Church Documents: Roman Catholic

21. Moreover, the holy Gospel alludes to this when it tells of the many disciples of Christ who, after listening to the words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, turned away and left our Lord, saying: "This is a hard saying, and who can accept it?" Peter, on the other hand, in reply to Jesus' question whether the twelve also wished to leave, expressed his faith and that of the others promptly and resolutely with the marvelous answer: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life." Jn 6:61-69.

22. Therefore we should follow as a guiding star in our investigations of this mystery the magisterium of the Church, to whose care and interpretation the divine Redeemer entrusted God's word, written or handed down. Ours should be the firm conviction that "what since the days of antiquity was preached and believed throughout the whole Church with true Catholic faith is true, even if it is proved by no argument, explained by no words." Augustine, Contra Iulianum 6, 5, 11: PL 44, 829.

23. But this is not enough. Not only the integrity of the faith, but also its proper mode of expression must be safeguarded, lest, God forbid, by the careless use of words we introduce false notions about the most sublime realities. St. Augustine gives a stern warning about this by reflecting on the way philosophers employ words and the way Christians must do so. "The philosophers," he says, "use words loosely and in matters very difficult to understand are not deterred from offending a sense of religious reverence. We, however, have the obligation to speak according to a definite norm lest the carelessness of our words give rise to impious ideas about the very realities signified by these words." Augustine, De civitate Dei 10, 23: PL 41, 300.

24. We must religiously respect the rule of terminology; after centuries of effort and under the protection of the Holy Spirit the Church has established it and confirmed it by the authority of councils; that norm often became the watchword and the banner of orthodox belief. Let no one arbitrarily or under the pretext of new science presume to change it. Would we allow the dogmatic formulas of the ecumenical councils concerning the mysteries of the most blessed Trinity and the incarnation to be declared unsuited to our contemporaries and other formulas to be rashly substituted? In like manner we must not put up with anyone's personal wish to modify the formulas in which the Council of Trent set forth the mystery of the eucharist for belief. Like others that the Church uses to express the dogmas of the faith, the Tridentine formulas express concepts that are not tied to one specific form of human culture, to a definite period of scientific progress, or to one school of theological thought. They present the human mind's perception of the realities, deriving from universal and necessary experience, and its expression of them in suitable and accurate words, taken either from general or more specialized usage. For this reason, these formulas are suited to people of all times and all places.

25. The dogmatic formulas are, it is true, open to clearer and plainer explanation and such explanation does come about and with the most advantageous results. But that is in continuity with the sense the formulas had originally, so that as the understanding of the faith increases, its truth remains the same. This is the teaching of Vatican Council I on the dogmas of faith: "That meaning which holy Mother Church has once defined must forever be retained and we may never depart from that meaning under the pretext and name of a more profound learning." Vatican I, Const. Dogm. De fide catholica cap. 4: [Denz-Schön 1740].

THE MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST IS MADE ACTUAL IN THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

26. For the edification and joy of all, we wish to review with you, Esteemed Brothers, the doctrine that has been handed down concerning the mystery of the eucharist and that the Catholic Church holds and teaches with single-minded accord.

27. We desire to recall at the outset what may be termed the very essence of this teaching, namely, that the mystery of the eucharist makes present again in a unique manner the sacrifice of the cross, which was once offered on Calvary, continuously calls it to mind, and applies its saving power for the forgiveness of those sins we commit daily. See Council of Trent, Doctrina de SS. Missae Sacrificio cap. 1 [Denz-Schön 1740].

28. Just as Moses with the blood of oxen once ratified the Old Covenant, See Ex 24:8: "Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.'" so also Christ our Lord, through the institution of the mystery of the eucharist, with his own blood ratified the New Covenant, whose Mediator he is. For, as the evangelists record, at the Last Supper: "And having taken bread, he gave thanks and broke, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In like manner he took also the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which shall be shed for you."' Lk 22:19-20; see Mt 26:26-28 ["While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, 'Take and eat; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.'"]; Mk 14:22-24 ["While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, 'Take it; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, 'This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.'"]. And by bidding the apostles to do this in memory of him, he made clear his will that the same sacrifice should be ever made actual. The infant Church faithfully carried out this intention of Christ by holding fast to the teaching of the apostles and gathering to celebrate the eucharistic sacrifice. As St. Luke carefully testifies: "They continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of bread and in prayers." From this practice the faithful derived such spiritual strength that it was said of them: "The multitude of the believers were of one heart and soul." Act 2:42.

