Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

More than 2,000 Catholics gathered at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, Kentucky, on December 10 to venerate a significant relic of St. Thomas Aquinas. The relic, which is the skull of the renowned Dominican priest and theologian, drew attendees from various dioceses.

The day-long veneration was punctuated by a votive Mass led by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre alongside six priests. During the service, Archbishop Fabre emphasized the distinction between veneration and worship: "Our focus is on God, and God alone — the God whom Thomas Aquinas adored and served." He clarified that while relics are revered, they are not objects of worship.

Attendees included seminarians, religious sisters, priests, families, and students from local academies such as Holy Angels Academy and Immaculata Classical Academy. Hymns composed by St. Thomas Aquinas were performed by students from Immaculata Classical Academy as part of the event's proceedings.

Daniella Spadini traveled from Nashville to attend the event with hopes of seeking intercession from St. Thomas Aquinas during her candidacy process to become a third-order Dominican. She expressed admiration for his "passion for the truth" and felt an emotional connection upon venerating the relic.

The relic is touring several U.S. cities amid anniversaries marking key milestones in St. Thomas Aquinas's life: his canonization in 1323, his death in 1274, and his birth in 1225. The tour began in Washington D.C., stopping in Virginia, Rhode Island, Ohio before reaching Louisville; it will continue to New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

Dominican Father Bernard Timothy highlighted that relics impart graces noted both in Scripture and early church testimonies: “God gives the graces through these saints.” He explained that even after their deaths, saints remain active through their charity.

Father Timothy described the visit as a "great blessing" for the eight Dominican friars residing at St. Louis Bertrand Church due to their close association with St. Thomas Aquinas’s teachings.

To learn more about St. Thomas Aquinas’s intellectual tradition, Father Timothy recommended exploring resources like "Aquinas 101," offered by the Thomistic Institute—a ministry promoting his theological contributions.

The day's events concluded with solemn vespers conducted by Dominican Friars followed by a procession of the relic and a reception.