The Rev. Eamon Tobin recently noted that Christians and other denominations are sometimes confused with Catholics' devotion to saints.

Tobin, pastor of Ascension Catholic Community in Melbourne, said Catholics' devotion to saints is a distinguishing part of Catholicism.

"They wonder why we give such attention and honor to other fallible human beings," he said in the parish's Nov. 1 bulletin. "Does not such honor take away from the honor due to God alone? Non-Catholics wonder why we ask saints to pray for us when the Bible states that Jesus alone is our Mediator before God (1Tim 2:5)."

Tobin said Christians and other denominations have many questions regarding saints; like what they are, the lives they led and what roles relics, medals and statues have. He stated that saints are people who lived very holy lives, that they are heroes and heroines.

"They are men and women who had a very single-minded devotion to God and the things of God," he said in the bulletin. "They are people who witnessed Gospel values in their lives to an extraordinary degree."

Tobin noted that the Catholic Church does not canonize non-Catholics because they do not share the same beliefs as Catholics.

He also said that relics, which are closely associated with saints, are greatly respected; like keepsakes of loved ones who died.

"In early Christianity, there was also a spiritual reason for wanting to keep a saint’s relics," Tobin said. "Miracles often happened to those who came into contact with the remains of saints. This should not surprise us when we consider the fact that people were healed by touching the outer garments of Jesus (Mk. 5:25-34)."

He also noted that the relics themselves have no special powers.

"God and God alone is the source of all healing and blessing," Tobin said. "But in his infinite wisdom, God can and does sometimes choose to touch us through a person or thing."

He explained that images, medals and statues are also used as reminders of heroes and heroines.

"When we kneel in prayer before statues, we are not worshiping them," Fr. Tobin said. "We are merely using a physical reminder of the saint to aid us in our prayer. Catholics wear medals of saints just like we carry pictures of family members in our wallet. We also hope that the prayers of the saints will protect us from harmful and evil ways and bring us closer to God."