Stay tuned after the Holy Mass for the Rosary with Cardinal Burke!

Stay tuned after the Holy Mass for the Rosary with Cardinal Burke!

Please stay tuned for the broadcast of the Holy Mass and the Holy Rosary!

Stay tuned after the Holy Mass for the Rosary with Cardinal Burke!

Let’s prepare for the Lenten season; let’s not wait for Ash Wednesday to get ready. Can you pray a novena with me and the Discalced Carmelite Nuns to the Holy Face of Jesus?  

Why is this novena so special? 

A few years ago, we held our annual Catholic Action Summit in the city of Dallas, Texas. While there, I attended a riveting Holy Mass at the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of The Infant of Prague and St. Joseph.  

In the chapel, there is an image of the Holy Face of Jesus by the altar.  On the first Sunday of every month, they hold a meeting of the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face, where a priest leads prayers honoring the Holy Face of Jesus and in reparation.  

This is a Devotion that was approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1885. The Devotions to The Holy Face in Dallas publicly started in 1958 and carry an Imprimatur by the late Bishop Gorman.

Join us on Tuesday, February 9^th, as we begin the Novena to the Holy Face, which will end on Ash Wednesday, February 17^th. Let us follow in the footsteps of the first adorers of the Sacred Countenance: the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi and later the Apostles and disciples. 

With so many families suffering from mental, physical, and financial stress - fear, worry and anxiety, along with suicides, there is so much confusion in the world, now is the time to gaze upon the wounded, Holy Face of Jesus. 

Convert us, O God, and show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved. Ps. 79, v.4. 

Remember that Our Lord left an image of his sacred sorrowful face – his bloodstained countenance on the veil of Veronica, so let us honor Him, unite our prayers to atone for the sins of the world and present our personal petitions to him.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised to those who honor his Holy Face: 

"By offering My Face to My Eternal Father, nothing will be refused, and the conversion of many sinners will be obtained."

Day One of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Psalm 51,3-4.
Have mercy on me, O God in your goodness,
in your great tenderness wipe away my faults:
wash me clean of my guilt, purify me from my sin.
O most Holy Face of Jesus, look with tenderness on us
who are sinners. You are a merciful God, full of love and
compassion. Keep us pure of heart, so that we may see Thee
always. Mary, our Mother, intercede for us; Saint Joseph.
pray for us.

Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer to Our Almighty Father
Almighty Father, come into our hearts, and so fill us with
your love that forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace
you, our only good. Show us, O Lord our God, what you
are to us. Say to our souls, I am your salvation, speak so
that we may hear. Our hearts are before you; open our ears;
let us hasten after your voice. Hide not your Face from us,
we beseech you, O Lord. Open our hearts so that you may
enter in. Repair the ruined mansions, that you may dwell
therein. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of your
only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

(St. Augustine)
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Two of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Psalm 51,5-6a.
My offences truly I know them;
My sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
What is evil in your sight I have done.
Most Holy Face of Jesus, we are truly sorry that we have
hurt you so much by constantly doing what is wrong; and
for all the good works we have failed to do. Immaculate
Heart of Mary, Saint Joseph, intercede for us, help us to
console the Most Holy Face of Jesus. Pray that we may share
in the tremendous love Thou hast for one another, and for
the most Holy and Blessed Trinity. Amen.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petitions (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, Sanctifier, all powerful God of love,
Thou who didst fill the Virgin Mary with grace, Thou who
didst wonderfully transform the hearts of the apostles. Thou
who didst endow all Thy martyrs with a miraculous heroism,
come and sanctify us, illumine our minds, strengthen our
wills, purify our consciences, rectify our judgments, set our
hearts on fire and preserve us from the misfortune of resisting
Thine inspirations. We consecrate to Thee our understanding,
our heart and our will, our whole being for time and for
eternity. May our understanding be always submissive to
Thy heavenly inspirations and to the teachings of Thy Holy
Catholic Church, of which Thou art the infallible guide; may
our heart he ever inflamed with love of God and neighbor,
may our will be ever conformed to the divine will, and may
our whole life be a faithful imitation of the life and virtues
of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ, to whom with the
Father and Thee be honor and glory forever. Amen.
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Three of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

Day Three of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Psalm 51,6b-7.
You are just when you pass sentence on me,
blameless when you give judgment.
You know I was born guilty,
a sinner from the moment of conception.

Prayer of Pope Pius IX
O Jesus! Cast upon us a look of mercy: turn your Face
towards each of us as you did to Veronica; not that we may
see it with our bodily eyes, for this we do not deserve, but
turn it towards our hearts, so that, remembering you, we
may ever draw from this fountain of strength the vigor necessary to sustain the combats of life. Amen. Mary, our Mother,
and Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer of Saint Francis
All highest, glorious God, cast your light into the darkness
of our hearts, give us true faith, firm hope, perfect charity
and profound humility, so that with wisdom, courage and
perception, O Lord, we may do what is truly your holy will.
Amen.

