April 16, 2021 In This Issue ESSENGER M Serving the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky since 1926 2 General Assembly update CCK says many positive Diocese’s new Custos of Holy changes Relics shares enthusiasm for The Relic Collection of the Diocese of Covington 3 Year of St. Joseph Church’s devotional life One of the largest holdings in the United Parish patron Laura Keener with respect — but never worshipped. States, the relic collection of the Diocese Editor To learn more about relics, the Messenger of Covington is comprised of over 300 3 Official assignment The Diocese of Covington is home to one e-mailed Father Hainsey a few questions. Relics. With numerous relics authenticated of the largest collections of relics in the Here, in question and answer format, is what by Covington’s first Bishop, George United States. (See related story right). To he had to say. 3 Cathedral reopens care and safeguard this collection of over 300 Would you say the definition/translation Aloysius Carrell, it was Covington’s third For visitors and first and second class relics, Bishop Roger of the word “Custos” in this application is Bishop, Camillus Paul Maes, who Foys has appointed Father Jordan Hainsey “guardian”? If not what is the documented the first relic inventory, private prayer to Custos of Holy Relics of the Diocese of definition/translation of Custos? obtained relics from Europe, and Covington. The word “custos” in the strictest sense instantiated relic devotion in the life of 6 ‘We Choose Life’ “We are excited to finally have all of the means guardian, keeper, protector. In the the growing Church in Northern Kentucky. precious relics of the diocese displayed in an Holy Land for example, the custos is a lead- Authenticating many of the relics himself appropriate manner in the Mother Church — ing Franciscan figure responsible for receiv- 10 Holy Week the Cathedral Basilica,” said Bishop Roger ing pilgrims, the maintaining of the status over the course of two decades, Bishop Celebrated with renewed joy Foys, “Father Hainsey has done a remark- quo (the code that regulates life at the Holy Maes assembled some of the finest and able job organizing the relics and preparing Sepulchre and the Church of the Nativity), most beautiful relics of the 19th century. 17 VIRTUS them for display. This will be another distin- and most importantly, the conservation and guishing preservation of the holy sites central to the The Relic Shrine of St. Paul, located April is an open month mark of the faith. So as a custos of holy relics, I see to it beneath the Baldacchino of the Cathedral Cathedral that the relics are protected and available for Basilica of the Assumption, displays a large Basilica and veneration by the faithful. selection of relics from the Diocesan a way to When will the Relic Shrine of St. Paul be collection. The heart of the collection are honor the installed? What will it be made of? What two skull relics taken from the 11,000 saints who will it look like? have gone The Relic Shrine is scheduled to be companion martyrs of St. Ursula donated before us and installed this spring and dedicated to St. by the Shrine in Cologne, Germany, to now enjoy Paul, the patron and protector of the Diocese Bishop Maes in the early 20th century. eternal life of Covington. In dedicating the altar to St. Decades later, Bishop William T. Mulloy, with our Paul where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass would expand the collection further, Moving? Wrong address? God.” can be offered, it calls to mind one of the obtaining dozens of relics from Rome. Call the circulation desk, The role Church’s first witnesses and martyrs. An (859) 392-1570 of the Many of the relics incased in small thecas Father Jordan Hainsey altarpiece painting will feature the apostle to Custos of the Gentiles with four vignette paintings (cases) came from Covington’s former St. Holy Relics is to protect the sacred relics and beneath it depicting four great events that Pius X Seminary. In addition to the relics Bishop’s Schedule . .3 to cultivate the revival of relic veneration in span the life of the diocese: the erection of on view, the Diocese possesses several Commentary . .4 the devotional life of the Church. The Custos the Diocese of Covington by Pope Blessed lipsanothecae (relic boxes) of first and People and Events . .8 is also charged with expanding, growing and Pius IX; the building of the Cathedral; the second class relics from the time of Bishop authenticating the relic collection. Classifieds . .14 entombment of Bishop Camillus Paul Maes Maes. Sealed in paper, each relic will Holy relics are physical objects directly in the Cathedral; and the translation of Entertainment . .16 eventually be sealed in new thecae for associated with the saints or with Christ. major St. Ursula Martyr relics to the St. Paul Shopper’s Guide . .16 