The church's top priority
FREE Catholic Classes
That includes the proper preparation for Mass (especially confession), the proper celebration of Mass (including the translations for Mass) and the proper attitude toward the Eucharist outside of Mass (including adoration and the placement of our tabernacles).
Each year since the Jubilee Year 2000 (which Pope John Paul II called "profoundly eucharistic") has seen a major document come from the Vatican on the Eucharist. In fact, the eucharistic documents have been the only significant ones of the new millennium.
- 2001 Pope John Paul II's Novo Millennio Ineunte (At the Beginning of the New Millennium) called promoting Sunday Mass the church's top priority. Liturgiam Authenticam (Authentic Liturgy) by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments sought to correct "errors and omissions" in the Mass.
- 2002 Bishops around the world promulgated the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
- 2003 Pope John Paul II gave the Church his final encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, which is best translated "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church."
- 2004 Pope John Paul II kicked off a Year of the Eucharist with the apostolic letter "Mane Nobiscum Domine" ("Stay With Us Lord"). The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments' "Redemptionis Sacramentum" ("The Sacrament of Redemption") was subtitled "On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the most holy Eucharist."
- 2005 The General Assembly of the Bishops kicked off the Synod on the Eucharist with an "Instrumentum Laboris" on the Eucharist. Pope Benedict canonized five new saints known for promoting the Eucharist.
- 2006 Pope Benedict spent the year completing the work of the Synod. Meanwhile, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, sent a directive liturgical translation officials regarding the consecration prayer of Mass. U.S. bishops received a letter from liturgy point-man Cardinal Francis Arinze on the translation of the missal.
- 2007 The most significant of all this teaching regarding the Eucharist: "Sacramentum Caritatis" ("The Sacrament of Charity"), Pope Benedict's post-synodal apostolic exhortation.
Why such an emphasis on the Eucharist?
If we were to set our own list of priorities for the church, many of us might put something else in the top place. We would focus on the abuse scandals, perhaps, or the bigger scandal in the church - Catholics' involvement in the ultimate child abuse of abortion. The pope could have targeted divorce, poverty, consumerism, pornography, catechesis or affordable and dependable Catholic education.
Why spend so much energy asking the bishops to make certain that the Mass is said the right way in their dioceses?
Because the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. It isn't a mere symbol of Christ; it is Christ himself among us. The Eucharist must be guarded when it is endangered, defended when it is disrespected and promoted when it is ignored.
And, clearly, at the highest levels, our shepherds see that the Eucharist has not been treated properly.
The church moves slowly, but the church does move.
The holy father is speaking as loudly and urgently as he can about the Eucharist.
The bishops have already begun the task of implementing the extraordinary requests they have been receiving from the Vatican again and again, year after year.
These requests have been consistent in their content and insistent in their tone.
A renewal of the Mass and esteem for the Eucharist can transform the church - which is to say that Christ can transform the church, but we have to let him.
Only Christ in the Eucharist can sharpen Catholic consciences, lead more of us to practice the lay apostolate, feed our life of prayer, and form the basis of a true Catholic community.
These are the prerequisites for building the kingdom of Christ in the world.
Contact
National Catholic Register
http://www.ncregister.com
,
- ,
Keywords
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
More Catholic PRWire
Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716
A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain
Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul
A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell
My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz
Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell
Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online
Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online
Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online
State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online
Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online
2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online
Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online
Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online
Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online
Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online
Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online
Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online
Full Circle
Robert Gieb
Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite
Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony
Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell
World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online
Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA
Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online
A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe
Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly
Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard
The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely
Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow
A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow
Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea
Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard
Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol
Edging God Out
Paul Sposite
Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow
George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online
Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell
Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite
Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol
Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol
Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online
Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online
Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online
Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online
Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online
Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online
Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
- St. Marculf: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
- To Saint Peregrine: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
- Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- St. Pius V, Pope: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- Prayer to Saint Joseph for Success in Work: Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.