St. John Paul the Great a Time to Venerate

At the request of Bishop Peter Muhich, Mother Adela Galindo, SCTJM, brought a blood relic of St. John Paul II to this diocese. Mother Adela was here to be the keynote speaker at the 2022 Pastoral Ministry Days in Rapid City. Miraculously the blood is still liquid, and the relic is displayed in a reliquary inspired by the book of Gospels that was on the saint’s casket.

The relic was on display at Immaculate Conception Church in Winner; St. Joseph Church in Faith; the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral, Terra Sancta Retreat Center and at the Rapid City Catholic School System; as well as Sioux Spiritual Center, Howes.

Sisters in the religious order, Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Mother Adela’s Miami, Fla., based order, assisted those venerating the relic with obtaining 3^rd class relics. Part of a saints’ body, like blood or bone, is a 1^st class relic, items owned by a saint are 2^nd class relics. A 3^rd class relic is touched to a 1^st or 2^nd class relic. People honoring the saint brought rosaries, religious medals, and Bibles to the relic. The sisters handed out holy cards and sold small handkerchiefs to be touched to the relic.