Dear St. Catherine Parish Family,
Recently the Church in the United States kicked of a three-year Eucharistic Revival -- “a national movement called by the bishops of the United States to rekindle the fire of our eucharistic faith and to begin a new chapter of evangelization grounded in renewed eucharistic devotion, life and service.” As we begin this Eucharistic Revival here in the parish, I want to invite you to consider the following foundational practices to ensure that we are all participating as fruitfully as possible in this effort to renew our Eucharistic devotion.
First, if you are not attending Mass regularly every Sunday, please begin to do so. Unfortunately, too many Catholics do not take this obligation seriously enough. The Church is very clear, however, that missing Mass without a serious reason is a grave sin: “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2181). Please note that for those who are still concerned about the spread of COVID, we are continuing to offer the option of outdoor seating in the Mary Garden.
Second, when you attend Mass, please be sure to maintain a spirit of reverence. The liturgy is an act of heavenly worship of God and is meant to emphasize God’s glory and majesty, which is why all of the elements employed in the liturgy are supposed to convey a sense of elevated beauty and dignity that are not necessarily common to our regular life. In particular, this is why we use the kinds of vestments, vessels, music, gestures, and even language that we use in the Mass. In this regard, I would also invite you to consider dressing in a way that manifests the reality of the dignity of the liturgy. The practice of dressing in our “Sunday best” is one that has unfortunately fallen out of practice, but it is one I would encourage all of you to consider adopting once again (especially during the warmer months, it is important to specify that tank tops, leggings, and flipflops are not appropriate attire for Mass, and shorts and t-shirts should generally be avoided as well). Additionally, with regard to our gestures, I want to encourage you to make sure that you are receiving Communion reverently (receiving kneeling on the tongue is a particularly reverent way of receiving Communion) and that you are in a state of grace (not receiving if you have committed any mortal sins without having confessed them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation).
And finally, I would encourage you to consider committing to regular devotion of the Eucharist outside of Sunday Mass. This could be something as simple as making visits to the Blessed Sacrament, attending our weekly holy hour with exposition and benediction, or attending daily Mass. Or you might also consider signing up to be a committed adorer in our perpetual adoration chapel for at least one hour each week.
As we begin this Eucharistic Revival, please join me in praying that our efforts to grow in our love for our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist might truly bear fruit in our lives and in the life of the whole Church. For more information about the Eucharistic Revival, you can visit archatl.com/revival.
Sincerely in Christ,