29. Moreover, Paul the Apostle, who faithfully transmitted to us what he had received from the Lord, See 1 Cor 11:23ff: "For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes." is clearly speaking of the eucharistic sacrifice when he points out that Christians, because they have been made partakers at the table of the Lord, must not take part in pagan sacrifices. "The cup of blessing that we bless, he says, "is it not the partaking of the blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord? . . . You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of devils." 1 Cor 10:16. Foreshadowed by Malachi, See Mal 1:11: "For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts." this new sacrifice of the New Testament has always been offered by the Church, in accordance with the teaching of our Lord and the apostles, "not only for the sins, punishment, expiation, and needs of the living faithful, but also for those who have died in Christ but have not yet been completely purified." Council of Trent, Doctrina de SS. Missae Sacrificio cap 2 [Denz-Schön 1743].

30. Passing over other citations, we recall simply the testimony of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who wrote the following memorable instruction for his neophytes: "After the spiritual sacrifice, the unbloody act of worship, has been completed, relying on this propitiatory offering we beg God to grant peace to all the Churches, to give harmony to the whole world, to bless our rulers, our soldiers, and our companions, to aid the sick and afflicted, and in general all of us pray for those who stand in need. Then we offer the victim also for our deceased holy fathers and bishops and for all our dead. As we do this, we are filled with faith that this sacrifice will be of the greatest help to those souls for whom prayers are being offered, since as we pray that holy and awe-inspiring victim lies before us." St. Cyril closes his instruction by referring as an example to a crown fashioned for the emperor in order to move him to pardon exiles: "Similarly, when we offer our prayers to God for the dead, even though they be sinners, we fashion no crown, but instead we offer Christ slain for our sins, beseeching our merciful God to take pity both on them and on ourselves." Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis (myst. 5) 8-18: PG 33, 1115-18. St. Augustine testifies that this manner of offering even for the dead "the sacrifice which ransomed us" was the practice observed in the Church at Rome, See Augustine, Confessiones 9, 12, 32: PL 32, 777; see also ibid. 9, 11, 27: PL 32, 775. and at the same time he remarks that the whole Church observed the practice as one handed down from the Fathers. See Augustine, Sermo 172, 2: PL 38, 936; see also De cura gerenda pro mortuis 13: PL 40, 593.

31. We may also add another point, because it sheds light on the mystery of the Church, namely, that the whole Church, exercising with Christ the role of priest and victim, offers the sacrifice of the Mass and the whole Church is offered in it. This sublime teaching was taught by the Fathers long ago, See Augustine, De civitate Dei 10, 6: PL 41, 284. our predecessor Pius XII brought it out in 1947, See Pius XII, Encycl. Mediator Dei: AAS 39 (1947) 552. and recently Vatican Council II expressed it in its Constitution on the Church when treating of the people of God. See LG 11 [DOL 4 no. 141].

This teaching, it is our own strong wish, should be brought out again and again and deeply impressed on the minds of the faithful (without diminishing the distinction not merely of degree but of essence between the universal and hierarchic priesthood See LG 10 [DOL 4 no. 140].). For this teaching is a most effective means of developing eucharistic devotion, emphasizing the dignity of all the faithful, and inspiring their pursuit of holiness, which is identical with a generous, total self-offering to the service of God's majesty.