To the Angels and Saints
We salute you, through the Holy Face and Sacred Heart
of Jesus, O all you Holy Angels and Saints of God. We
rejoice in your glory, and we give thanks to our Lord for 
all the benefits which He has showered upon you; we praise 
Him, and glorify Him, and for an increase of your joy and 
honour, we offer Him the most Holy Face and gentle Heart 
of Jesus. Pray that we may become formed according to the 
heart of God. Amen.
Pray (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1) Glory
Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Four of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Psalm 51, 8-9.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me Wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me. I shall be whiter than snow.
O Lord Jesus, who has said, learn of me for I am meek and gentle of heart, and who did manifest upon Thy Holy
Face the sentiments of Thy divine heart, grant that we may love to come frequently and meditate upon Thy divine features.
We may read there Thy gentleness and Thy humility, and learn how to form our hearts in the practice of these two virtues which Thou desires to see shine in Thy servants.
Mary our Mother and Saint Joseph help us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and your Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer in Honour of the Dolours of the Blessed Virgin
O Most Holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs! Who
stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying
Son, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on us
as we kneel before you to venerate your Dolours and place
our requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of your
wounded heart. Present them on our behalf to Jesus, through
the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together
with your sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the
united efficacy of both, obtain the favor which we humbly
ask. To whom shall we go in our wants and miseries if not
to you. O Mother of Mercy, who having so deeply drunk of
the chalice of your Son, graciously alleviate the sufferings
of those who still sigh in this land of exile. Amen.

Prayer to the Souls in Purgatory
My Jesus, by the sorrows you suffered in your agony in
the garden, in your scourging and crowning with thorns, in
the way to Calvary, in your crucifixion and death, have
mercy on the souls in Purgatory, and especially on those that
are most forsaken. Deliver them from the dire torments they
endure. Call them and admit them to your most sweet embrace
in Paradise. Amen.
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Five of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Psalm 51,10-11.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your Face,
and blot out all my guilt.
Holy Face of Jesus, Sacred Countenance of God, how
great is your patience with humankind, how infinite your
forgiveness. We are sinners, yet you love us. This gives us
courage. For the glory of your Holy Face and of the Blessed
Trinity, hear and answer us. Mary our Mother, intercede for
us, Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

 Prayer to Saint Joseph
Dear Saint Joseph! Adopt us as thy children, take charge
of our salvation; watch over us day and night; preserve us
from occasions of sin; obtain for us purity of body and soul,
and the spirit of prayer, through thy intercession with Jesus,
grant us a spirit of sacrifice, of humility and self-denial;
obtain for us a burning love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
and a sweet, tender love for Mary, our Mother.
Saint Joseph, be with us in life, be with us in death and
obtain for us a favorable judgment from Jesus, our merciful
Savior. Amen.
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Six of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Psalm 51,12-13.
A pure heart create for us O God,
put a steadfast spirit within us.
Do not cast us away from your presence
nor deprive us of your Holy Spirit.
May our hearts be cleansed, O Lord, by the inpouring of
the Holy Spirit, and may He render them fruitful by watering
them with His heavenly dew. Mary, the most chaste spouse
of the Holy Spirit, intercede for us, Saint Joseph pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

 Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
O Victorious Prince, most humble guardian of the Church
of God and of faithful souls, who with such charity and zeal
took part in so many conflicts and gained such great victories
over the enemy, for the conservation and protection of the
honour and glory we all owe to God, as well as for the promo-
tion of our salvation; come, we pray Thee, to our assistance.
for we are continually besieged with such great perils by our
enemies, the flesh, the world and the devil, and as Thou
wast a leader for the people of God through the desert, so
also be our faithful leader, and companion through the desert
of this world, until Thou conduct us safely into the happy
land of the living, in that blessed fatherland from which we
are all exiles. Amen. (St. Aloysius)
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Seven of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Psalm 51,14-15.
Give me again the joy of your help,
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
Lord Jesus! After contemplating Thy features, disfigured
by grief, after meditating upon Thy passion with compunction
and love, how can our hearts fail to be inflamed with a holy
hatred of sin, which even now outrages Thy Adorable Face!
Lord, suffer us not to be content with mere compassion, but
give us grace so closely to follow Thee in this Calvary, so
that the approbrium destined for Thee may fall on us, 0
Jesus, that thus we may have a share, small though it may
be, in expiation of sin. Amen. Mary, our Mother, intercede
for us. Saint Joseph pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer in Honour of Mary
Hail Mary, Daughter of God the Father! Hail Mary, Mother
of God the Son! Hail Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit! Hail
Mary, Temple of the Most Holy Trinity! Hail Mary, our
mistress, our wealth, our mystic rose. Queen of our hearts,
our Mother, our life, our sweetness and our dearest hope!
We are all Thine, and all we have is Thine. O Virgin blessed
above all things, may Thy soul be in us to magnify the Lord;
may Thy spirit be in us to rejoice in God. Place Thyself, 0
faithful Virgin, as a seal upon our hearts, that in Thee and
through Thee we may be found faithful to God. Grant, most
gracious Virgin, that we may be numbered among those
whom Thou art pleased to love, to teach and to guide, to
favour and to protect as Thy children. Grant that with the help
of Thy love, we may despise all earthly consolation and cling
to heavenly things, until through the Holy Spirit, Thy faithful
spouse, and through Thee, His faithful spouse, Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, be formed within us for the glory of the Father.
Amen. (St. Grignon de Montfort)
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Eight of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 Psalm 51,16-17.
O rescue me, God my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Most merciful Face of Jesus, who in this vale of tears was
so moved by our misfortunes to call yourself the healer of
the sick, and the good Shepherd of the souls gone astray,
allow not Satan to draw us away from you, but keep us
always under your loving protection, together with all souls
who endeavor to console you. Mary, our Mother, intercede
for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy
Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition (state your intentions) Pardon
and mercy.

