St. Virgil Roman Catholic Parish

History

The Story of the St. Virgil´s Relic

The reliquary for the St. Virgil Relic at St. Virgil´s Church in Morris Plains, NJ.

The following is an extract from The Story of a Parish by Rev. James J. Flynn, former pastor of Assumption Parish, Morristown, and founder of St. Virgil´s parish. Fr. Flynn tells the story of the St. Virgil relic and a miracle attributed to this relic.
·The Church (of the Assumption, Morristown) was further enriched by the arrival of the precious relic of St. Virgil, which, through the kind offices of Franz Mayer of Munich, Bavaria, was so graciously given by the Archbishop of Saltzburg (on March 24, 1887) .
"We have thus come into possession of, perhaps, the only genuine relic of an Irish Saint on this continent. And thus, after the lapse of twelve centuries, this saintly prelate, a voluntary exile from his fatherland for the spread of the Gospel, finds among the children of his exiled race, in a land whose existence he maintained almost at the cost of degradation from his high office, a new home, ardent worshippers, and devout clients. That God is wonderful in his Saints is still evidenced by the blessings, both spiritual and corporal, which have been so abundantly shed upon us. Gratitude to God demands more than a passing allusion to this manifestation of His power, as well to enkindle greater love and reverence towards Him as to strengthen the faith of the flock.
"Miss M______ for years was a sufferer from a severe disorder, and had tried vainly the skill of the local physicians and specialists of high repute. Hundreds of dollars had been expended in this fruitless search for health.
"On the advice of Dr. J. H. O´Reilly, and accompanied by him and her sister, she visited the most celebrated specialist in New York. A patient and
searching examination convinced the physician that a perilous operation would be necessary, with the
chances of surviving it greatly against her. Womanly modesty more than the fear of death made her shrink from the proposition.
"On returning home, she began a novena to St. Virgil, and, as usual, received Holy Communion on the morning of the ninth day. Dean Flynn read over her the prayers for the sick in the Roman Ritual and blessed her with the holy relic.
"Full of faith and joy, she went home and announced to her family that she was cured. The scrutiny of the New York physician, whom they again sought, after another diligent examination could discover no traces of her disease. She was, indeed, entirely cured. Neither medicine nor physician had any part in her instantaneous restoration to health, but the power of God, through the intercession of St. Virgil."
(A short clinical history of the case by Dr. J. H. O´Reilly is contained in The Story of A Parish)
The St. Virgil relic resided in the altar of the Assumption Church until that building was renovated recently. At the request of members of the St. Virgil´s Parish Centennial Committee, Fr. Derricks, Assumption pastor, donated the relic to St. Virgil´s as a centennial gift. This gift is especially appropriate, coming from the parish which began our parish as a mission a century ago.
See A Brief History of St. Virgilius

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