Catechetical Series on the Eucharist

My purpose is writing this catechetical series is simple: to re-present the Catholic Church’s understanding of the Holy Eucharist as the Lord Jesus Christ’s own Body and Blood, his ‘gift for the life of the world’ (John 6: 51),” wrote Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in the preface to his new five-part Catechetical Series on the Eucharist.

Made available in text, video and as a podcast, the first installment of the series was released Oct. 18, the Feast of St. Luke. Each new installment will drop weekly through Nov. 15. All released content will be available at DioceseofTrenton.org/eucharist-series and the entire series will be published in The Monitor Magazine’s November issue.

“It is my hope,” said Bishop O’Connell, “that this series will help catechize the faithful and dispel recently and widely advertised misunderstandings about the Eucharist,” proposing that the series may be useful in parish or school programs, especially during the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative to inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.

Preface and Part One (Oct. 18) – CLICK TO READ – Eucharist as “mystery” and “reality”; faith as a supernatural gift; Jesus’ words, “Do this in memory of me,” as the institution of the Sacrament of Eucharist

Part Two (Oct. 25) – CLICK TO READ –  Catechesis as necessary for belief in the Real Presence of Jesus; Scripture accounts of God’s presence among his people

Part Three (Nov. 1) – CLICK TO READ –  Excerpts from great theologians, saints, Scripture, emphasizing the unchanging fundamental belief in the Eucharist

Part Four (Nov. 8) – CLICK TO READ – Excerpts from Papal, Vatican II, U.S. Bishop’s documents demonstrating continuity and constancy of Eucharistic doctrine

Part Five (Nov. 15) – CLICK TO READ –  Eucharistic Lexicon including words, terms and expressions describing or referring to Holy Eucharist or its celebration