Tag: Abbot Marcel Rooney

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Abbot Marcel Rooney

The Holy Eucharist: Theology and Spirituality, part three

By Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

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This is the third in a series of articles examining the theology and spirituality of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

 

In the previous two articles on the theology and spirituality of the Holy Eucharist, there were outlined a number of important points about the faith of the Church in this central sacrament.

Prayers of the Mass on Feast of Corpus Christi

In a very telling way, almost all these points are expressed in the Prayer texts of Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), which we have just celebrated on Sunday, June 3.

The Collect/Opening Prayer of Holy Mass on the solemnity, for example, speaks of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as the memorial of Christ’s Passion — as does the Preface.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney

The Holy Eucharist: Theology and Spirituality, part two

By Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

year of faith column logo

This is the second in a series of articles examining the theology and spirituality of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

We have seen in a previous reflection that the first thing the Holy Eucharist does is proclaim God’s great love for us, above all through the Paschal Mystery of Jesus (i.e., His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension) which is the means of our eternal salvation.

In the light of that great divine love coming to us, through sacramental signs, we need to respond in faith and in love.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney

The Holy Eucharist: Theology and Spirituality, part one

By Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

year of faith column logo

This is the first in a series of articles examining the theology and spirituality of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

As we begin this reflection on the theology and spirituality in the Holy Eucharist, it would be well to think first about the meaning of the word “Eucharist” itself. It comes from the Greek, and has two main parts: “Eu” and “charis.”

Meaning of the word

“Eu” means “good.” The basic meaning of “charis” is “gift.” Putting them together, we have “a good gift.” The “good gift” referred to is what God has done for His chosen and beloved People. He has, first of all, created us and given us life.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

The Holy Eucharist: History of the Mass, part four

This is the final installment in a four-part series on the Eucharist.

In the last segment of this history of Holy Mass, we noted the rise of the “Liturgical Movement” in the 19th century — an effort to achieve genuine and deep renewal of the sacred liturgy. In the United States, certain monasteries led the movement in a particular way, much as had been the case in Europe.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

The Holy Eucharist: History of the Mass, part three

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This is the third of a four-part series on the Eucharist.
Council of Trent (1545-1563)

The Council of Trent was called not primarily to look at the liturgy, but rather to counter the attack on the doctrine and practice of the Church by the reformers. The Reformation in northern Europe had devastated the Church. The Council wanted to restore it to full theological orthodoxy in the face of attacks on Catholic beliefs, and to renew the vigor of the life of Catholics.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

The Holy Eucharist: History of the Mass, part two

Year of Faith column logo

This is the second of a four-part series on the Eucharist.
Fourth through Seventh Centuries

With the end of official state persecution, the Church was able to develop in a very different way — and this development was aided by the support of the Roman Emperor, beginning with Constantine I (306-337). This period saw a great deal of adaptation by the Church of religious and secular forms which had been part of Roman culture throughout its pagan history. Here are just two examples:

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

The Holy Eucharist: History of the Mass, part one

Year of Faith column logo

This is the first of a four-part series on the Eucharist.

To begin our reflections on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, it would be valuable to first look at the history of the celebration of this central sacrament of our Faith. Such an historical view will give perspective on the celebration in our time.

Recently, there have been changes in the translation of the texts of Holy Mass. A generation earlier, there were changes in a number of the elements that may have upset some people.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

Confirmation: Sacrament and challenge

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The Catechism of the Catholic Church says about this sacrament: “By the Sacrament of Confirmation [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed” (#1285).

The sacrament of Baptism incorporates one into the Body of Christ and hence makes one a member of Christ’s Church. What the Catechism means when it says that the baptized “are more perfectly bound to the Church” is that Confirmation, in effect, completes the process begun in Baptism, and fulfills what Christian Initiation is all about. This is why the traditional order of the sacraments in the Church, from our earliest evidence, is generally: Baptism, then Confirmation, and then Holy Eucharist.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB

Sacraments of Christian Initiation: baptism for infants

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The previous installment in this series spoke of Baptism for Adults. The Church has shown its understanding of this sacrament’s importance by creating the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

But the Church has always had the tradition of baptizing infants and children also. Thus, Acts 16 and 18 speak of three instances in which the “whole household” was baptized. Patristic evidence assures us that the practice of Infant Baptism continued unbroken in the first centuries — and so it has been down through the ages.

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