The Relic Project Newsletter

A Message from Our Founder

Dear Friends in Christ,

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you for your dedication, patience, and prayerful support over the past year. As many of you know, launching a new apostolate is not a straight path—it’s filled with unexpected blessings, challenges, and constant lessons in trust.

When we began The Relic Project, we were simply a handful of people answering God’s call to bring the saints back into the heart of the Church’s mission. Today, by God’s grace and your sacrifice, we are a federally recognized nonprofit with a global footprint, the blessing of the Bishop of Spokane, and a growing network of missionaries, advisors, and collaborators spanning four continents.

Some highlights of what you’ve helped build:

• The world’s first global relic database that will soon have an interactive map.
• A missionary program that is already bringing relics out to the streets, schools, and churches.
• Active partnerships with major Catholic media outlets and apostolates in Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and the Philippines.
• A growing community of curators who are dedicated finding and documenting relics worldwide—many of them previously unknown or forgotten.
• The soon-to-launch Relic Project Podcast, the first podcast dedicated entirely to relics and the saints’ relevance today.

None of this would have been possible without your time, your talents, and your prayers. Whether you’ve curated relic data, advised us in your areas of expertise, or simply prayed for this mission from afar—you are part of this family.

This mission belongs to the whole Church. And by walking together, I believe we are preparing the way for a renewed devotion to the saints in our generation.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saying yes to this work.

In Christ,
Anthony Di Mauro
Founder & Executive Director
The Relic Project

Key Milestones from Our First Year

By God’s grace, here are some of the major milestones we’ve reached so far:

✔ April 2024 – Official Launch of The Relic Project

• After prayer and preparation, we officially launched The Relic Project as an apostolate dedicated to renewing the Church’s devotion to relics worldwide.
• Our founding team began outlining our global relic database, missionary outreach plan, and initial communications strategy.

✔ August 2024 – Received Federal Nonprofit Status

• In record time, we obtained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in the United States, allowing us to operate legally, accept donations, and partner with churches, organizations, and individuals around the world.

✔ Episcopal Blessing from Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane

• Bishop Daly and the Spokane Diocesan Pastoral Council granted their blessing and support for our outreach efforts in the Diocese of Spokane and beyond.
• We began forming relationships with several U.S. bishops and clergy to expand the mission nationally and internationally.

✔ Formation of a Global Clerical Advisory Board

• Clergy from across the globe, some of the tope experts on relics, joined our Clerical Advisory Board to help safeguard our work within the Church’s tradition.
• These priests, chaplains, and theologians provide ongoing spiritual guidance and ensure fidelity to the Church’s teaching on relic veneration.

✔ Launch of the World’s First Global Relic Database.

• Our tech team built the infrastructure for the world’s first searchable relic directory, enabling users to locate and learn about relics around the globe.
• The database is slowly growing with many relic entries on the way, many of them on public display.

✔ Launched Missionary Program

• We began training our first cohort of missionaries, equipping them to document relics, evangelize their local communities, and bring relics to the public for veneration.
• These missionaries meet twice a month for spiritual formation, fellowship, and training in relic stewardship.

✔ Built Strategic Partnerships with Catholic Organizations Worldwide

• Collaborated with Saints Reserve (San Diego), Sancta Familia Media (Scotland), The Blessed Ivan Merz Family (Philippines), National Catholic Register, Ave Maria Radio, and the Family of St. Sharbel (Ireland) to amplify our mission.
• Established relationships with shrine custodians, historians, and media networks to support relic documentation and public devotion.

✔ Hosted First International Relic Pilgrimages and Talks

• Our founder was invited to speak at the St. Sharbel Conference in Ireland, introducing The Relic Project to European audiences and participating in relic tours of St. Sharbel and other saints.

✔ Formation of Our First Executive Leadership, Marketing, Tech, and Communications Teams

• Recruited volunteers and advisors with expertise in nonprofit leadership, communications, fundraising, design, and software development to support our growth.

✔ Developed the World’s First Relic Veneration Prayer Card

• Created in consultation with our clergy, this prayer card teaches the faithful how to reverently venerate a relic, a simple yet profound tool for spiritual growth.

✔ Began Work Toward a Permanent Office at St. Mary’s Parish, Spokane Valley

• We are in conversations to establish our first physical headquarters and public office, creating a home base for operations, storage, and community engagement.

✔ Laid the Groundwork for Future Initiatives:

• The Relic Project Podcast: launching September 2025.
• All Saints Day Fundraiser: scheduled for November 1, 2025.
• Public release of the global relic map: coming soon.

Honoring Our Team

This mission is built on the dedication of an incredible team:

• Tech Team – Stephen, Victoria Hoerner, and Evan Larson (President of the Board): Built the global relic database and internal systems, turning our vision into reality.

• Creative Lead – Louis Di Mauro: Designed our logo, branding, and the world’s first relic veneration prayer card, giving The Relic Project its visual identity.

• Communications Team – Felipe Avila and Sophia Joosten: Shaped our voice and strategy in marketing, branding, and outreach, helping spread the mission worldwide.

• Clerical Advisors – Fr. Joseph Marquis, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fr. Dennis O’Neil, and Dr. Dave de la Cruz, Fr. Michael Maher: Provided spiritual guidance and theological support to keep our mission faithful to the Church.

• Professional Advisors – Linda, Patricia, Julie, Angela, Gellert, Gabe, Marguerite, and others: Offered vital expertise in governance, policy, and organizational structure.

And to our countless volunteers, supporters, and prayer partners—thank you.

Without your dedication, this apostolate would remain a dream. Because of you, it’s now a living mission.

Save the Date: All Saints Day Fundraiser

November 1, 2025 | Spokane, WA

Join us for our first major fundraiser—a night of prayer, fellowship, and support for this mission.

More details to come.

Saints Reserve & Catholic Prayer App

We are excited to announce a growing collaboration with Chris, founder of Saints Reserve in San Diego, CA. Chris shares our mission of making the saints accessible to today’s world and has been a generous supporter of The Relic Project.

Together, we are collaborating on the development of a Catholic prayer app that will integrate our global relic map. This app will allow users to:

• Locate relics in their area or across the world.
• Earn points and unlock rewards as they visit relics.
• Access saint biographies and prayer resources.
• Pray the Rosary, Chaplet, and other devotions—right from the app.

The app will also feature Saints Reserve’s beautiful saint cards, helping Catholics deepen their devotion through both digital and physical sacramentals.

In addition, Saints Reserve has graciously provided an affiliate link on our website. Every purchase made through this link directly supports The Relic Project, helping fund our global database and missionary outreach.

Chris has also generously donated merchandise to our founding team members and extended a 25% discount on Saints Reserve and Relic Project merchandise for our active team.

We are grateful for Chris’s generosity and vision. Together, we are helping renew devotion to the saints in everyday life and create a more prayerful, connected Church.

Let’s Keep Building

This is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will:

• Release the beta version of the relic map to the public.
• Expand our missionary team.
• Launch our first relic exhibition outside the U.S.
• Continue documenting relics from around the world.

Thank you for walking this journey with us. Together, we are helping the Church rediscover her treasures—and inspiring a new generation to follow Christ.