Receiving the Eucharist is what most young Catholics expect. Even Paul Gannucci (pictured with his parents). A myriad of health conditions resulting in his being tube-fed since he was three months old have prevented him from consuming the Eucharist. Nonetheless, Gannucci has always wanted to be able to receive the Body of Christ. And so Read more
Thousands of Catholics participated earlier this month in the National Eucharistic Congress, a five-day event in Indianapolis that concluded July 21. Parishes and other Catholic institutions around the country sponsored adult education programmes to promote this final stage of a three-year eucharistic revival launched by the U.S. bishops. The revival itself has been subject to Read more
When Pope Francis called for a worldwide consultation of lay Catholics about their concerns as part of the Synod on Synodality, U.S. bishops responded less than enthusiastically. Instead, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops put its time, effort and money into a national programme called the Eucharistic Revival. It was not impossible to do both Read more
The U.S. bishops hope to revive the significance of the Eucharist in the life of the Catholic Church. There is a deep concern that many of the faithful lack a proper understanding of the sacrament. Some recent polls point out this lack of understanding. For example, a 2019 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center Read more
A National Eucharistic Congress in the US this week will probably see over 50,000 people gather in Indianapolis. US Bishops hope it will be a culminating moment in the Church in the country’s three-year revival to inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist. It will be the United States’ first National Eucharistic Congress since Read more
A Franciscan friar has caused a stir on social media with a viral video clip suggesting he performed the Eucharist on the talent show “America’s Got Talent”. Father Casey Cole, dressed in liturgical vestments, pretended to say the words of consecration, raising a host in a short video that garnered 9.7 million views on Instagram Read more
Streaming the Eucharist online for the world to watch or broadcasting it on television is an abomination, akin to showing video of people eating a meal to starving people. A video experience of the Eucharist might have value if it makes people hunger for the real thing, but as an alternative for showing up to Read more
Without the Eucharist, it seems obvious: There is no Catholic Church. It feeds us as a community of believers and transforms us into the body of Christ active in the world today. But according to Catholic theology, we cannot have the Eucharist without priests. Sadly, in many parts of the world there is a Eucharistic Read more
It is proverbial wisdom that ‘One picture is worth a thousand words.’ That is certainly true of the picture above – it is worth many thousands of words as we approach the synod in October. Dare I say it, it is worth a thousand of the numbered statements in Denzinger! Please study the picture closely. Read more
The small marble table from a Roman-era home was adorned with carved acanthus leaves and the body of Dionysus. When I saw it in the archaeological museum of Thessaloniki, Greece, I broke down crying, though I had no idea why. Several months later, while giving a talk for my diocese about Scripture and the Eucharist Read more