JMJ
June 2, 2024
To the members and families of St. Cletus Catholic Church and School and all those Catholics, Christians, and non-Christians who live in lower Gretna, LA:
In order to highlight the place of the Mass and the Most Holy Eucharist in the Catholic faith, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have been working on a three-year process of Eucharistic Revival for the Catholic Church in the United States. The goal of the Revival is to allow the Holy Spirit to stir up in our hearts a greater love for the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist and a desire to share that love with the world. The third year of this revival, when the Revival comes to our local parishes, begins on the Feast of Corpus Christi (the Body and Blood of Christ), on June 2, 2024.
Why do Catholics go to Mass every week on Sunday? In the Catechism, the Church says this about the Mass and the Eucharist, “The Eucharist is the heart and summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church” (CCC, 1407). The Mass is the memorial of our Lord’s Cross and Resurrection which saved us from sin and death, as well as the Sacred Meal which brings us into Communion with God through Jesus Christ, who is really present in the Most Holy Eucharist. In the Mass, we are privileged to draw close to God, who loves us so much, and so wants to be near us, that He comes to us under the appearance of bread and wine. Everything that we do ought to revolve around the Mass, to be inspired by it and lead us back to it. A little earlier, the Catechism says, “The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy (the Mass) on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily” (CCC, 1389). Finally, the Bible says, “So Jesus said to them, ‘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, and I will raise him up at the last day’” (John 6:53). The Eucharist is our participation in the life of the Son of God. If we don’t receive the Eucharist worthily and well, then we do not have the life of the Son of God within us. Therefore, the Church requires us to attend Mass, the memorial of our salvation, every Sunday, and to receive the Eucharist at least once a year. We should ask God to increase our love for the Mass and the Eucharist and our desire for them.
The Church also recognizes that some people are unable to go to Mass on Sunday. Those with a serious reason, such as illness, the care of infants, etc., can be excused from the obligation by their pastors, whereas “those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (CCC 2181). Later, it says, “Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses to not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health” (CCC 2185). In cases where the law itself requires work of Sundays, “the day should nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance which lets us share in this ‘festal gather,’ this ‘assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven’” (CCC 2188). If you are in one of these categories, make a serious effort to change your circumstances so that you will be able to more regularly participate in the Eucharistic celebration of the Sunday Mass.
Some parents worry about taking younger children to Mass, as they may cause disruptions during Mass. However, St. Cletus Catholic Church is pro-family. We encourage people of all ages, from 1 day to 100+ years, to join us for Mass. What I dread far more than children making noise in Church is the emptiness and silence of our Churches in the future. After all, if we prevent children from attending Mass when they’re young, how can we reasonably expect them to attend Mass when they’re older. Beyond that, I believe that the presence of children in Church brings a sense of life and joy to our celebration of the Mass.
There are many ways that you can participate in and promote this Eucharistic Revival. For resources you can use at home, visit the USCCB’s website for the Eucharistic Revival: EucharisticRevival.org. We’ll celebrate the Eucharistic Revival at St. Cletus with Evenings of Eucharistic Adoration, Bible studies, a Eucharistic procession, and novenas to mark the beginning and end of the year; you can find a calendar of these events attached to this letter. Finally, invite your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Share this letter and calendar with them, or just invite them to come to Mass with you. For some people, coming to Mass is too much like being thrown in the deep end, since they don’t know what’s going on or what they’re supposed to be doing. Maybe they’d be more comfortable coming to an Evening of Adoration or a Bible Study.We’ll have extra flyers for each of these events as they get closer; take a few to share with other people.
St. Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Christ the Lord in your hearts, being ready always to give an explanation to all who ask you the reason for that hope which is in you” (1 Pt 3:15). The Lord God, Creator of the universe and ground of all existence, so love us that He makes Himself present to us in the Most Holy Eucharist. That is a very good reason for hope.
May the love of Christ be with all of you!