1402    In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery of the Eucharist: “O sacred banquet in which Christ is received as food, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a pledge of the life to come is given to us.” If the Eucharist is the memorial of the Passover of the Lord Jesus, if by our communion at the altar we are filled “with every heavenly blessing and grace,”[1] then the Eucharist is also an anticipation of the heavenly glory.

1403    At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples’ attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: “I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”[2] Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist she remembers this promise and turns her gaze “to him who is to come.” In her prayer she calls for his coming:“Marana tha!” “Come, Lord Jesus!”[3] “May your grace come and this world pass away!”[4]

1404    The Church knows that the Lord comes even now in his Eucharist and that he is there in our midst. However, his presence is veiled. Therefore we celebrate the Eucharist “awaiting the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ,”[5] asking “to share in your glory when every tear will be wiped away. On that day we shall see you, our God, as you are. We shall become like you and praise you for ever through Christ our Lord.”[6]

1405    There is no surer pledge or clearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens and new earth “in which righteousness dwells,”[7] than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated, “the work of our redemption is carried on” and we “break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ.”[8]

The word pilgrimage probably conjures up images of traveling to Rome to visit the Vatican or heading out on a hike to tour the Holy Land.  But, a pilgrimage does not have to be that in-depth at all.  The definition of a pilgrimage is simply “a journey to a shrine or sacred place.”  We happen to have plenty of those here in our own country!

So, before you hit the road on 2013’s family vacation, do a little bit of research.  Are you going to be near a holy place or shrine?  Why not set aside some time for your family to stop by and visit?  Challenge yourself to remember to always put God first, even when you’re on vacation.

We’re excited to provide some suggestions of possible sites to visit below.  But, be sure to do some investigating about what may be close to you.  There are quite a few across the U.S. that you can stop by to visit.

Visiting Washington D.C. to tour the sites of this great nation?  Take some time to stop by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  The Basilica is the largest Roman Catholic Church in North America and is one of the ten largest churches in the world.  Inside, you’ll find the Great Upper Church, the Crypt Church and over 70 other chapels and oratories.  Take a guided tour or explore on your own.  You certainly don’t want to miss this splendor as you tour our nation’s capital!

Taking a trip to Disney World?  While in Orlando, be sure to save some time for the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Our Lady of the Universe.  A beautiful church that boasts daily Eucharistic Adoration and Confession Times, as well as a pilgrimage center, museum and a large outdoor space with a chapel and pathways, it is certainly a perfect place for some quiet reflection in the midst of your vacation.

If you’re visiting the Big Apple this summer, you’re probably planning to make a stop at Ground Zero.  While you’re there, be sure to visit the Catholic Memorial.  Situated on the eastern wall of St. Joseph’s Catholic Chapel, four statues stand watch.  St. Joseph’s location made it a command center in the days and weeks following September 11.  Parishioners wanted to commission some sort of memorial to remember all the things that they had witnessed in the aftermath.  Spend a few minutes there in prayer, remembering all those who were affected on that September day.

Also of note in New York City is St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  The Cathedral is currently in the midst of a restoration project, but is still an amazing site to behold.  Stop by for one of their seven daily Masses, or pray before the Eucharist in the Lady Chapel.

If you’re heading to California, be sure to find out if you’ll be near a Mission.  Twenty-one different missions are spread throughout the state.  Each mission is filled with a rich history and is a part of California’s state history.  If you’re in the area, be sure to stop and visit one!

While in California, if you plan to visit San Francisco, make sure you stop by the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi.  Located in the heart of the North Beach District, the Shrine is known as a place of quiet in the midst of the hustle and bustle outside its doors.

Are you heading to New Orleans to enjoy the sites and cuisine?  There are several shrines to visit, including the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, the International Shrine of St. Jude, and the St. Ann Church and National Shrine.

If Chicago is your destination, be sure to visit the National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows.  The facility also houses the Shrine of St. Peregrine, who is the patron saint of those suffering with cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening diseases.  With ten chapels off the nave of the church, there are so many different places where you can spend some quiet moments in prayer.

And, if you’re taking a trip to elsewhere in the country, do some research before you leave.  There are shrines and pilgrimage sites all over that you can visit; there might even be one close to your home that you didn’t know existed.

Happy (and blessed) travels!

