Father Raymond Carlo of Corpus Christi Catholic Church recently played a big role in getting relics of Saint Anthony of Padua brought to Lexington and 13 other churches in the Diocese of Charleston.

It started with a conversation in Publix with Tom Muscatello, a member of Corpus Christi. As it turned out, Tom had a ministry with a branch of the Catholic Orders of Friars that was founded by St. Francis of Assisi in Padua Italy.

The order, under Father Mario Conte makes all decisions about Holy relic tours in the English-speaking world. Father Ray expressed a very strong interest in having one here.

Next day, Tom called Padua and got permission for Friar Bortolino Maiestrello to bring 2 reliquaries to Corpus Christi in Lexington. They also received permission to tour throughout the state of SC from April 6-15.

In all, 8-10 thousand people from 13 Parishes of the Diocese of Charleston saw the Relics.

The tour ended at Corpus Christi where Fr. Ray celebrated 3 masses with beautiful liturgical music, inspiring, uplifting sermons and with veneration of the relics from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

That means that parishioners were able to view and touch the relequeries that contained the holy relics.

It was a day of awe-inspiring devotion, praise, reverence and worship, which left an indelible mark on the faithful of Corpus Christi for years to come.

Not only that, but the tour sparked a tremendous spirit of volunteerism in honor of St. Anthony.

Friar Bortolino, who had never visited the states, returned to Europe with a sense of faith in America, Southern hospitality, love of God and country and respect for all religious denominations.

He called Lexington a very delightful town with lovely churches, peaceful countryside and a lot of praise for God.

If you have a ministry I should check out, email me chuck1947@hotmail.com or call me at 803-359-7633