US Bishops on the Eucharist, nice words contradict practice
The long-awaited and widely discussed document by the US bishops on the Eucharist correctly re-proposes the Church's doctrine which is its treasure, but contradicts itself in not foreseeing ways to defend it. It privileges the unity of the episcopate as a facade and the will to avoid political tensions in respect to Christ and the lives of millions of children.
The Eucharist and St Joseph, model for priests
In dealing with the Body and Blood of Jesus truly present in the Eucharistic species, the priest must imitate the sentiments of piety and adoration that St Joseph had in nourishing and raising his divine Son during the long years of His hidden life. And the example of Mary’s virginal spouse also points to perfect chastity as an ontological dimension of the priesthood.
Who gains if US bishops reject public sin?
The public sins of rulers are never only a "personal" matter. The pastors of the Church have the duty to protect their flock from scandal. We do not know how any possible clear position from American bishops will provoke reactions on a political level. However, one thing is certain: reiterating the Church's teaching on the need to refuse the Eucharist "to those who obstinately persevere in manifest grave sin" will lead to healthy reflections on Who is substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament.
The Eucharist: true Body born of the Virgin Mary
"Ave verum Corpus natum de Maria Virgine" (Hail, O true Body, born of the Virgin Mary). These are the words of the famous Eucharistic hymn that reminds us of the special bond that exists between the Son of God and His Mother Mary. As, Benedict XVI explained, Mary "was the living 'tabernacle' of the Eucharist." St. John Paul II recalled the inseparable union between the Incarnation and the Eucharistic mystery. Mary's "yes" guarantees that the Christian faith is not some vague spiritualism, because from her womb, the Body, the true Bread of Life, is born.