32. We should also mention "the public and social nature of every Mass," See SC art. 27 [DOL 1 no. 27]. a conclusion that clearly emerges from the teaching we have been discussing. Every Mass, even though a priest may offer it in private, is not a private matter; it is an act of Christ and of the Church. In offering this sacrifice, the Church learns to offer itself as a sacrifice for all and applies the single, boundless, redemptive power of the sacrifice of the cross for the salvation of the entire world. For every Mass celebrated is offered not for the salvation of only a few, but for the salvation even of the whole world. Hence it follows that although it is eminently in accord with the very nature of the celebration of Mass that large groups of the faithful participate actively, nevertheless, there is to be no disparagement but full approval of a Mass that, in conformity with the prescriptions and lawful traditions of the Church, a priest for a sufficient reason offers in private, that is, with no one present except the server. From such a Mass an abundant outpouring of special, salutary graces enriches the celebrant, the faithful, the whole Church, and the entire world — graces that are not obtained in the same abundance simply by reception of holy communion.

33. Therefore as a father we earnestly recommend to priests, our special crown and happiness in the Lord, that they be mindful of their power, received through the hands of the ordaining bishop, of offering sacrifice to God and of celebrating Masses both for the living and for the dead in the name of the Lord See PR [Ordination of Priests]. and thus worthily and devoutly offer Mass each day in order that both they and the rest of the faithful may enjoy the benefits that flow so richly from the sacrifice of the cross. Thus also they will contribute much to the salvation of the human race.

IN THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS CHRIST BECOMES SACRAMENTALLY PRESENT

34. The few points we have touched on regarding the sacrifice of the Mass move us also to set forth others on the eucharist as sacrament: both sacrifice and sacrament form inseparable parts of the same mystery. The Lord is immolated in an unbloody manner in the sacrifice of the Mass, which presents anew the sacrifice of the cross and applies its saving power, at the moment when through the words of consecration he begins to be sacramentally present as the spiritual food of the faithful under the appearances of bread and wine.

35. All of us know well that there is more than one way in which Christ is present in his Church, but it is useful to dwell on this beautiful teaching that the Constitution on the liturgy brought out briefly. See SC art. 7 [DOL 1 no. 7]. Christ is present in his Church when it prays, since it is he "who prays for us and in us, and is prayed to by us; he prays for us as our Priest and in us as our Head; as our God he is prayed to by us." Augustine, In Ps. 5, 1: PL 37, 1081. He himself has promised: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst." Mt 18:20. He is present in his Church as it performs works of mercy, not only because we do to Christ whatever good we do to one of the least of his brothers and sisters, See Mt 25:40: "And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'" but also because it is Christ, performing these works through the Church, who continually assists by his divine charity. He is present in his pilgrim Church longing to reach the harbor of eternal life, since it is he who through faith dwells in our hearts See Eph 3:17: "and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love …" and through the Holy Spirit whom he gives us pours forth his love in the Church. See Rom 5:5: "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us."

36. In yet a different but most real way, he is present in the Church as it preaches. The Gospel that is proclaimed is the word of God and thus is preached only in the name of and by the authority of Christ, the incarnate Word of God and with his help, so that there may be "one flock which is safe with one shepherd." Augustine, Contra Litt. Petiliani 3, 10, 11: PL 43, 353.

37. He is present in his Church as it shepherds and guides the people of God, since the Church's sacred power comes from Christ and since Christ, "the shepherd of shepherds," Idem, In Ps. 86, 3: PL 37, 1102. is present in the shepherds who exercise that power, according to the promise made to the apostles.

38. In a manner even more sublime, Christ also is present in his Church when it offers the sacrifice of the Mass in his name and administers the sacraments. In regard to Christ's presence in the offering of the sacrifice of the Mass, it is well to recall what St. John Chrysostom, overcome with wonder, said with no less truth than eloquence: "I wish to add something thoroughly amazing, but do not be astonished or disturbed. What is it? The sacrifice is the same, no matter who offers it, be it Paul or Peter; the sacrifice is the same that Christ gave to his disciples and that priests now offer, one Mass is not inferior to another, because it is not men who make this offering holy, but the one who sanctified it in the first place. For just as the words that God spoke are the same as those that the priest now uses, so also is the sacrifice the very same." John Chrysostom, In Epist. 2 ad Tim. homil. 2, 4: PG 62, 612. As for the sacraments, they are, as all know, the actions of Christ, who administers them through human ministers. The sacraments therefore are in themselves holy and by the power of Christ pour grace into the soul as they touch the body. These ways in which Christ is present fill the mind with wonder and present the mystery of the Church for contemplation. But there is another, indeed most remarkable way, in which Christ is present in his Church in the sacrament of the eucharist. This therefore among all the sacraments is "sweeter in devotion, lovelier in meaning, holier in content"; Giles of Rome, Theoremata de Corpore Christi theor. 50 (Venice, 1521) 127. for it contains Christ himself and is "as it were the high point of the spiritual life and the purpose of all the other sacraments." ST 3a, 73.3.

