• 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
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • 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
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
The sacrament is shown May 22, during the permanent diaconate ordination at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Year of the Eucharist

July 6, 2021
By Archbishop William E. Lori
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Charity in Truth, Commentary, Feature, Year of the Eucharist

Lost in the controversies surrounding the recent meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was a most wonderful initiative, namely, a multi-year Eucharistic Revival Project. Whatever divisions exist among the bishops, all of us agree on the need for a comprehensive effort to revivify faith in the Eucharist in every diocese of our country. Accordingly, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, mapped out for us a way forward. It is neither a mere program nor merely a series of events.

Instead, it is an initiative, inspired by the Holy Spirit, in which Catholics all around the United States, in every diocese and parish and nationally, will bear witness to the truth, beauty and goodness of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. In the joy of the New Evangelization, our fellow Catholics – lay faithful, religious and clergy – will renew the faith of church-going Catholics and to revive the Eucharistic faith of those who have disaffiliated. You can read more about this wonderful initiative at www.usccb.org.

Here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, we may be slightly ahead of the curve. Early this year, when we were still in the grip of COVID-19, I held a series of Zoom meetings with the priests of the archdiocese and another with the deacons. In those meetings, many expressed a deep desire to strengthen Eucharistic faith here in the archdiocese. They spoke with great concern about declining belief in the Real Presence (a decline confirmed by professional polling), and by declining Mass attendance, long before the pandemic. And while the prevalence of livestreamed Masses was rightly hailed as an advancement that is here to stay, many wondered aloud whether even church-going Catholics would return to pews once the restrictions were lifted.

Reflecting on their advice and counsel, I asked Deacon Christopher Yeung, my delegate for the Western Vicariate, to put together a team to address the concerns expressed by my co-workers. The result was “The Year of the Eucharist,” which we are observing in the Archdiocese of Baltimore from Corpus Christi 2021 until Corpus Christi 2022 (www.archbalt.org/eucharist). During the year ahead, we hope to begin the process of renewing and reviving the great treasure of our Eucharistic faith, a treasure we hold in common. We want to deepen and enrich the Eucharistic faith of those who regularly practice the faith.

At the same time, we want to till the soil and replant the seeds of Eucharistic faith among those who no longer practice the faith and among those who are searching for the truth.

Like the USCCB Eucharistic Revival Project, the Year of the Eucharist is not merely a program that will run its course and fade into history. Rather, this is our way of getting ready to participate wholeheartedly in the national project. It is our way of re-igniting “fully active and conscious participation” in the Eucharistic liturgy, our way of fostering a personal encounter with the Lord, our way of strengthening our unity, our way of renewing our mission of evangelization and charity, a mission firmly rooted in the Eucharist.

During the year ahead, we will reflect on the various ways in which Christ is present in the celebration of Holy Mass: 1) In the liturgy of the Word – when the Scriptures are proclaimed, it is Christ who speaks. 2) In the worshipping assembly – where two or three or gathered, Christ is in their midst. 3) In the priest who offers the sacrifice of the Mass – he does so in the Person of Christ. 4) Above all, in the bread and wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ offered for our salvation. We can begin this journey of rediscovery right now. As the summer progresses, the Sunday Gospel readings will be from the Bread of Life discourse in the Gospel of John. What an opportunity for preaching, teaching and prayerful reflection on this great mystery of Christ’s self-giving love.

Also See

Seek nourishment, satisfaction in Eucharist, pope says

Archdiocese of Baltimore concludes Year of the Eucharist with special Corpus Christi Mass

Gathered into one by the Eucharistic Lord

5 Things to Know about the closing of the Year of Eucharist and Eucharistic Revival in the archdiocese

RADIO INTERVIEW: National Eucharistic Revival

Close of Year of the Eucharist will be celebrated at Cathedral of Mary Our Queen

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Archbishop William E. Lori

Archbishop William E. Lori was installed as the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore May 16, 2012.

Prior to his appointment to Baltimore, Archbishop Lori served as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., from 2001 to 2012 and as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1995 to 2001.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Archbishop Lori holds a bachelor's degree from the Seminary of St. Pius X in Erlanger, Ky., a master's degree from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg and a doctorate in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1977.

In addition to his responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Archbishop Lori serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and is the former chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

View all posts from this author

Recent Commentary

Beating the claw machine

A personal flyswatter and other gifts, hummus, and a new room (7 Quick Takes)

A Faith Lesson After a Power Outage

Chocolate birthday cake with 4 candles

My birthday festivities, a painting project, and spaghetti pizza for lunch (7 Quick Takes)

Just by showing up

Recent Local News

RADIO INTERVIEW: Solemnity of the Assumption/World Youth Day

Baltimore-area groups awarded $356,000 in CCHD grants, speak of togetherness

Anna’s Gift Foundation helps hope bloom for hospitalized children

Young adults from Archdiocese of Baltimore invited to experience local and international World Youth Day events

Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes new school leaders

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

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
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • RADIO INTERVIEW: Solemnity of the Assumption/World Youth Day
  • Beyond the border, reunification of Latin American families takes years
  • Movie Review: Thirteen Lives
  • Catholic agencies say Inflation Reduction Act addresses long-standing goals
  • Beating the claw machine
  • Baltimore-area groups awarded $356,000 in CCHD grants, speak of togetherness
  • Health care workers denied religious exemption on vaccine win settlement
  • Stepping down: Experts draft proposed laws on status of a retired pope
  • Catholic prayers for peace interrupted after alleged assault on officer

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2022 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED