and California. Hosts of the body included parishes, schools, and prisons.