Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today the Church invites us to celebrate the Solemnity of the Lord’s Body and Blood, also known as Corpus Christi. Although the universal Roman Calendar observes it on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, many dioceses move it to the nearest Sunday so more Catholics are able to participate in this special feast which commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
The full name of this feast is Corpus et Sanguis Christi or The Body and Blood of Christ. The feast of the Blessed Sacrament was established in 1246 by Bishop Robert de Thorte of Liege at the suggestion of St. Juliana of Mont Carvillon. The feast was then extended to the universal Church by Pope Urban in 1264.
This feast calls us to renew our belief, worship and daily life as Christians. While many may reject the belief that our Eucharistic Lord is truly present – body and blood, soul and divinity – may we be strengthened by this wondrous mystery. In turn, may we become a living sign of Christ’s presence in the world so that others may come to know the love and peace of God.
As we prepare for the National Eucharistic Revival next year, several opportunities at the parish and diocesan level will be made available to us. While the initiative is not clearly outlined at this time, we will communicate the information as it is distributed. Stay tuned as this will certainly be a spiritual and pastoral priority at Saint Patrick Parish.
I also take this opportunity to extend my prayerful best wishes to those who share in the vocation of fatherhood. We also remember our fathers who died and gone before us – may they rest in the peace of our Heavenly Father!
Sincerely yours in our Eucharistic Lord,
Fr. Gurnick