St John Bosco’s relics were in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral today where the faithful were able to venerate, pray and learn about the saint. This was part of a world tour, organised by the Salesians, which marks the bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth in 1815.
Here are some photos taken this afternoon in the modern cathedral with its unusual lighting:
Prayer cards with this prayer were handed out:
A prayer to Don Bosco
St John Bosco, be my guide as I walk the path of friendship with the Lord Jesus,
so that I may discover in Him and in His Gospel the meaning of my life
and the source of true happiness.
Help me to respond with generosity to the vocation I have received from God,
and to build a better world by being a good Christian and honest citizen.
Help me to live each day by the values of the Gospel,
to be guided by the Spirit of God in the depth of my heart
and to see God’s goodness in all the people in my life,
so that I may one day be with you in the great family of heaven.
Amen.
Photos by Philip Chidell. Full set available here.
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
Joining young and old in veneration of the relics at the Cathedral today on the Feast of the Epiphany seemed rather apt. Just as the three wise men followed the star which led them to the Holy Infant, so we are able to follow the great saints who by their exemplary lives forged their way to heaven. The people in the cathedral certainly seemed reverend and prayerful. And the priests hearing confession were kept quite busy. Says it all, I think…
LikeLike
Your well illustrated article comes just after a BBC TV documentary I have been watching on i-Player, with the retiring Archbishop of Canterbury, http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01pm9z6/Goodbye_to_Canterbury/
He movingly sits down in the space vacated by the relics of Thomas a Becket and speaks of the importance of the bones of the saint. The liberals who long for the lost Catholicism have rarely been so honest as this.
LikeLike
In response to what’s the point – yes. Anyone with any sense of reverence or history will find such relics a great help. It is only silly modern cafeteria Catholics and some ignorant Protestants who fail to understand this.
LikeLike
Well said, Jessica, and what a surprise to bump into you here!
LikeLike
The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping, and Adoration, as well as Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.
BCP
LikeLike
Hems of garments anyone? Ark of the Covenant? Otoh, bibliomancy?
LikeLike
How disappointing the relic is not to visit Wythenshawe as the heart relic did.
Locals could ask the Bishop why this did not happen.
Bishop Mark Davies. Appointments:
Sunday 13th January
Mass in School Hall to mark the Centenary of Harrytown Catholic High School, Romiley, 2pm
Tuesday 15th January
Pastoral Visit to Alderley Edge School for Girls, Alderley Edge, 9.30am
LikeLike
Funny that, o_b_ joyful, because the person who I honour via my blog name didn’t think that way, even when he was an Anglican in good standing, a Fellow of Oriel College, the Vicar of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (Oxford), and all-round, stand-up guy beloved and admired by pretty well everyone who knew him, including just about every important C of E cleric of the age. Indeed, Newman states in his Apologia that “…the [39] Articles [from whence cometh your comment] do not oppose Catholic teaching…”, and more to the point, regarding your reference to “Romish” doctrine, in his Tract 90 of February, 1841, he had this to say.
___
Very nice photography. In the last shot, of the child in her father’s arms, there’s a trompe l’oeil. Just to the left of the little girl, we can see either a photo of a man, or an ephemeral image of a saint (Mary ?) gazing heavenward.
Happy Epiphany to all.
LikeLike
Phil, this is a Salesian initiative (whereas the tour of St John Vianney’s relic was +Davies’), so they will no doubt have selected the venues themselves. Bishop Mark is known to work extremely hard and we are simply not aware of the tasks he performs beyond what is shown in his public diary.
Johnhenrycn, what you see to the left of the child is in fact a poster of St John Bosco. These were dotted around the cathedral with information about his life and teaching.
LikeLike
Apologies, CP&S. Some glitches from YouTube.
Third time luckier?
LikeLike
Nice to see you here Mr R xx
LikeLike
Hello Jessica. One of the disgraceful cowards who bullied you on the DT blog is posting here, I see. How he has the gall to post under the relics of a saint, I do not know. Pray for him: he is in need of it. Anyone whose deliberate intention is to cause pain among Christians is a menace..
LikeLike
And Phil said unto him: “Rabbits have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the son of Stockport hath not where to lay his head…”
…so, naturally, being banned elsewhere, he comes here in hopes of finding sanctuary. Nothing wrong with that, and let’s not bring battles from another blog onto this one, hmm?
LikeLike