Word on the ground, in the trenches, is that the bishops’ “Eucharistic Revival” is stalled in neutral – largely, I believe, because nothing practical has surfaced to address the deplorable lack of Eucharistic faith. Repeating the doctrine is good and important. Processions and adoration hours are laudatory, as are pious hymn contests. However, none of those will change attitudes, ultimately, because the root causes of the unbelief and the “hot-button” issues are being scrupulously avoided. CWR readers will recall my reflections on the problem in “Gutting the Mystery out of the Mystery.”
We are now in the parish phase of the bishops’ program (begun on June 23 of this year and continuing through July of 2024). With that in mind, I am launching something much more “grass-roots” – a contest focused on the next generation of priests, who are not wedded to failed liturgical practices. To wit: Any seminarian (at any level of study) is invited to produce a 3-5 page homily (double-spaced) geared to a Sunday Mass congregation. The text should begin with a short, comprehensible re-statement of the Catholic doctrine of the Holy Eucharist, followed by suggested “best practices” for the faithful to adopt personally, that is, what they can do to reinforce and highlight for themselves and, by example, for others, the full truth of the Church’s immemorial teaching on the Real Presence. The text should be accompanied by a video delivery of the homily.
This endeavor is being co-sponsored by the Catholic Education Foundation and The Catholic Response magazine. First-prize award will be $1000; second, $500; third, $100. Winners will also receive a full scholarship to CEF’s annual summer workshop on the role of the priest in today’s Catholic school. All participants will receive a complimentary three-year subscription to The Catholic Response.
Submissions must be received no later than May 1, 2024. Questions should be directed to: fstravinskas@hotmail.com.
ChatGPT suddenly receiving dozens of requests to write an essay on this topic.
Diocesan surveys in the initial phase of the synod process showed 90% or more belief in the Real Presence.
Everyone in my family believes in the Real Presence but only one (me) filled out the questionnaire.
Looking at the linked article, I do not think those things take the Mystery out of the Mystery.
At my parish, the tabernacle was not in the sanctuary so people forgot that they should genuflect or some older people would genuflect anyway.
There were some of us who always turned toward the tabernacle to genuflect or who always went to the reserved Blessed Sacrament to pray and genuflect after Mass. I have seen this everywhere I have traveled where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved outside of the sanctuary. Sometimes you have to wait to get in the chapel. But the majority of people are heading to the narthex to get out of there quickly or to talk to Father or to talk to friends or to get the doughnuts.
People don’t really know the after-Mass prayers (or the before Mass prayers either).
“We just prayed for an hour.” or kids or “I gotta meet someone” or “I’m hangry” ( A lot of people still do not eat before Mass.)