When I chose to read Saints
Preserved: An Encyclopedia of Relics by Thomas J. Craughwell, I did so
mostly because I tend to think that relics are a little on the weird side. And,
since I am a Roman Catholic and I work in ministry, I thought that reading up
on this unique tradition in the Catholic Church, perhaps I would be able to
relate to it better.
This book, while it doesn’t talk that much about relics in
general, did help me to understand this unappreciated tradition a little
better. The author reminds us to think about how we relate to our own familial “relics.”
For example, is it really so strange to treasure things belonging to a saint
when we treasure in our own families the things that belonged to our ancestors:
grandma’s china, grandpa’s pipe? And then there are the first class relics—but is
it strange to treasure the bodies of saints (or body parts) when there are
plenty of families that have their ancestors’ cremated remains in their homes?
Or, when we visit graves of deceased friends? Craughwell makes it seem that
relics are really a natural part of the human experience. Catholics just seem
to talk about them a little more than most.
In addition to giving me a greater appreciation for relics,
I think that the real strength of this book is that it gives you an opportunity
to learn more about saints. Craughwell writes a little blurb on each saint
discussed, tells you why they were thought important enough to honor their
remains. Then, he tells the (sometimes humorous) tale of how their remains
ended up where they are, or how claims about the remains were made. When
talking about one of the many saints that apparently have multiple sets of
remains, he gives both accounts, never taking a side.
This book is interesting and is a great opportunity to learn
more about both Saints and relics. It is exactly what the title makes it sound
like: an encyclopedia of relics. If you’re looking for a more clear theology or
better information on why we honor relics, this is not the book for you.
However, if you want a little information on relics, a little information about
saints, and a few laughs, I highly recommend Thomas J. Craughwell’s Saints Preserved: An Encyclopedia of Relics.
(This book was provided free of charge by Waterbrook Multnomah for reviewing purposes.)