Prayer to Saint Peter
O glorious Saint Peter, who in return for thy lively and

generous faith, thy profound and sincere humility and thy
burning love, was honored by Jesus Christ with singular
privileges, and in particular, with the leadership of the other
apostles and the primacy of the whole church, of which thou
was made the foundation stone, do thou obtain for us the
grace of a lively faith, that shall not fear to profess itself
openly in its entirety and in all of its manifestations, even
to the shedding of blood, if occasion should demand it, and
to the sacrifice of life itself in preference to surrender. Obtain
for us likewise a sincere loyalty to our Holy Mother the
Church. Grant that we may ever remain most closely and
sincerely united to the Holy Father, who is the heir of thy
faith and of thy authority, the one true visible head of the
Catholic Church. Grant, moreover, that we may follow, in
all humility and meekness, the Church's teaching and counsels and may be obedient to all her precepts, in order to be
able here on earth to enjoy a peace that is sure and undisturbed, and to attain one day in heaven to everlasting happiness.
Amen.
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Day Nine of the Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus

(Console Holy Face and recite Daily Preparatory Prayer)

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession
of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword
of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we
ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with
Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede
for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face
of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, Godhead indivisible, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit, our first beginning and our last end. Since you
have made us after your own image and likeness, grant that
all the thoughts of our minds, all the words of our tongues,
all the affections of our hearts and all our actions may be
always conformed to your most Holy Will, so that after
having seen you here on earth in appearances and in a dark
manner by the means of faith, we may come at last to contemplate
you face to face, in the perfect possession of you
forever in paradise. Amen.
Pray one (1) Our Father, three (3) Hail Mary's, one (1)
Glory Be.
O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine.
(Three times)

Recite Act of Consecration:

Act of Consecration

O Lord Jesus, we believe most firmly in You, we love
You. You are the Eternal Son of God and the Son Incarnate
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You are the Lord and Absolute
Ruler of all creation. We acknowledge You, therefore, as
the Universal Sovereign of all creatures. You are the Lord
and Supreme Ruler of all mankind, and we, in acknowledging
this Your dominion, consecrate ourselves to You now and
forever. Loving Jesus, we place our family under the protection
of Your Holy Face, and of Your Virgin Mother, Mary
most sorrowful. We promise to be faithful to You for the
rest of our lives and to observe with fidelity Your Holy
Commandments. We will never deny before men, You and
Your Divine rights over us and all mankind. Grant us the
grace to never sin again; nevertheless, should we fail, 0
Divine Savior, have mercy on us and restore us to Your
grace. Radiate Your Divine Countenance upon us and bless
us now and forever. Embrace us at the hour of death in Your
Kingdom for all eternity, through the intercession of Your
Blessed Mother, of all Your Saints who behold You in
Heaven, and the just who glorify You on earth. O Jesus, be
mindful of us forever and never forsake us; protect our family.
O Mother of Sorrows, by the eternal glory which you enjoy
in Heaven, through the merits of your bitter anguish in the
Sacred Passion of your Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
obtain for us the grace that the Precious Blood shed by Jesus
for the redemption of our souls, be not shed for us in vain.
We love you, O Mary. Embrace us and bless us, O Mother.
Protect us in life and in death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.

Stay tuned after the Holy Mass for the Rosary with Cardinal Burke!

August 2020, Outdoor Morning Adoration and Special Visit of Catholic Action's Fatima Statue at Nativity Church in San Diego Due to the Pandemic.