39. This presence is called the real presence not to exclude the other kinds as though they were not real, but because it is real par excellence, since it is substantial, in the sense that Christ whole and entire, God and man, becomes present. See Council of Trent, Decr. de SS. Eucharistitia cap. 3 [Denz-Schön 1635 and 1638]. Anyone is in error who explains the meaning of this presence by inventing a so-called pneumatic, omnipresent nature for Christ's glorified body or by confining the meaning within the limits of symbolism, as though this august sacrament amounted to nothing more in reality than an effective sign "of a spiritual presence of Christ and of his close union with the faithful, his members in the Mystical Body." Pius XII, Encycl. Humani generis: AAS 42 (1950) 578.

40. It is true that the Fathers and the scholastics developed many points on eucharistic symbolism, especially with reference to the unity of the Church. Summarizing their thoughts, the Council of Trent taught that our Savior bequeathed the blessed eucharist to his Church "as a symbol . . . of that unity and charity by which he wished all Christians to be united as closely as possible to each other," and hence "as a symbol of that one Body of which he is the Head." Council of Trent, Decr. de SS. Eucharistia prooem. and cap. 2: [Denz-Schön 1635 and 1638].

41. At the very beginnings of Christian literature, the unknown author of a work entitled the Didache or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles wrote as follows on this subject: "In regard to the eucharist, give thanks in this manner: . . . As this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains, and then, when gathered, was made one, so may your Church be gathered into your kingdom from the ends of the earth." Didache 9, 1: Funk PA 1, 20.

42. Likewise St. Cyprian, insisting on the unity of the Church against schism, says: "Finally, the sacrifices of the Lord proclaim the unity of Christians fashioned by firm and inviolable charity. For when the Lord calls the bread, produced by the compacting of many grains of wheat, his body, he is describing our people whom he brought together in unity; when he refers to wine, pressed from many grapes, as his blood, he is speaking of our flock, joined together by the fusing of many into one." Cyprian, Epist. ad Magnum 6: PL 3, 1189.

43. What is more, before any of these, St. Paul had written to the Corinthians: "Because the bread is one, we though many, are one Body, all of us who share in the one bread." 1 Cor 10:17.

44. But if the eucharistic symbolism brings us to understand rightly the effect proper to this sacrament, namely, the unity of the Mystical Body, it does not explain or bring out what it is that makes this sacrament different from all others. The Catholic Church's constant instruction imparted to catechumens, the Christian people's understanding of faith, the Council of Trent's defined teaching, the very words used by Christ when he instituted the most holy eucharist, compel us to acknowledge that "the eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins and which the Father in his loving kindness raised again." Ignatius of Antioch, Epist. ad Smyrn. 7, 1: PG 5, 714. To these words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, we may add those which Theodore of Mopsuestia, on this point an authentic witness to the faith of the Church, addressed to the faithful: "The Lord did not say: 'This is a symbol of my body,' and 'This is a symbol of my blood,' but: 'This is my body and my blood.' He teaches us not to look to the nature of the thing that lies before us and is perceived by the senses, for by the prayer of thanksgiving and the words spoken over it, it has been changed into flesh and blood." Theodore of Mopsuestia, In Matth. Comm. cap. 26: PG 66, 714.

45. Basing itself on this faith of the Church, the Council of Trent, "clearly and sincerely professes that in the holy sacrament of the eucharist, after the consecration of the bread and wine, our Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is really, truly, and substantially contained under the appearances of these perceptible things." Therefore, the Savior in his humanity is present not only at the right hand of the Father according to the natural manner of existence, but at the same time also in the sacrament of the eucharist "by a mode of existence that we can hardly express in words, but that, with a mind enlightened by faith, we can grasp as possible to God and must most firmly believe." Council of Trent, Decr. de SS. Eucharistia cap. 1: [Denz-Schön 1636].

