NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LITURGY

The Year of the Eucharist

The Year of the Eucharist began as the 48th International Eucharistic Congress ended in

Guadalajara, Mexico, 10-17 October 2004. It will end with the Synod of Bishops in Rome,

2-29 October 2005 on the theme: The Eucharist –source and summit of the life and mission

of the Church.

In a document entitled "The Year of the Eucharist: Suggestions and Proposals" from the

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (14 October 2004),

attention is called to the celebration on a diocesan and parish level.

It encourages reflection by priests and faithful on the doctrinal and pastoral problems in their

respective countries (lack of priests, low Sunday Mass attendance, abandoning Eucharistic adoration).

As to dioceses, the document encourages knowledge of the saints who have a special relationship

with the diocese and who have been distinguished by love for the Eucharist. Increasing perpetual

adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in churches and chapels, especially at a time when it is convenient

for parishioners, is emphasized. In addition, the congregation suggests organizing Eucharistic

adoration for young people around Palm Sunday. It also proposes dedicating space to the theme

of the Eucharist in diocesan magazines, internet sites, as well as on local radio and television.

It recalls the Pope's invitation to make every effort to make sure that Sunday Mass occupies

the central place in the parish. Encouragement is given to the promotion of Eucharistic worship

and personal and community prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

This document is published by Veritas (and is also available on www.vatican.va -Roman Curia, Congregations –Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments)

October 2004-October 2005

(The following was presented by Fr Hugh P Kennedy to the annual meeting of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy, its agencies and diocesan representatives on 25 November 2004)

At the beginning of October the Pope in an Apostolic Letter Mane nobiscum Domine inaugurated a Year of the Eucharist. The theme he has taken for this year is the story of Emmaus: “Stay with us Lord for it is almost evening.” It is this image that he wants as the leitmotiv to deepen our understanding of the Eucharist throughout this year.

There are four documents to “assist” us in the celebration of this year, two from the Holy Father and two from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. They will be referred to and suggestions will be taken from them that may guide us on how we might deepen an understanding of the Eucharist throughout this year. Other countries have already set their goals for this year and that should encourage us in the challenge that this year presents to us that we too like those two disciples may truly recognise the presence of the risen Christ in “the breaking of bread”.

Why has the Pope called this “Year of the Eucharist”?

As any good liturgist may advise “themed Sundays” are problematic -they can disrupt the natural flow of the liturgical year, they can be high-jacked by single issue concerns and they can come across as banal or artificial. Having just finished the “Year of the Rosary” the commencement of another “Year of the…” can seem to interrupt the pastoral and liturgical programme of a diocese or parish (in those places where one exists). In fairness it has to be noted that the Holy Father acknowledges these issues directly in his Apostolic Letter. The reasons the Holy Father offers for celebrating this “Year” are firstly the International Eucharistic Congress last October in Guadalajara in Mexico and secondly the Synod of Bishops which will meet in Rome next October which has been given the theme: The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church. The Pope adds a third consideration that he was also guided by the thought that the next World Youth Day (16-21 August, 2005) will concentrate on the Eucharist as the vital source which nourishes the faith and enthusiasm of youth. The Pope adds that he is counting on the bishops and priests in the local Churches to find suitable ways by which the mystery of the Eucharist may be more clearly understood and appreciated in the Church of today.

In his Encyclical letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia Pope John Paul II has called upon us to foster a Eucharistic heart and mind. The Church draws her life from the Eucharist, because in a unique way it makes present the risen living Jesus. It becomes the sign of the boundless love of God for his people. At the heart of the Eucharist is the memorial of the Lord’s death and resurrection. This memorial celebration makes Christ’s one redemptive sacrifice always present in time. The Pope reminds us of the different manner in which we recognise the “presence” of Christ in the sacraments and refers to Pope Paul VI’s letter Mysterium Fidei; however Pope John Paul further reminds us that when we speak of the Eucharist we refer to it as “the real presence”, This does not lessen the presence of Christ in other forms, but rather highlights the particular form of the presence of Christ offered to us in the Eucharist. The Holy Father then outlines three major ways by which the Church understands this “presence”.

In the Eucharist the living Jesus is present in the gift of his body and blood
The Eucharist is the pledge of the future resurrection we receive the flesh and blood of the risen and glorious Jesus.
The Pope recalls the image that when we celebrate the Eucharist here on earth we are also participating in the heavenly liturgy.

It is the Eucharist that builds the Church, and thus is the culmination of all the sacraments, which is why participation in the Sunday Mass is so essential to Christian life.

The Pope then also refers to the need to foster Eucharistic Adoration. Adoration of the Eucharist should come from a deeper understanding of the celebration of the liturgy of the Eucharist. Pope John Paul then makes a particular call on bishops to encourage worthy celebrations of the Eucharist in their diocese. Finally the Pope in this document refers to Mary as “the image of the Church and woman of the Eucharist” he uses the phrase that “The Eucharist has been given to us that our life, like that of Mary, may become completely a Magnificat”

The Pope refers to his Apostolic Letter Dies Domini and presents us with the challenge “to rediscover the celebration of the Eucharist as the heart of Sunday” He describes the Eucharist as the “Mystery of Light”. The Pope reminds us of the twin tables of the Word and Sacrament in every celebration of the Eucharist. In accepting this Holy Father presents us with the challenge to examine how we proclaim the Word in the vernacular. What means do we take in the preparation of that proclamation? What means do we undertake in the preparation of the ministry of the Word? How do we foster a greater understanding of the scriptures and the presence of contemplative silence in our reception of the Word