The warmer weather seems to naturally draw us out of doors and into God’s creation. Whether it be going for a simple walk, traveling the country, or having a picnic in one’s own backyard, we have the opportunity to admire and reflect on the beauty of all that God has created. One can take the time to stare at the clouds with one’s children and find cloud pictures. It can also be meditative to point out different flowers and really take the time to look at them – noticing the infinite care God took to make each one. If there is a family garden of vegetables, or flowers, or both, parents and children can work together to cultivate and care for the plants, acknowledging God as the true creator and grower of the plants. If there is no room for a full-size garden, a few pots of plants can serve the same purpose. There is nothing quite like the beauty of watching something one planted grow!

Summer can also provide an opportunity for an increased liturgical and sacramental life. In the Church, summer is a season of “Ordinary Time” – called so because it falls outside of the main two liturgical seasons of Lent and Advent, but there is nothing ordinary about it. This is the time of year when the Gospels focus on Christ’s public ministry. It is a time when, we, too, are called to be actively living our faith in the world.

While the rush of the school year may not allow for extra Mass attendance outside of Sundays and Holy Days, why not try to attend Mass one extra time during the week in the summer? Or, if that isn’t possible (I have little children myself and know that attending Mass can be a challenge!), perhaps one can read aloud the Gospel for the day. The USCCB website has the readings for each day. Another possibility is to read a short biography of the saint of the day. AmericanCatholic.org is one website that offers a saint story for every day. Learning about the saints helps children have positive role models to emulate as they grow in faith.

Another possibility is to make a pilgrimage, even if it is to a religious location nearby. Many areas of the country have shrines that are beautiful and peaceful to visit. One can learn about the religious significance of the location and take the time to say a special prayer. If no shrines are available, why not visit a church in your own area you have never been to before? Learn about the saint or name of Jesus or Mary that it is named in honor of and attend Mass there one Sunday. By the same token, if your family will be taking a vacation this summer, make a point of attending Mass at a local Church. It can be incredibly moving to realize that our Mass is the same no matter where we might be in the world.

Summer can be a wonderful time to both relax and enrich one’s faith. I wish all of you a very blessed season.

Being a good father is a struggle; it always has been, and always will be. Balancing work and family life, making sure the ends meet every month, keeping the house in working order, keeping the cars up, making sure Mom is happy, and not raising future-criminals is indeed a tough job. And then throw in the responsibility of getting your kids to heaven on top of that, and soon your shoulders slouch and the responsibility becomes nearly untenable for many. All you need to do is look at the number of broken homes across the nation to see that there’s a major problem with some men out there today. Where have we as men gone wrong? What’s happened to our sense of responsibility, character, and fortitude? Why can’t many men find joy and happiness today? I mentioned the answer a few sentences ago while whining about our supposed plight…

I believe a lot of men have their priorities wrong. The world comes and goes. Some days you’re up, and some days you’re down, but there is one constant throughout our lives. And that is our continual journey to heaven. And we as fathers have been appointed as bus drivers. So instead of “throwing on top of”, or making an afterthought of getting our kids to heaven, we need to make that the foundation of our lives and let everything else fall in after that.

I was told in my youth that “God can’t be everywhere, so He created fathers”. I’m not buying that today. I believe God is everywhere and it is up to fathers to make sure of that by reflecting His love to the people in their lives. It is a proven fact that the spiritual well-being of children, and the propagation of the Faith is directly related to the example given by the father. Our kids are more inclined to be active in the faith and keep the faith as they grow into adulthood if dad leads them there. We as fathers are commissioned by God to lead our families to know Him, love Him, and serve Him on a daily basis.

Are your kids going to heaven? We can only pray, right? Wrong! We can start and finish by praying, but there are many, many other things we can do as well.  Are you attending Mass regularly? Are you taking your kids to Confession regularly? Are you encouraging your kids to develop a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do they know how to pray the Rosary? Do you talk about the Eucharist? When they choose their Confirmation name, are you a part of the discussion? Do you ask them about the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit? Do they see and hear you being an active Witness? Do you discuss what the Gospel told them at Mass? Do you ask them what was their favorite part of father’s homily was? Have you considered Eucharistic adoration as a family activity? Are you engaging your kids with a smile on your face and a gentle tone?

As fathers, it is our mandate to foster and build their personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Church. Teaching them through friendly and honest conversation is a great way to do this. Passing along our faith and getting our kids to heaven is a joyous task, one that should be the foundation of our life here, so we can be supremely happy with Him in the next.

Author’s family (L to R): James, John, wife Sheri, Erin, Trevor and Charlie (not pictured: Devon)

Being part of a family, we recognize that God places at our disposal an extraordinary environment, a “domestic church”, to experience joy and love, and sadness and disappointment, and to learn the tremendous gift of loving others without condition.  We learn of sacrificial love— to anticipate the needs of others and to place their needs and wants before ourselves, and we desire holiness-  to please God in all that we think, say, and do for His greater honor and glory.  We want to become holy, not for our sake, but to better love God.   The growth of every family member towards holiness helps to strengthen the family as it strives to become what it was meant to be from its inception—a community of love.  As we work towards holiness while we struggle in our daily existence, we live in hope for our salvation and the salvation of our entire family.