CHRIST OUR LORD PRESENT IN THE EUCHARIST BY TRANSUBSTANTIATION

46. To avoid misunderstanding this sacramental presence, which surpasses the laws of nature and in its meaning constitutes the greatest miracle of all, See Leo XIII, Encycl. Mirae caritatis: Acta Leonis 13, 22 (1902-03) 173. we must listen with docility to the voice of the teaching and praying church. This voice, which constantly echoes the voice of Christ, assures us that the way Christ becomes present in this sacrament is none other than by the change of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood and that this unique and truly wonderful change the Catholic Church rightly calls transubstantiation. See Council of Trent, Decr. de SS. Eucharistia cap. 4 and can. 2: [Denz-Schön 1642 and 1652]. After transubstantiation has taken place, the appearances of bread and wine undoubtedly take on a new meaning and a new purpose, for they no longer remain ordinary bread and ordinary drink, but become the sign of something sacred and the sign of a spiritual nourishment. But the reason they take on this new meaning and this new purpose is that they contain a new "reality," which with good reason we term ontological. There now underlies those appearances not what was there before, but something else entirely. This is true not merely because the faith of the Church accepts it as so, but objectively, because once the substance or nature of bread and wine has been changed into the body and blood of Christ, only the appearances of bread and wine remain. Under them Christ is present whole and entire, even "bodily" in his physical reality, although not in the same way that bodies are present in a given place.

47. For this reason the Fathers regularly reminded the faithful that in thinking about this most august sacrament, they should not heed their senses, which bear on only the properties of bread and wine, but rather the words of Christ, which have power to change, transform, and "transmute" the bread and wine into his body and blood. For, as those same Fathers often said, the power that accomplishes this is the same power of God almighty that at the beginning of time created all things out of nothing.

48. At the end of a sermon on the mysteries of faith, St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: "We have been instructed in these matters and filled with an unshakable faith that what seems to be bread is not bread, though it tastes like it, but the body of Christ, and that what seems to be wine is not wine, though it tastes like it, but the blood of Christ. Strengthen your heart by receiving this bread as spiritual food and gladden the countenance of your soul." Cyril of Jerusalem, Catecheses (myst. 4): PG 33, 1103.

49. St. John Chrysostom emphasizes this point, saying; "It is not man who makes what is put before us the body and blood of Christ, but Christ himself who was crucified for us. The priest standing there in the place of Christ says these words but their power and grace are from God. 'This is my body,' the priest says, and these words transform what lies before him." John Chrysostom, De proditione Iudae, homil. 1, 6: PG 49, 380; see also In Matth. homil 82, 5: PG 58, 744.

50. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, agrees with John, Bishop of Constantinople, when he writes in his commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew: "Christ used the demonstrative pronoun in saying: 'This is my body,' and 'This is my blood,' in order that you might not think what you see to be a mere figure. He wished rather that you know that, by the hidden power of God who has power over all things, the offerings are changed into Christ's body and blood; by partaking of these we receive the life-giving and sanctifying power of Christ." Cyril of Alexandria, In Matth. 26, 27: PG 72, 451.

51. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, dealing with the eucharistic change, clearly says: Let us be assured that this is not what nature formed, but what the blessing has consecrated and that greater power lies in the blessing than in nature, for by the blessing nature itself is changed." To confirm the truth of this mystery, he recounts many of the miracles described in the sacred Scriptures, among them Christ's birth of the Virgin Mary. Then, turning to the work of creation, he concludes: "The word of Christ, therefore, which could make out of nothing what did not exist, can it not change things already in existence into what they were not? For to give things their natures is not something less than to change them." Ambrose, De mysteriis 9, 5O-52: PL 16, 422-424.