The Pope once again repeats the importance of recognising the Eucharist as a sacred meal. He states that belief in the real presence is assisted by good celebrations of the Eucharist. In this context the significance of worthy liturgical music is stressed. With the recent revision of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal in mind, the Pope calls for renewed study of this document. He presents the hope that this study will lead not only to a greater understanding of the Eucharist but also lead to a greater awareness that our gestures in the celebration will reflect our belief in the Eucharist. The Eucharist he describes as the “Epiphany of communion,” the very manifestation of the unity of the local and universal Church. The Holy Father refers to the role of bishops in their celebration of the Eucharist throughout their diocese in their “Stational Masses.” Pope John Paul reminds us of the important connection between the celebration of the Eucharist and justice, for before Christ celebrated the Last Supper he first washed the feet of his disciples. Furthermore St Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians criticises those who would celebrate the Eucharist without heeding the practical call to charity. The Pope renews his call that in particular priests should examine with other liturgy and parish groups their celebration of the Sunday Mass. Pope John Paul then makes a deeply personal expression of his hopes for the Year of the Eucharist. “If the only result of this Year was the revival of the Sunday Mass and an increase in Eucharistic Worship outside Mass then this Year of Grace would be abundantly successful”

Two documents have also been recently release by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The first, Redemptionis Sacramentum has the subtitle “on certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist”. This subtitle conveys the general thrust of the document, and does not make easy reading for the liturgical faint of heart. While it does refer to the positive implementation of the liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council it quickly refers to “shadows” in certain practices. The term “abuses” occurs again and again in this document and the emphasis is very much on a disciplinary and rubrical level rather than liturgical expression. However, two points from this document should be mentioned. It refers to individual priests interpreting the liturgy according to their own “whim,” a neo-clericalization of the liturgy that we should be conscious of. Secondly, in using the example of the story of Emmaus it refers to the opening of the eyes of the disciples as they recognised the presence of the Lord in the breaking of bread; contrary to this vision, it is proposed that bad celebrations of the liturgy obscures this recognition and thus rather than deepening faith can even obscure or harm it.

The second document issued by the Congregation offers suggestions and proposals for this year. It takes up the thrust of Mane nobiscum Domine that the Eucharist is recognised as the centre of the life of the Christian. How the Church celebrates this Year is very much the initiative of the local Churches. Certain important occasions such as Eastertide and the Solemnity of Corpus Christi are mentioned as opportunities to stress the importance of the Eucharist in our lives. In particular the Eucharist is recognised as the summit and font of the spiritual life itself. Without a Eucharistic spirituality then liturgy can merely be reduced to “ritualism.” Again this document echoes the words of the Pope in calling for a renewal of the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist, and in particular points to the importance of music in the liturgy.

The pastoral initiatives that the Congregation recommends are on the level of Bishops’ Conferences, the diocese and parish. Reference is made to facing the problems caused by a decline in the number of priests. In each diocese it is recommended that bishops should “invite the different diocesan officials and commissions, for example, in the areas of catechesis, liturgy, art, music education, care for the infirm social concern, clergy, consecrated life, youth work and lay movements, to promote at least one initiative during this Year of the Eucharist.”

In parishes, efforts should be made for good liturgical practice. This includes the use of liturgical space. The Congregation recognises the need for liturgical groups in the parish and appropriate formation of liturgical ministries. Again the importance of liturgical music is mentioned. A further reference is made of the need to study the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

The Congregation follows the lead given by the Holy Father and calls on bishops and priests to encourage and foster adoration of the Eucharist outside Mass. It is also recognised that there are people who are in situations, which means they are not able to receive Holy Communion. The Congregation while renewing the Church’s teaching on this area calls for a readiness by bishops and priests to seek pastoral initiatives to support people in this position.

Suggestions on the implementation of the Year of the Eucharist in Ireland

Though Pope John Paul and the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments have offered general suggestions for this Year, they have left “the execution of this initiative in the hands of the local Churches”. The Pope has asked that at least each local Church should strive this year to foster a revival of the celebration of Sunday Mass and an increase in Eucharistic worship outside Mass.

A first suggestion might be that every diocese would undertake a realistic examination of our celebration of the Sunday Eucharist. We should foster an understanding by which our celebrations of Mass can be worthy liturgies that will truly move people with a sense of the sacred. We need to attend to the number of celebrations.
We urgently need to re-examine our preparation for liturgical ministry and create a consistency of approach on a diocesan basis. There should be recognition of a requirement for on-going formation for liturgical ministry in the local Church. This on-going formation should not only be for lay ministries but also including priests and bishops.
Both the Pope and the Congregation point to the importance of music in the liturgy: we should take a realistic examination of the provision of liturgical music at a diocesan and parish level. We should examine the feasibility of a diocesan director of music to support church musicians in each diocese.
In Ireland we need to encourage Eucharistic worship that derives from the liturgy and leads us back to a deeper awareness of its mystery. A deeper spiritual understanding of the Eucharist should lead to better celebrations of the Mass. We need both the courage and generosity to support each other as diocesan and parish communities towards a true and vibrant liturgical renewal in our country.
We should heed the call from the Holy Father for the need to study the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. The image presented to us of how the faith of the disciples at Emmaus was strengthened by the “breaking of bread” is an important one. Faith is strengthened by good celebration of the liturgy, and the effects of the contrary should also be heeded. Following appropriate catechesis there should be encouragement of the introduction of Communion under both kinds on a more regular basis.
As a local Church we should contemplate offering one major Eucharistic initiative on a national or provincial scale during this year which will highlight the liturgical renewal with in our country.