Dear Parishioners and Friends,
With the release of the document “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church” in 2021, the bishops of the United States launched a three-year National Eucharistic Revival which will culminate with a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July.
This weekend, and for the next few days, we will experience our own parish Eucharistic renewal which begins with a beautiful concert of sacred choral music on Saturday evening. The concert will be a fitting way for our choirs to conclude their choral season. As the bishops stated in their document: “The gratitude which inspires us to give thanks and worship God in the celebration of the Eucharist should be nurtured and enriched by the beauty of the liturgical action itself.” And I would add, “especially music.” Every week between September and June, our choirs inspire us to enter more deeply into our worship and help us to pray more fervently in our sung prayer. So, thank you, Gabriel Löfvall and all our musicians for your gifts that make such a difference in the way we celebrate the Eucharist!
The other significant aspect our parish Eucharistic revival is the series of presentations to be given by Mr. Joseph Nuzzi called “Source and Summit, Sacrifice and Supper: The Meaning of the Eucharist.” Joe will be offering three presentations in the Franciscan Center which will focus on the Eucharist – past, present and future. He will explore the biblical origins of the Eucharist on Sunday afternoon. On Monday evening Joe will guide us through the various parts of the Mass and their meaning. Finally, on Tuesday evening, he will help us to see more deeply the connection between our celebration of the Eucharist and how we witness it in our daily lives.
I am very excited about this week’s events because the Eucharist is so vital to our lives as Catholic Christians. May our parish revival, as well as our personal commitment to it, help us to love the Eucharist!
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M., Pastor