52. But there is no need to multiply supporting texts. Rather it is useful simply to recall that firmness of faith with which the Church with one accord opposed Berengarius. Yielding to the difficulties of human reasoning, he was the first who dared deny the eucharistic change and the Church repeatedly called for him to retract or be condemned. Therefore our predecessor St. Gregory VII ordered him to take an oath in the following words: "I believe inwardly and profess outwardly that the bread and wine placed on the altar are, by the mystery of the sacred prayer and the words of the Redeemer, substantially changed into the true and life-giving flesh and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and that after the consecration the true Body of Christ is present that was born of the Virgin, that as an offering for the salvation of the world hung on the cross, and that is now seated at the right hand of the Father. I believe that the true blood of Christ is present that flowed from his side. They are present not only through the sign and power of the sacrament, but also in the very reality and truth of their nature and substance." Mansi 20, 524 D.

53. Continuous with these words, as an example of the stability of the Catholic faith, is the constant teaching on the eucharistic change by the ecumenical Councils of the Lateran, Constance, Florence, and lastly Trent, both in stating Catholic doctrine and in condemning error.

54. After the Council of Trent, our predecessor Pius VI, on the occasion of the errors of the Synod of Pistoia, strongly reminded parish priests that in carrying out their office of teaching they not neglect to speak of transubstantiation, which is one of the articles of the faith. Pius VI, Constitution Auctorem fidei, 28 Aug. 1794: [Denz-Schön 2629]. Similarly, our predecessor Pius XII recalled the bounds that those who engage in learned discussions of the mystery of transubstantiation may not cross. Pius XII, Address, 22 Sept. 1956: AAS 48 (1956) 720. In fulfillment of our apostolic office, we also have openly borne solemn witness to the faith of the Church at the national Italian eucharistic congress held recently at Pisa. See AAS 57 (1965) 588-592 [DOL 174].

55. Moreover the Catholic Church has held to this faith in the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the eucharist, not only in its teaching but also in its life, since it has at all times honored this great sacrament by the worship that is known as latria and that is the worship due to God alone. As St. Augustine says: "It was in his flesh that Christ walked among us and it is his flesh that he has given us to eat for our salvation. No one, however, eats of this flesh without having first adored it … and not only do we not sin by adoring, but we would sin by not adoring." Augustine, In Ps. 98, 9: PL 37, 126.

LATREUTIC WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARIST

56. The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers the worship of latria to the sacrament of the eucharist, not only during Mass, but also outside it. It does so by reserving consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to solemn veneration by the faithful, and carrying them in processions to the joy of great crowds of the faithful.

57. The most ancient of church practices provide evidence of this veneration. It was the custom of the Church's pastors to urge the faithful that they show the greatest reverence toward the consecrated hosts they took to their homes. "The body of Christ is meant to be eaten, not to be treated with irreverence," St. Hippolytus solemnly reminds the faithful. Hippolytus, Tradit. Apost.: B. Botte, ed., La Tradition Apostolique de St. Hippolyte (Münster-W., 1963) 84.

58. In fact the faithful thought themselves guilty, and rightly so, as Origen records, if after they had taken the body of the Lord and kept it with all care and reverence, a small particle fell because of negligence. Origen, In Exod. fragm.: PG 12, 391.

59. Novatian, on this point a reliable witness, states that these same pastors severely censured any failure in due reverence that may have crept in. He considers as worthy of being condemned that person "who after dismissal from the Lord's sacrifice and still, as is the custom, carrying with him the eucharist, the sacred body of the Lord" does not go to his home but runs off to the theater. Novatian, De spectaculis: CSEL 3³, 8.

60. Indeed St. Cyril of Alexandria rejects as madness the opinion of those who maintained that the eucharist had no sanctifying power if any part were left over for another day. "For," he says, "neither Christ is altered nor his holy body changed, but its blessed force and power and life-giving grace always remain with it." Cyril of Alexandria, Epist. ad Calosyrium: PG 76, 1075.

61. Nor may we forget that in ancient times the faithful, whether beset by the violence of persecution or living in solitude out of love for the monastic life, nourished themselves even daily, receiving communion by their own hands in the absence of a priest or deacon. See Basil, Epist. 93: PG 32, 483-486.

62. We say this not in order to change that way of reserving the eucharist and of receiving holy communion which was later prescribed by the church laws now in force, but rather that we may rejoice together over the faith of the Church, which is always one and the same.

