On the Trending Video of the Veneration of the Skull of St Agatha

If Protestants decided to exhume the remains of Archbishop Benson Idahosa because they considered him a great man of God and a saint, and then went as far as removing his skull, or any part of his skeleton, to carry it in a public procession, crowning the skull with a royal cap, and then bowing slightly before it in honour and veneration. . .I know exactly what I would be typing if I am to make a post on it.

If I visited my village in Enugu and saw my uncle and some townsmen carrying the skull or skeleton of a man who had died many years ago, claiming that he was their hero and the founder of the village, and then began singing around it and venerating the bones. . .I know exactly what my reaction would be.

So, I can write a whole theological defence of why we bring out the skull of St Agatha, carry it with gloves, crown it, and venerate it. I can explain that this is a Catholic practice of honouring the remains of a holy person and that the veneration given to the relic is not worship.

All of that may be true.

But if I do so without honestly acknowledging how unusual, and even disturbing, the practice can appear to someone who does not share our theological understanding, then I think I am being dishonest with myself.

I can say that it is veneration, not worship. And of course, that distinction is important. But another question remains: Must we venerate the skull or skeleton of anybody in order to honour that person? Does venerating a particular bone or relic bring us closer to salvation?

That is where my own reservations begin.

I understand the theological reasoning behind the practice. I also understand that, within Catholic tradition, relics have a long history and are treated with reverence because of the person whose earthly remains they are. But understanding a practice is not the same thing as having no questions about it.

And perhaps this is one of those moments when, rather than rushing to defend everything we do, it may be more honest to sit back and listen to the criticisms.

Sometimes, criticism can help us examine practices that we have inherited and become accustomed to. Not every criticism of Catholic practice is an attack on Catholicism. Sometimes, a sincere question from outside can force us to ask questions from within.

So, yes, I can defend the veneration of the relic of St Agatha. As a Catholic priest, I understand the theology behind it.

But I also think I am allowed to say: I have my reservations.

Sometimes, it is better to receive the criticism, sit with it, and ask ourselves honestly:

Is this practice helping people encounter Christ, or are we sometimes defending a practice simply because it is ours?

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By Kelvin Ugwu on Facebook