But our growth is hampered by concupiscence and sin.  The fact is that we are all sinners, and our selfish and prideful behaviors obfuscate the reflections of God’s love in our relationships, causing harm to the peace and stability of the family.  Left unchecked, pride, selfishness, and other vices will rule the day.  However, with God and His Spirit guiding us, good becomes the way.

The Pratt sons serve the Corpus Christi Process at St. Pius X Church

As disciples of Jesus, we strive to live in a manner that revolves around the commandments, the precepts of the church, and Jesus’ commands to love God and neighbor.  To fortify our resolve to imitate our Lord, we seek to share in the abundant graces and the gifts of the Holy Spirit that help us to grow in charity and holiness.  As a family, we can lead a life that is centered in the sacraments – especially the Sacrament of sacraments, the Eucharist.  The sin in our lives can be washed through the cleansing power of confession and in reception of Holy Communion.  Our growth in charity can mature through our participation in daily Mass, through family and private prayers, and use of sacramentals such as the rosary and the scapular.  Our spiritual growth can be elevated by spending time reading the bible, church documents, and religious books.  We can lift our minds frequently to God throughout the day as we carry out our duties.  We can spend time with our Lord to adore to His true presence in the Blessed Sacrament, and we can more fully participate in the life of our parish and the work of the Church by sharing our time, talent and treasure as a family.  We can share in the communion of saints, praying for the Holy Souls and asking for help from our guardian angels and all the nine choirs of angels, our patron saints, Saint Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the entire Church Triumphant.  We can offer everything we do as a sacrifice for love of God and consecrate ourselves to Mary and to Jesus, loving Jesus through Mary as Saint Louis de Montfort has taught in True Devotion to Mary.

Love is essential to leading an authentically Christian life and is the beautiful yoke to be shared by the family.  Jesus loved us so much that through His passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, he shares his body, blood, soul, and Divinity for our salvation.  His love is eternal and unconditional.  He wants us to be sharers in that love within the communion of the Holy Trinity, first in a veiled foretaste as we build up His Kingdom on Earth, and then forever in the glory of heaven.  We respond as a Eucharistic people to live and grow as a “team” in the ebb and flow of family life towards collective and personal holiness.  We strive to return God’s infinite love for us with our total unconditional love for Him, loving Him back through our thoughts, words, and actions with every ounce of our being no matter our circumstances, and living for His glory because He alone is worthy of all of our love.

My First Holy Communion

I was very excited that my First Communion was almost here.  We had been practicing at school for some time.  Finally, it was time!  The priest was consecrating the bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ!  I thought in my head that today is the day I can finally receive my First Holy Communion.  When I approached the priest, I was a bit nervous that I was going to make a mistake.  I took the Body, stepped to the side, placed it in my mouth and made the sign of the cross.  The Body was flavorless.  I held the chalice and carefully took a sip of the Blood.  It was tart and sweet.  I returned to my pew and knelt, praying to Jesus and thanking him for entering my heart.  That is the moment I felt him coming inside my soul.  I felt my soul was cleansed and I felt holier and more blest than I have ever felt.  Every time I receive Communion, it brings back the same feelings from my First Holy Communion.

- A 2^nd Grader from St. Therese in Fort Wayne

Consuming You

Waiting is hard work, especially when it lasts months and you’re not even completely sure what the wait is for. All I knew is at the end of this wait, I will have encountered Christ in the most intimate way possible – a thrilling and terrifying reality at the same time.

Sitting in the front pew watching the priest bless the bread and wine is something I had seen done hundreds of times, but knowing that I was about to partake in The Mystery is a brand new feeling. “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”  I wanted to be nervous, because that was all I had been feeling up to this moment, but total peace and serenity is all that I felt. The priest breaks the Bread and drinks the Wine, and walks to the congregation. Bowing before the Blessed Sacrament is routine enough, but bowing without my arms crossed across my chest is something different. Jesus Christ in the form of bread is held up in front of my eyes. “The Body of Christ” is a phrase that I had never heard spoken to me before. Relishing in that one second, that glance at my most beloved savior so close to me, I wanted it to last forever. But, before I knew it, Christ was in my mouth, my body, consuming me.  Praying back at my pew, it hit me, this is what all the waiting has been for! I began to understand the Great Mystery, but realized that I will never understand it in its entirety.