63. This faith also gave rise to the feast of Corpus Christi, which was first celebrated in the Diocese of Liège, especially through the efforts of the servant of blessed Juliana of Mont-Cornillon, and which our predecessor Urban IV extended to the universal Church. From it have originated many practices of eucharistic devotion that, under the inspiration of divine grace, have increased from day to day and that the Catholic Church uses eagerly to show ever greater homage to Christ, to thank him for so great a gift, and to implore his mercy.

EXHORTATION TO PROMOTE THE WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARIST

64. We entreat you, therefore, Esteemed Brothers, that among the people entrusted to your care and vigilance, you keep this faith pure and integral, freed of false and pernicious opinions; that faith allows for nothing but maintaining absolute fidelity to the words of Christ and the apostles. We entreat you to promote, without stinting word or work, worship of the eucharist, toward which all other forms of devotion must lead and there come to rest.

65. May the faithful, thanks to your efforts, come to realize and experience ever more and more the truth of these words: "Those who desire life find here a place and a source of life. Let them approach, let them believe, let them be incorporated so that they may receive life. Let them not refuse union with the other members, let them not be putrid members, deserving to be cut off, or twisted members, a source of shame. Let them be beautiful, fitting, comely, and healthy members, let them cleave to the Body, live for God and through God. Let them now labor here on earth that they may afterward reign in heaven." Augustine, In Ioann. tract. 26, 13: PL 35, 1613.

66. The faithful should, as we all hope, every day and in great numbers actively participate in the sacrifice of the Mass, receive communion with a pure heart, and make a fitting thanksgiving to Christ our Lord for so great a gift. Let them remember these words: "The desire of Jesus Christ and of the Church that all the faithful receive daily communion means above all that through the sacramental union with God they may obtain the strength necessary for mastering their passions, for purifying themselves of their daily venial faults, and for avoiding the grave sins to which human frailty is prone." SC Council, Decree 20 Dec. 1905, approved by St. Pius X: Acta Sanctae Sedis 38 (1905) 401. Moreover, in the course of the day the faithful should not omit to visit the blessed sacrament, which must, in keeping with liturgical laws, be reserved in the churches with great reverence in a most honorable location. Such visits are a proof of gratitude, a pledge of love, a service of adoration owed to Christ the Lord there present.

67. No one can fail to understand that the divine eucharist bestows on the Christian people an incomparable dignity. Not only while the sacrifice is being offered and the sacrament celebrated but also after the sacrifice has been offered and the sacrament has been received, as long as the eucharist is kept in our churches and oratories, Christ is truly the Emmanuel, that is, "God with us." Day and night he is in our midst; full of grace and truth, See Jn 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." he dwells with us. He forms our moral life, nourishes virtues, consoles the afflicted, strengthens the weak, moves all those who draw near to imitate him, learning from his example to be meek and humble of heart and to seek not what is their own but the things of God. Anyone, therefore, who approaches this august sacrament with special devotion and endeavors to return generous love for Christ's own infinite love, experiences and fully understands, with great spiritual joy and profit, how precious is the life hidden with Christ in God See Col 3:3: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." and how great is the value of communing with Christ, for there is nothing more consoling on earth, nothing more effective for advancing along the road of holiness.

68. Further, you realize, Esteemed Brothers, that the eucharist is reserved in churches and oratories as in the spiritual center of a religious community or parish, yes, of the universal Church and of all humanity, since beneath the veil of the eucharistic elements Christ is contained, the invisible Head of the Church, the Redeemer of the world, the center of all hearts, "through whom all things are and through whom we exist." 1 Cor 8:6.

69. From this it follows that the worship paid to the divine eucharist strongly impels the soul to cultivate a "social" love, See Augustine, De Genesi ad litt. 11, 15, 20: PL 34, 437. by which we place the general good before the good of the individual, make our own the interests of the community, of the parish, of the entire Church, and extend our charity to the whole world, because we know that the members of Christ are everywhere.

