Dear friends in Christ

Of all the feasts that are dear to the hearts of faithful Catholics, it is that which we celebrate this weekend—Corpus Christi—the Body and Blood of Christ. What are we celebrating? The truth that God became man, lived amongst us, and before his Passion left us His abiding presence in the Blessed Eucharist. As each successive generation of the Church grew in faith and appreciation of this Sacrament, it became more and more evident that the Eucharist is THE Mystery of Faith; that it is given for our strength and nourishment here on earth as we journey towards Heaven. It is celebrated each Sunday—the Lord’s Day—when as the Family of the Church we gather and make present again the Eucharistic Sacrifice. It is an abiding Presence, which means that it remains even after the Mass is concluded. Christians have understood that this is so that those who are deprived of the Eucharist, for whatever reason, can receive Jesus outside of Mass: the sick and those in prison, for example. From the Middle ages onwards—a period of enormous faith and growth of theology in the Church—it became apparent that reserving the Blessed Sacrament in our churches was of supreme benefit. There we can go to pray face-to-face with Our Lord in the Tabernacle. We encounter Him there in his Real Presence. In periods of Eucharistic exposition we can adore Him and receive the help and inspiration we need to live our Christian lives more faithfully. Let us make this Feast— The Feast of Feasts—an occasion once again to express our Eucharistic piety in all the appropriate ways. The Procession which goes onto the street on Sunday afternoon is a small public act of our desire to make Jesus known; to bring Him outside of the walls of our church, and show others how much we love our God, made flesh in this way. Let us not disappoint him!

God bless you!

Msgr Kevin Hale