Belief in the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist goes to the heart of the Catholic Faith. The headline-above reflects the results of a Pew Research Study a few years ago and a more recent study conducted by Public Opinion Strategies. The latter is the largest survey of Catholics conducted in the U.S. 79% of those surveyed go to the Ordinary Mass. The survey provided remedies for addressing this unbelief:

catechesis on Catholic teaching, promoting greater reverence for the Eucharist, eliminating abuses from the celebration of Mass on the part of clergy and laity. You could add to this a misguided ecumenism which promoted Protestant approaches to worship, while diminishing what is distinctly Catholic on the theory that this will foster Christian unity. That will never work: Christian unity is not unity if it is not based on the truth.

Another practice the survey highlighted as leading to the crisis is Communion-in-the-hand. Communion-in-the-hand is not the norm by law in the Church. Receiving on the tongue is. Communion-in the-hand is and was allowed by way of exception, if the bishops of a country request it and the Holy See grants permission. Some history: The way this happened in our country was contrary to the desires of clergy and laity at the time. It was voted down by the bishops many times. The laity were also against it as well. Even though Pope Paul VI surrendered to the practice, which was taking place illicitly in Holland, Germany, and elsewhere in a document called Memoriale Domini (1969), the document revealed the following: Three questions were asked of the bishops, and the replies received by 12 March 1969 were as follows:
1. Do you think that attention should be paid to the desire that, over and above the traditional manner, the rite of receiving Holy Communion on the hand should be admitted? Yes: 597 No: 1,233 Yes, but with reservations: 315 Invalid votes: 20 2. Is it your wish that this new rite be first tried in small communities, with the consent of the bishop? Yes: 751 No: 1,215 Invalid votes,70 3. Do you think that the faithful will receive this new rite gladly, after a proper catechetical preparation? Yes: 835 No: 1,185 Invalid votes: 128 From the returns it is clear that the vast majority of bishops believe that the present discipline should not be changed, and that if it were, the change would be offensive to the sentiments and the spiritual culture of these bishops and of many of the faithful.

The document also said the following: It is certainly true that ancient usage once allowed the faithful to take this divine food in their hands and to place it in their mouths themselves. It is also true that in very ancient times they were allowed to take the Blessed Sacrament with them from the place where the holy sacrifice was celebrated. This was principally so as to be able to give themselves Viaticum in case they had to face death for their faith….Soon the task of taking the Blessed Eucharist to those absent was confided to the sacred ministers alone, so as the better to ensure the respect due to the sacrament and to meet the needs of the faithful. (emphasis added) Later, with a deepening understanding of the truth of the eucharistic mystery, of its power and of the presence of Christ in it, there came a greater feeling of reverence towards this sacrament and a deeper humility was felt to be demanded when receiving it. It also said receiving on the tongue must be maintained because:

This method of distributing Holy Communion must be retained, taking the present situation of the Church in the entire world into account, not merely because it has many centuries of-tradition behind it, but especially because it expresses the faithful's reverence for the Eucharist. The custom does not detract in any way from the personal dignity of those who approach this great sacrament: it is part of that preparation that is needed for the most fruitful reception of the Body of the Lord. This reverence shows that it is not a sharing in "ordinary bread and wine" that is involved, but in the Body and Blood of the Lord, through which "The people of God share the benefits of the Paschal Sacrifice, renew the New Covenant which God has made with man once for all through the Blood of Christ, and in faith and hope foreshadow and anticipate the eschatological banquet in the kingdom of the Father."

Further, the practice which must be considered traditional ensures, more effectively, that Holy Communion is distributed with the proper respect, decorum and dignity. It removes the danger of profanation of the sacred species, in which "in a unique way, Christ, God and man, is present whole and entire, substantially and continually."Lastly, it ensures that diligent carefulness about the fragments of consecrated bread which the Church has always recommended: "What you have allowed to drop, think of it as though you had lost one of your own members." (emphasis added)

What Every Catholic Should Know About the Eucharist

- Transubstantiation: The Church makes use of this word in the Catechism to help us understand the meaning of the Holy Eucharist. A substance is what something is. Material substances have an outward appearance: color, weight, size, etc. In the Holy Eucharist bread stops being bread and wine stops being wine. At the Consecration bread substantially becomes Jesus Christ: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity; wine substantially becomes Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The appearances (species) of bread and wine remain. Only God can do this. The changing of water into wine by the Lord at the wedding in Cana was a manifestation that Jesus is God Who brings things into being through His Word but also it was preparing the disciples for the power of Christ’s word at the Last Supper changing bread and wine into Himself.

- Memory: When we use the word “memory” in the Mass it’s not simply about the past but the present. The “Memory” is on the altar in the present tense and He is Jesus Christ Crucified, Risen, Ascended, and Seated at the right hand of God the Father. This “Memory” is brought about by the Holy Spirit. When we say we recall His crucifixion, resurrection and so forth it is not simply something 2000 + years ago but the recollection is now because this Person is on the altar with us now crucified, risen from the dead, ascended, and at the right hand of God the Father offering Himself to the Father for us.

- Faith: We know this Presence by faith, that is, we accept the word of Jesus Christ, God and Man, Who cannot deceive or be deceived. It is the highest form of certitude because it is the Word of God. I believe what the Son of God has said; there is nothing more true than this Word of truth. St. Thomas Aquinas

- Concomitance: Jesus Christ is present whole and entire, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in either form of the Eucharist. If you receive only the Host you are receiving all of Jesus including His Blood. If you receive under both forms, you are not receiving more of Jesus. If you receive from the chalice only you receive all of Jesus including His Body. The reason for the dual consecration of bread and wine at Mass is to show by the outward appearances, the separation of Jesus’ Blood from His Body on the Cross.

- Integrity: Even though there are hundreds of Hosts at Mass and sometimes several chalices Jesus is not broken or divided but the outward appearances of bread and wine are broken and divided. Whether one receives or a million receive all receive Jesus Christ Whole and Entire. Jesus is present Whole and Entire in every drop of the Precious Blood and every particle of the Host.

- Effects: The effects of receiving Jesus Christ in the Eucharist on the lives of each individual differ. A person has to examine himself/herself before receiving Communion that he/she is not in a state of mortal sin. To receive in that state would be a sacrilege a very serious sin against God Himself. This is why St. Thomas says the good receive and the wicked receive but their destiny is different: eternal life for the good and condemnation for the wicked. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a prayer in which he prays not just to receive the sacrament, the outward appearances of what looks like bread and wine but the Reality and Power of the sacrament, Jesus Christ, God and Man, and the increase of sanctifying grace which gives us a share in the very life of God the Blessed Trinity, the life of heaven, making us godlike. This means that the one communicating should do so in faith, cooperating actively in their spiritual lives with the Holy Spirit. This is why the Eucharist does not have the same effect on all the persons, who may receive. The effect depends on their interior dispositions. Hence the more we pray and cooperate with God’s grace in our spiritual lives and renew our faith in the Holy Eucharist the more its healing power is released in our personal spiritual lives.

- Mortal Sin: No sacrament of the living, that is, all the sacraments other than Baptism and Confession should be received in mortal sin which is a sacrilege. Mortal sin requires: serious matter PLUS deliberation/knowledge that it is serious PLUS full consent of the will. For example deliberately missing Mass on Sunday is serious matter. Sexual sins involve serious matter. Perjury involves serious matter. Blasphemy is serious matter.

- Confession: All Catholics should be men and women of the confessional. All mortal sins must be confessed by number (how many?) and kind (what kind of mortal sin?) The Church encourages frequent confession and the confession of venial sins which is called a confession of devotion. Because in confessing venial sins God’s life is increased in us through sanctifying grace and we come to know ourselves better under the guidance of God’s grace to root out hidden sins and corruption which our consciences are not yet aware of. May I know myself and know You, Lord Jesus. St. Augustine

When will the crisis be over? Fr Chad Ripperger answered: When the line for confession is at least as long as the line for receiving the Eucharist.”

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