- ­Clarice Shear, a student at Holy Cross College in South Bend

Remaining Faithful, Even When I Can’t Receive

In my mid 30’s I met a wonderful man, who was raised Catholic, but was divorced with two children and had strayed from the Catholic Church due to his first wife’s beliefs.  We started dating; he started going to church with me, and so when he proposed and I said yes, it hit me:  I won’t be able to get married in the Catholic Church and therefore I won’t be able to take communion again… How can I attend Mass and not receive the Blessed Sacrament?

Instead of being resentful, I remind myself that God is good, and every day I thank Him for everything He gives me, especially for my loving husband.  It inspires me to see how much my husband loves Jesus, when he’s saying grace at meals, or he’s kneeling in church, or praying in the morning before his busy day.  We have now been married almost 13 years, and as our love for each other has grown over the years, so has our Faith in Him.

Not being able to receive the Blessed Sacrament is the cross we must bear, and we must bear it graciously. Jesus had to endure being beaten and nailed to a cross for our sins and He never stopped loving us.  How could we stop being faithful to Him? How could we ever stop loving Him? While we continue to receive Jesus in our hearts, we remain faithful servants to him, attend Mass, do good deeds, and hope that one day, we’ll once again be able to receive His Body and Blood and that when our time on this earth comes to an end, God will forgive us and we’ll be able to be in his Glory for eternity.

- Cecilia, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne

Lifted, Reborn, Free

After attending the RCIA classes each week for about six months, I was so eager to begin a closer relationship with Christ by receiving my first communion. With so much support and prayers, I was able to partake in such a beautiful liturgy that will forever be a meaningful part of my life—the Easter Vigil. Receiving my First Communion was so spiritually exhilarating; I instantly felt lifted, reborn, freed… so many words come close, but none truly compare to the way I felt at that moment. But I also now get to have that experience every time I receive the Body and Blood of Christ. By being filled with the Holy Spirit through Communion, I am able to accept and receive God’s undying love for me.

-Daniel Miller, Christ the King, South Bend

Obviously, Fr. Peter was rather shocked by this. He interrupted the Mass and immediately went to see Pope Urban IV, who was living in the nearby city of Orvieto. The Pope immediately began an investigation into the miracle, and when the facts of the matter were made known to him ordered that the corporal and host be brought to the cathedral in Orvieto. The corporal stained with the Most Precious Blood along with the Host from the Mass were brought in procession to Orvieto. The pope met the procession and installed the relics of the miracle in the cathedral, where the sacred corporal is still venerated to this day. One could say that this was the first ever Eucharistic procession. These events are said to have been the catalyst for Urban IV’s institution of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi one year later in 1264.

From these miraculous yet humble beginnings sprang what is surely one of the world’s grandest Eucharistic processions. The miraculous corporal is now kept in an enormous silver reliquary and, along with the Eucharist Itself, is carried in procession each year on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi through the entire medieval city of Orvieto. Another procession follows in Bolsena, where the townspeople decorate the streets with elaborate designs of flower petals to honor the Blessed Sacrament. Many hours of careful work go into producing these beautiful flower tapestries, only to be trampled underfoot by the priest carrying Our Lord. Their beauty is meant for God, not for human eyes.

What are we to learn from this extraordinary Eucharistic miracle? We should look to the example of Fr. Peter, the priest who struggled to believe in the Real Presence. Even though he struggled, he did not cease offering Holy Mass. He trusted in the faith of the Church, a faith that precedes each one of us and does not depend on us, a faith received from Christ through the Apostles. Rather than giving up, he continued to offer Holy Mass with reverence and devotion, and Christ confirmed his faith in an extraordinary way through the miracle. Sometimes believing in the Real Presence can be difficult for us, too. Everything our senses tell us about the Eucharist has to be set aside. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in his beloved “Adoro Te Devote” hymn: “Seeing, touching, tasting are all mistaken in you / but only by hearing can all this be believed.” It is by the faith of the Church, which we have heard from those who passed the faith on to us that we are able to believe in this wondrous sacrament.

We can learn from this example. While it is unlikely that Jesus will give us a miracle like that which took place at Bolsena, when we spend time with Him in the Blessed Sacrament, He works silently in our hearts to strengthen our faith. We have only to follow the example of the Apostles and say, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). We can do this at each Holy Mass, asking the Lord to continue to form in our hearts devotion to His most holy Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.

The author, a seminarian at the North American College in Rome, serves the 2013 Corpus Christi Procession in Orvieto.