They are categorized into three classes. First Altar Shrine. Two cases will flank the gilded display and veneration by the faithful. VIRTUS . .17 class relics are the body or fragments of the altarpiece and display the vast holding of the News Briefs . .19 body of a saint. Second class relics are some- diocesan relic collection. Made of white oak In 2021, the Relic Shrine of St. Paul thing that a saint owned or used. Third class with gilded details to match the Cathedral’s will be installed in the Cathedral Basilica relics are items that have been touched to a interior wood appointments, the altar will of the Assumption. Housing the principal Missed an edition? Current and back first, second or another third class relic. reflect a neo-gothic style, to blend with the relic collection of the Diocese of issues of the Messenger are available Relics are meant to be venerated — regarded (Continued on page 9) Covington, Bishop Foys has continued the online at covdio.org/messenger. legacy of his episcopal predecessors, expanding the relic collection with the Church’s newest saints and blesseds; some include: Pope St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Bl. Solanus Casey, Bl. Stanley Rother, Bl. Miguel Pro, Bl. Carlo Acutis, St. Theresa of Calcutta, St. Damien of Molokai, Bl. Franz Jägerstätter, St. Oscar Romero, St. Katharine Drexel, Bl. Anna Maria Taigi, Bl. Clelia Merloni, Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, St. Edith Stein, Bl. Mariam Teresa Demjanovich, and St. Conrad of Parzham. In 2021, Bishop Foys appointed Father Jordan Hainsey, Ob.S.B., K.H.S., as the Custos of Holy relics for the Diocese of Covington. His work is focused on caring for the relic collection and for promoting relic devotion in the Diocese. A relic authenticate document by Bishop Camillus Paul Maes testifying to his deposit of sacred relics in one of the Cathedral Basilica altars. 2 April 16, 2021 Messenger Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Ohio. HB 497 removes barriers to reentry for those exiting the 2021 General Assembly passes victories for corrections system. HB 497 tasks the Kentucky Department of Corrections with issuing certificates of children — born and unborn — and more employability to those who successfully complete pro- Messenger Staff Report ful that Kentucky families in need now have more oppor- grams while in incarceration. It will incentivize employers The 2021 regular session of the Kentucky General tunities to benefit because of HB 563.” to hire the formerly incarcerated by providing liability Assembly ended with many positive changes to the law for Finally, there has been tremendous progress in the area protections. The bill further encourages other important which Catholic Conference of Kentucky and the broader of criminal justice reform. CCK is a founding member of reentry supports such as the issuance of IDs and better Catholic community have long advocated. the Kentucky Smart on Crime coalition, and have longed access to health care for people leaving incarceration. “To everyone who wrote to or called your legislators worked toward improvements in our criminal justice sys- SB 80 better defines the law enforcement officer decerti- over the past several months, thank you! You are a big part tem. This year saw the adoption of a long list of positive fication process, protects law enforcement agencies by of these victories,” said Jason Hall, executive director, changes. Here are several that were supported by the coali- bringing transparency to prior misconduct by applicants, CCK. “The work of our bishops and CCK staff would never tion. and requires an officer to intervene when another officer is see this kind of success without the support of the broader SB 32 was amended to include SB 36, which CCK and engaging in the use of unlawful and unjustified excessive Catholic community. May God bless you for your commit- Smart on Crime supported. This bill changes the law deal- or deadly force. ment to Faithful Citizenship.” ing with the automatic transfer of juveniles to adult court SB 4 significantly limits the use of no-knock search In an e-mail, Mr. Hall provided the following wrap-up of and restores many of those decisions to the discretion of warrants. The legislation sets strict procedures and the session. the judge, based on the circumstances of the particular requirements for the issuance of warrants authorizing Two very important steps were taken on the issue of case. There are many advantages to this new approach, but police entry without notice. protecting unborn human life. First, SB 9, the Born Alive in particular it will help address racial disparities. SB 84 provides pregnant women in incarceration the Infant Protection Act, was passed in the early days of ses- According to data from the Kentucky Administrative necessary resources for a safe and healthy pregnancy.