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.
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.
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.
In the first article of this series, we considered the fact that God uses earthly and human realities to meet human beings and to express His love for them.
When the Church uses these earthly realities and ritualizes this encounter with God, then they become what we call sacraments. The first of these realities is water; the sacrament which uses water to place us in a very special relationship with God is called Baptism.
In the first article of this series, we considered the fact that God uses earthly and human realities to meet human beings and to express His love for them.
When the Church uses these earthly realities and ritualizes this encounter with God, then they become what we call sacraments. The first of these realities is water; the sacrament which uses water to place us in a very special relationship with God is called Baptism.
When the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity became incarnate on earth, in Jesus Christ, He became the most perfect Way that the God could communicate with us humans.
God had communicated since the creation of human beings. God did this, first of all, through nature: human beings could simply look on the greatness of the natural world about them and be led to the knowledge of God.
MADISON — Catholics all over the world are preparing for the Year of Faith proclaimed by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, which is to begin this October.
In his recent document on the year of faith, Porte Fide, the Holy Father states, “Ever since the start of my ministry as the Successor of Peter, I have spoken of the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ.” The Holy Father goes on to explain that he wants to arouse a desire in the hearts of the faithful to make a profession of faith that is sincere, hopeful, and full of conviction.
In the United States the Catholic Church celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week from Monday, Jan. 9, to Saturday, Jan. 14, this year.
During this week the Church asks us to pray for all vocations. In no. 2013 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness.” God calls us all to live our faith and seek out our vocation as a deacon, priest, Religious Brother, Sister, married, or single person.
However, we need to continue to pray for and encourage priestly vocations because priests preside at the Eucharist, which is the center of Catholic life. During the 2009 Year for Priests, Pope Benedict stressed that without priests there would be no Eucharist, no mission, or Church. We priests have the privilege of celebrating Mass and ministering to Catholics at key spiritual times in their lives from infancy to old age. Priests administer the sacraments, preach, offer pastoral care, and much more.
Amid the usual camp trappings of games, outdoor activities, new friends, this past summer Camp Gray was able to offer an added dimension to its spiritual offerings.
For Catholics, Lent is an important time to prepare the soul — a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as we journey to Christ’s death and resurrection.
But for the hundreds of people who were sent forth from parishes around the diocese to the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, this Lent is something more.
