By André Escaleira, Jr., and Neil McDonough
What would it be like to welcome an apostle to your community?
Parishes across the country have been privileged to welcome a major relic of St. Jude, the “Apostle of the Impossible,” to their communities in a historic tour the likes of which have not happened in centuries. Last week–and for a few more days–the Archdiocese of Denver has been blessed by the apostolic visit.
St. Jude’s relics have made their way around the archdiocese, visiting St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Fort Collins, St. John the Baptist Parish in Longmont, Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Lakewood and Holy Name Parish in Sheridan. Later Monday afternoon, the relics will arrive at St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial before departing for Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Boulder on Tuesday.
“I have been watching his journey around the United States, waiting for him to come here. I even almost took a road trip to New Mexico just to make sure I’d be able to see him,” said Katy Nally, a parishioner at St. Peter Parish in Greeley who venerated St. Jude’s relics at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Fort Collins Tuesday.
“This is the only chance I’ve had to see my confirmation saint in person,” she continued, reflecting on the opportunity of a lifetime to draw near to a saint that has been so meaningful for her. “Having an actual apostle here is astonishing, especially because having them move and travel around is really iffy. But it’s beautiful that we have the saint of the impossible to come here, especially in Colorado, which is kind of a bad political state right now. I really hope that his coming here really helps, influences and brings an end to abortion. So, I think that having him here is a great blessing and a great honor.”
“It’s a very special event because we don’t see relics come too often. We’ve had some in the past, but this is a really special one. So, a lot of excitement,” added Mark Fry, a Knight of Columbus at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. “I think it’s going to increase people’s faith and might bring some healings.”
Leading the tour across the country is Father Carlos Martins, director of Treasures of the Church, a ministry of evangelization that seeks to “facilitate an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints,” as the organization says on their website.
“He is known as the ‘Apostle of the Impossible,’ and for good reason,” Father Martins told the Denver Catholic. “He gets results. God hears his prayers. And so, this opportunity really is a once in a lifetime because it is the first time his relics have left Italy in 1700 years. So, this is likely not going to happen again. Jude is close with our Lord and is interested in our lives. And he’s proven that time and time again.”
The popular saint-apostle is best known for his patronage of impossible causes, with thousands turning to him for miracles, healings and more. In the nationwide tour, St. Jude is now coming to the thousands and is leading them closer to Christ through his intercession, witness and presence.
“Somehow, the saints have a way of finding you,” said Father Joseph Toledo, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Fort Collins. Father Toledo wasn’t expecting the visit but received a providential phone call out of the blue one day, which he took as a sign that St. Jude wanted to visit his community. “We’re really greatly pleased and blessed to have this opportunity to have him.
“It’s an opportunity for us to come in contact with the apostles, with those who walked with Jesus, and it’s Jesus’ way of calling Colorado to a deeper walk with him and to take our faith on a more serious level,” Father Toledo continued. “This is the opportunity, as he goes parish to parish, for all of us to touch someone who walked with Christ, who would touch Christ. And what better opportunity could we have? So, we’re going to take advantage of it while we have it.”
Father Toledo shared that the visit comes at an opportune time for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. In recent years, the parish has made an intentional move “from maintenance to mission,” recognizing the apostolic age in which we live. The visit of an apostle himself seems to confirm the parish’s work and encourage them to redouble their evangelization efforts.
“We have been growing as a parish, going from maintenance to mission, meaning that we can no longer just work to maintain what we have,” Father Toledo told the Denver Catholic. “We must go out on mission. St. Jude’s visit is a confirmation for our parish to go out on that mission, and they’re not going to come to us. We have to go get them. This is what St. Jude did, and this is a confirmation for us as a parish that we are on the right track, that the work that has begun here in the last few years, bringing the parish to a deeper prayer life and calling it more to mission, is bearing fruit with an Apostle coming and saying ‘I bless this, now go forth and do it.’ So we’re very proud.”
Just as his life continues to inspire faithful worldwide, St. Jude’s visit to the archdiocese confirms missionary zeal, convicts hearts to return to the Lord Jesus and secures graces and healings from the heart of the Father.
In fact, Father Martins shared that on Tuesday alone, he received word of multiple healings attributed to the St. Jude tour. With graces already flowing forth, Father Martins hopes that the faithful around the archdiocese will make their way to encounter the Lord Jesus through the visit of the ‘Apostle of the Impossible’ to a parish nearby.
“Even on my phone right now, I was just looking at three emails, three reported healings from the tour,” Father Martins said. “My hope is that people come and experience heaven, that the people avail themselves of his presence.”
St. Jude, pray for us!
Schedule of the Apostle of the Impossible tour of the relics of St. Jude:
Monday, October 28, 2024 *** Feast Day of Saint Jude ***
St. Thomas More Catholic Parish
7158035 S Quebec St
Centennial, Colorado 80112
(303) 770-1155
- Public veneration of Saint Jude Relics begins: 2:00 PM
- Special Mass celebrated in Saint Jude’s honor: 7:00 PM
- Public veneration ends: 10:00 PM
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
1318 Mapleton Ave
Boulder, Colorado 80304
(303) 442-6158
- Public veneration of Saint Jude Relics begins: 2:00 PM
- Special Mass celebrated in Saint Jude’s honor: 7:00 PM
- Public veneration ends: 10:00 PM
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
2746 Fifth Street
Castle Rock, Colorado 80104
(303) 688-3025
- Public veneration of Saint Jude Relics begins: 2:00 PM
- Special Mass celebrated in Saint Jude’s honor: 7:00 PM
- Public veneration ends: 10:00 PM
For the most up-to-date schedule, click here.