Third Class awesomeness.

Unexpected presents are the best. Unexpected Catholic presents are even better (don't question how this is possible, they just exist at a level of uber-goodness that is somehow better than the best)

The story: I arrived at a persons house to find him in the kitchen in an explosion of holy cards and medals saying something to the effect of "Did I really order 50 how to say the rosary cards?" I immediately knew what had happened... Catholic on-line shopping had arrived. He then proceeds to start picking up medals and putting them in my hands.

I now have third class relics of St. Joseph, St. Padre Pio, St Therese of Lisieux, St. Jude and St. Faustina.

I know. My friends are amazing.

My response was to go a little crazy and put them all on my scapular:

I may have also made a noise like a 12 year old at a One-Direction concert as soon as I was alone. Although I am unimpressed with the jingling sound I make when I walk now (oh Catholic problems) a solution shall have to be found.

Speaking of relics...

There was recently a first class relic of St Francis Xavier in the diocese I don't belong to but spend most of my time in. I had never seen a First class relic before, and the first time I heard his disembodied hand was coming I honestly thought it sounded a bit manky, but it's not because it looks like this:

Photo from here

  I also didn't know an awful lot about St. Francis Xavier so I read ETWN's write up on him. 

I ended up going to see the relic while I was on a date, which also included a beach rosary (I was ridiculously impressed) which meant that for the rest of the week my conversations ran along the lines of

"What did you do on the weekend?"

"oh, I went on a date"

"Cool, what did you do?"

"We venerated St. Francis' arm then went to the beach and said a rosary :)"  

I didn't take any photos, being the kind of person who takes a camera with them on holidays then leaves it in the hotel the whole time, but I guess some one else was taking photos because the next week I showed up in The Record so I will hack their picture:

God bless you.