• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A woman receives Communion at St. John the Baptist Church in Monroe, Mich. (CNS photo/courtesy Detroit Catholic)

Eucharistic renewal is already an ongoing movement

August 11, 2021
By Hosffman Ospino
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Commentary, Eucharist, Guest Commentary

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

U.S. Catholics are engaged in a most fascinating conversation about the Eucharist. The entry points into this conversation, particularly during the past 20 years, are well known.

Some are clear pastoral concerns: surveys showing that a sizable sector of Catholics does not believe in the Real Presence or simply does not understand this faith tenet; the dwindling number of Catholics attending Sunday Mass.

Others are somewhat controversial: proposals to withhold Communion from certain political leaders; diverging philosophies about translating liturgical prayers and lectionaries; the place of the Latin Mass in a post-Vatican II church — and the seemingly paradoxical papal “motu propios” on the topic.

Some are more positive: the resurgence of eucharistic adoration among Catholic youth; the widespread eucharistic devotional practices popular among immigrant Catholics.

Anyone claiming that Catholics in the United States are uninterested in the Eucharist or that the topic is entirely absent from our shared religious imagination may find a difficult time building a credible case. Plenty of evidence points to the contrary.

During the last two decades, a world of resources has emerged to address questions associated with the Eucharist: books, articles, dissertations, documentaries, internet videos, catechetical resources, homilies, pastoral letters, conferences, heated social media interactions, blogs, self-proclaimed pundits, and yes the occasional heretical position, among others.

Together these resources and conversations reveal an interesting reality: American Catholics are a de facto eucharistically engaged community. Of course, some more than others.

The eucharistic enthusiasm, or at the very least curiosity and opinion, transcends the strictly religious world. Secular media outlets — including The New York Times, The Associated Press, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and others — often provide space to cover Catholic conversations related to the Eucharist.

Efforts by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to spark further interest in the Eucharist will likely yield the desired fruits. The key is that the bishops and all Catholics remain focused on the larger picture, historically and pastorally.

Whether declaring a eucharistic jubilee time, inviting into further eucharistic renewal, promoting more catechesis about the Eucharist, or producing documents that invite further reflection, the Catholic bishops are weighing into an already ongoing conversation. As indicated earlier, conversations about the Eucharist during the past two decades have been abundant.

The above entry points into ongoing reflections about the Eucharist call for prayerful discernment. Discernment requires humility. It takes time and dialogue to understand the nuances and realities that accompany each of these points.

The Holy Spirit seems to be telling us something about the Eucharist in our days. The entire Catholic community, in communion with our bishops, must listen. Listening is at the heart of the synodal approach to which Pope Francis has invited our church. We must create spaces to listen together to the word of God and listen to one another in mutual consultation.

Recent conversations about the Eucharist are encouraging: bishops debating openly about the nature of a document on the topic; articles reacting and overreacting in anticipation to what the bishops may say or not; groups advocating for eucharistic renewal.

Our bishops promised to listen and to hold consultations. One group I have not seen formally engaged in such consultations about the Eucharist yet is theologians as members of professional bodies. There are several Catholic theological guilds in the U.S. We need their scholarship.

Theologians should have much to say publicly about the Eucharist. Invite them, engage them and consult with them. Theologians are perhaps the best-prepared body of Catholics with the training and skills to analyze the complexity of the questions about the Eucharist that shape our Catholic imagination today.


Also see

corpus christi

Pope leads Corpus Christi procession through streets of Rome

Hundreds of thousands march in Poland’s Corpus Christi processions

How a Norbertine nun’s visions led to the feast of Corpus Christi

National Eucharistic Revival

For 3-year National Eucharistic Revival, the end is the beginning

As revival’s Year of Mission draws to close, organizers look back — and ahead

Texas prisoners’ witness of faith makes prison visit ‘a highlight’ of eucharistic pilgrimage

Copyright © 2021 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Hosffman Ospino

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Cupcakes with 2025 graduation toothpicks in them and a bowl of cookies

Our 31-hour Road Trip

St. Paul and discovering that sin is ‘missing the mark’

Six lit candles on a chocolate birthday cake

Making a birthday wish come true

Pilgrims of Hope: Walking the Way of St. Francis in the Year of Jubilee

The fisherman and the pharisee

| Recent Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause
  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en