70. The sacrament of the eucharist is the sign and source of the unity of the mystical Body of Christ and stirs up in those fervently devoted to it an intense ecclesial spirit. Therefore, Esteemed Brothers, may you never stop seeking to convince your people that in drawing near to the eucharistic mystery they learn to take the interests of the Church as their own, to entreat God unceasingly, and to offer themselves to the Lord as an acceptable sacrifice on behalf of the Church's unity and peace. May you teach all children of the Church to be one and to realize they are one, to have no factions among them but to be, as St. Paul enjoins, completely joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. See 1 Cor 1:10: "I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose." May all who are not joined in complete communion with the Catholic Church, our separated brothers and sisters, but are graced with and glory in the name Christian, soon, with the help of God's grace, rejoice with us in the unity of faith and communion that Christ willed to be the mark of his disciples.

71. Let religious, both men and women, realize that zeal in praying and in dedicating themselves to God for the unity of the Church is something that belongs particularly to them, since they are persons bound in a special manner to the adoration of the most blessed sacrament and in virtue of the vows they have made are, as it were, its honor guard here on earth.

72. A foremost and fond desire of the Church has been and remains the desire for the unity of all Christians. We wish to express it again in the very words used by the Council of Trent at the close of its decree on the eucharist: "Finally, the holy Council, with fatherly affection, admonishes, exhorts, prays, and beseeches 'through the merciful kindness of our God' Lk 1:78. that each and all who bear the name Christian will now at last agree and be of one mind in this sign of unity, this bond of charity, this symbol of concord, and that, mindful of such great majesty and such boundless love of Jesus Christ our Lord who gave his beloved life as the price of our salvation and 'his flesh to eat,' Jn 6:48ff. they may believe and adore these sacred mysteries of his body and blood with such constancy and firmness of faith, with such devotion of mind, with such reverence and worship, that they can receive frequently that supersubstantial bread Mt 6:11. and that it may truly be for them the life of the soul and unfailing health of mind. Then in the strength of that food 1 Kings 19:8. they will be able after the journey of this careworn pilgrimage to arrive in their heavenly home, there to eat without any veil the same 'bread of angels' Ps 77 [78]:25. that now they eat under the sacred veils." Council of Trent, Decr. de SS. Eucharistia cap. 8 [Denz-Schön 1649].

73. May the most loving Redeemer, who just before his death prayed to the Father that all who were to believe in him would be one even as he and the Father were one, See Jn 17:20-21: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. deign speedily to hear our most ardent prayer and that of the entire Church, that we may all with one voice and one faith celebrate the eucharistic mystery and, having been made partakers of the body of Christ, become the one Body, See 1 Cor 10:17: "Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." be linked by those same bonds with which he himself desired it to be joined.

74. And we turn with fatherly affection also to those who belong to the revered Churches of the East, from which so many of the most illustrious Fathers came whose testimony to the belief concerning the eucharist we have so gladly cited in this Letter. Our soul is filled with intense joy as we consider your faith in the eucharist, which is also ours, and as we listen to the liturgical prayers with which you celebrate so great a mystery; we rejoice to behold your eucharistic devotion and to read your theologians as they explain or defend the teaching concerning this most august sacrament.

75. May the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, from whom Christ our Lord took the flesh that under the appearances of bread and wine "is contained, offered, and received in this sacrament," CIC, can. 801. and all the saints of God, especially those who had a more ardent devotion to the divine eucharist, intercede with the Father of mercies so that from this same faith in the eucharist and devotion to it a perfect unity between all who bear the name Christian may come about and flourish. Firmly impressed on our mind are the words of the holy martyr Ignatius as he warned the faithful of Philadelphia against the evils of division and schism, the remedy for which lies in the eucharist: "Strive then," he says, "to make use of one form of thanksgiving, for the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ is one and one is the chalice in the union of his blood, one the altar, one the bishop." Ignatius of Antioch, Epist. ad Philadelph. 4: PG 5, 700.

76. Encouraged by the most consoling hope of the blessings that will accrue to the whole Church and the entire world from an increase in devotion to the eucharist, with profound affection we impart to you, Esteemed Brothers, to the priests, religious, to all those associated in your work and to all the faithful entrusted to your care, the apostolic blessing as a pledge of heavenly graces.