To Roman Catholics: Am I wrong for thinking that as soon as I pass on what happens to my body after my departure is irrelevant to my soul? Do saints' remains acquire some special magic, maybe sometime after their death? (I don't see this in the Bible, though I remain puzzled by the Turin shroud -- which among many things tells me indirectly that I do not have all the answers.)
Am I wrong for thinking that as soon as I pass on what happens to my body after my departure is irrelevant to my soul?
No, you are correct.
Do saints' remains acquire some special magic, maybe sometime after their death?
The relics of the saints have been used by God as a channel of grace to work miracles. The remains of the prophet Elisha are an Old Testament example. Many of the saints, like Elisha, worked miracles when they were alive, too.
I think it's often just an example of the Cool Old Stuff phenomenon, though. Mummy of Rameses II? Cool! Corpse of Lenin? Eeeew? Varina Davis picked out those curtains herself? TACKY!
You wrote:
“To Roman Catholics: Am I wrong for thinking that as soon as I pass on what happens to my body after my departure is irrelevant to my soul?”
Anything that happens to your body is irrelevant to your soul after the body dies. To tell you the truth, it’s pretty much that way when you’re body is alive too, isn’t it?
“Do saints’ remains acquire some special magic, maybe sometime after their death?”
No. God doesn’t do magic. He does do miracles, however.
“(I don’t see this in the Bible,...”
See Acts 5:15 where even Peter’s shadow healed people!
I also suggest you read 2 Kings 13:21.
“... though I remain puzzled by the Turin shroud — which among many things tells me indirectly that I do not have all the answers.)”
“I don’t see this in the Bible”
You don’t see it in the protestant Bible. You do see it in unabridged editions.