Mary, under title the Mother of God, holds a privileged role in salvation history. Because of her unique vantage point at the side of her Divine Son in their everyday life at Nazareth she reaffirmed her “yes” every time she looked at her Son, wondered at her Son; He looked so human and yet, was Divine. It was her Son, her child that she carried across the town to the well, it was her Son that she watched learn to walk, it was her Son she watched learn carpentry at Joseph’s side, it was her Son who would sit by her at night to share His day and yet, she knew it was her Son that was Son of the Most High who had come to save His people from their sins. Her Son looked so ordinary, yet was so extraordinary.

Mary’s faith was strengthened throughout the holy family’s hidden life at Nazareth. Her wonder and awe at the work of God in her ordinary family life would be a precursor to her continued strong faith in the Eucharist. Like the hidden life at Nazareth when the divinity of her Son was hidden in the ordinariness of daily life, in the bread of the Eucharist, Jesus is “hidden” under what looks, tastes, and feels like ordinary bread. For his mother, the Eucharist was a continuation of her adoration of the Extraordinary hidden in the ordinary. She had already spent 33 years in wonder at the goodness of God to become present to His people through the Incarnation, she continued to wonder that her Son now remains present through the Eucharist and can be intimately united with His people everywhere at all times.

Our Lady had the eyes of faith to see. After the death of her Son, she knew the words of consecration spoken by the priest, “This is my Body, this is my Blood” were the words of her Son. These words are spoken as her Son, the High Priest; it is His Body, His Blood offered, sacrificed and made present on the altar.  Through these words, what is said comes to be; bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Mary listened and believed. She would have been the first follower of Jesus to understand and believe the miracle of the Divine Presence of the Eucharist. Mary’s response is the model of faith in a God whose extraordinary works are hidden in the ordinary.

The Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our faith.  We begin each week with the Sunday Eucharistic celebration.  In Holy Communion we are united so intimately with Jesus Christ.  It makes us holy.  But what else can we do, to increase our love and devotion to Jesus Christ, hidden but truly present, in the Eucharist?

Devotion to the Eucharist always points us to the celebration of the Mass; it helps us to be more disposed for reception of Holy Communion, and it “prolongs the worship” of the Mass.  (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 161)

How can you become more devoted to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?

Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

I encourage Christians regularly to visit Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament, for we are all called to abide in the presence of God.  –Bl. Pope John Paul II

Visits to the Blessed Sacrament are a great way to start increasing your Eucharistic Devotion.  It’s as simple as “popping in” to visit a friend.  Take a few minutes to peruse a map of the Catholic churches in your area, and make a mental note of where the closest churches are to your usual routes.  When you’re driving to or from work, on errands, picking kids up from school or practices, or on a pleasant walk in your neighborhood or town, stop in for just 10 minutes for some quiet prayer.  If you have children, bring them along and make it a family visit; they will learn from you how to develop a close relationship with Jesus.

Eucharistic Adoration

Eucharistic Adoration has become widespread in the Church and all the faithful are encouraged to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.  It is like making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, but usually for a longer period of time.  Eucharistic Adoration can be done with the Eucharist is exposed in a Monstrance, like at a perpetual adoration chapel or at a parish that has a designated day and time for Adoration.  It can also be done when the Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the tabernacle.  In fact, Eucharistic Adoration is derived from the practice of spending time in prayer before the reposed Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday night, after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

“Abiding with Christ the Lord, they enjoy his intimate friendship and pour out their hearts before him for themselves and for those dear to them and they pray for the peace and salvation of the world.” (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 164)

Holy Hour

“Holy hours are the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.” (USCCB)  A holy hour can be made alone, as a family, or as a group or parish community.  It may be for a particular intention or cause – for vocations, for peace, for the family – and have prayers and hymns associated with it.  There is a list of specific holy hours that can be celebrated communally over at the USCCB.  You can also spend that time in private, silent mediation and prayer.

(And check out this article about the first-ever world-wide Holy Hour that took place June 2, the Feast of Corpus Christi)

Eucharistic Procession

Eucharistic processions are often organized by parishes, dioceses or religious orders and celebrated on important liturgical feasts, like the Feast of Corpus Christi.  They are a true manifestation of the faith of the people because they are a public act, a witness of faith in the Eucharist.  In a Eucharistic procession, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in a monstrance under a canopy, in a solemn manner; the faithful follow the Blessed Sacrament singing and praying.  It usually ends with Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament.

(Come back later this week to learn about one of the most famous Eucharistic Processions each year at Orvieto, Italy.)

Some others…

Nine First Fridays

40 Hours Devotion

All-Night Vigil