By Catholic Action's Team of Priests and Deacons from the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy.

The Most Holy Eucharist is, in the continuous teaching of the Church, the source and summit of the whole Christian life. (Vatican II, Lumen gentium, no. 11; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1324). But what if Catholics stopped believing in it?

In the sixth chapter of St John’s Gospel, Jesus says, in the most concrete and radical terms, that He intends to give His Body and Blood as real food and drink. He says that this extraordinary gift is necessary if we wish to share His life. 

“I am the bread of life.” (v. 35) “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. (v. 50) “I am the living bread, … and the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (v. 51)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” (V. 53) “For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” (v. 55) “He who eats me will live because of me.” (v. 58)

In the space of about thirty verses, Jesus repeats these clear teachings over and over in the most explicit terms. So radical was this revelation from the very mouth of Jesus Christ, that “many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with Him.” (v. 66).

According to some surveys, many Catholics have stopped believing in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. Perhaps it is sadly true that some regard it only as a spiritual presence. However, neither Jesus (nor the Catholic Church) can change the truth of this greatest gift: the “source of the whole Spiritual life;” the “Summit” – the highest expression of our worship. 

The Eucharist is not only a spiritual presence. It is the “Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity” of Jesus Christ. It is the living Risen Christ, given to us in Holy Communion, and adored in the tabernacle. He promised that he would be with us always, and He meant it. He gave the power of the Mass to the apostles at the Last Supper, and said, “Do this in Memory of Me.” He meant it, not only as an historical remembrance, but as the very food for eternal life. It is likewise a Sacrament of unity by which those who make up the ‘Body of Christ,’ the Church, are brought together as they receive the Body of Christ.

We are free to walk away. Five hundred years ago, in the Great Western Schism, Protestantism rejected the Priesthood and the Holy Eucharist and most of the Seven Sacraments of Salvation instituted by Christ. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1210) There are certainly many good and holy people who have never been taught about the Church and the Sacraments. But Our Lord Jesus entrusted all seven to the Church as the continuation of His own Divine work. They are, in fact, Jesus Christ at work in the world through the instrument of His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. They are the truest and most sure path to heaven. 

We may be disillusioned with the sins of leaders in the Church. Each of us, priests, bishops, Religious Sisters or Brothers, and lay faithful are called to holiness. 

Are we sinful human beings? Yes. Our Lord called us to repentance constantly, and He gave us Confession for the forgiveness of our sins. “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 18:18) “"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." (Jn 20:23) 

In light of the loss of the faith in the Eucharist, some have rightly said we must teach better and more clearly. It is true. Good “catechesis” is vital to helping people come to know and believe in these very words of Jesus. 

We must also say that the maxim ‘lex orandi, lex credendi,’ ‘the law of praying is the law of believing,’ reminds us that, the way we offer Holy Mass, and how we attend Holy Mass is connected to what we believe. If the identity and perception of the Mass shifts from its reality as the Sacrifice of Jesus, to a social banquet for co-believers, we can expect a loss of faith in the Holy Eucharist as a result. If we have become casual in the way we pray, it could be that we have lost sight of Who is there: Almighty God Himself; Jesus, true God and true man. 

***

Excerpt from the Homily of Pope Benedict XVI, June, 2008, 49th International Eucharistic Congress, Quebec City

“The Eucharist is our most beautiful treasure. It is the sacrament par excellence; it introduces us early into eternal life; it contains the whole mystery of our salvation; it is the source and summit of the action and of the life of the Church, as the Second Vatican Council recalled (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 8).  … It is, therefore, particularly important that pastors and faithful dedicate themselves permanently to furthering their knowledge of this great sacrament.”

“I would like everyone to make a commitment to study this great mystery, … so as to bear witness courageously to the mystery. In this way, each person will arrive at a better grasp of the meaning of every aspect of the Eucharist, understanding its depth and living it with greater intensity. Every sentence, every gesture has its own meaning and conceals a mystery. …  I urge priests especially to give due honor to the Eucharistic rite.  … The liturgy does not belong to us: it is the Church's treasure.

“Reception of the Eucharist, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament -- by this we mean deepening our communion, preparing for it and prolonging it -- is also about allowing ourselves to enter into communion with Christ, and through him with the whole of the Trinity, so as to become what we receive and to live in communion with the Church.”

“The Eucharist is not a meal among friends. … "The prayers and the rites of the Eucharistic sacrifice make the whole history of salvation revive ceaselessly before the eyes of our soul, in the course of the liturgical cycle, and make us penetrate ever more its significance" (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, [Edith Stein], Wege zur inneren Stille Aschaffenburg, 1987, p. 67). …  "Every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 7).

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By Catholic Action's Team of Priests and Deacons from the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy.