What was next on Father Mike’s radar- the obtaining of relics of saints.  He said “it is a tradition that every altar in a Catholic church has relics.   Because St Joseph is an African American Catholic community, I wanted to obtain relics of African saints to remind us that as a church, we have a rich black Catholic tradition.”    Cardinal James A Hickey, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington at the time, wrote to Vatican officials requesting relics for St Joseph Church.  Father Mike thought the size of the parish at that time and its African American population made it possible to obtain the relics.

We have relics of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Saint Cyprian, Saint Augustine, Saint Charles Lwanga, Saint Martin de Porres and Saint Victor, one of three popes of African origin.  Father Mike also obtained relics of the only four American saints at the time – Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Saint John Neumann, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seaton.  

The relics are kept in a fireproof case locked inside the church’s altar.  They are usually displayed at all Masses on the first Sunday in November (National Catholic History Month) and All Saints Day,  November 1.