Catholics are encouraged to respond with reverence and reparation to the mockery of the Eucharist. Eucharistic pilgrims are facing hecklers. Streaming shows are mocking the Real Presence.
24 days ago
Recent incidents, including mockery of the Eucharist in streaming TV shows and protests against the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, highlight a growing animus against the Catholic belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist 1. These events have drawn condemnation from Catholic leaders and calls for prayerful and reverent responses from Catholics 1.
The Apple TV+ show Your Friends & Neighbors depicted characters irreverently consuming the Eucharist before engaging in a sexual encounter, sparking calls for the episode's removal 1. Another HBO Max show, Hacks, featured a character mocking the Eucharist during a baptismal Mass 1. The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage has also faced protests from individuals claiming the Eucharist is not real 1.
Catholic leaders have strongly condemned these attacks. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio described the incidents as "deeply distressing" and reflective of a harsh discourse in the country 1. Bishop Scott Bullock noted the "blasphemous portrayal of irreverence" stems from cultural conflicts 1. Other leaders, like Bishop Thomas Paprocki, see these attacks as the work of Satan against what is true and holy 1.
In response to these incidents, Catholic figures are urging acts of reparation. Suggestions include Eucharistic adoration, praying the Rosary, fasting, penance, and public prayer 1. Marina Frattaroli emphasized that prayers of reparation are a language of love 1. The overall message is to respond to the attacks with increased reverence and devotion to the Eucharist 1.
The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol, but the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ 1. This belief in the Real Presence is central to the Catholic faith, making the Eucharist a prime target for those seeking to attack or undermine the Church 1. Msgr. Charles Pope notes that Satan often mocks what is holy, indirectly highlighting the truth of the teaching 1.
The Eucharist: Catholic Church teaching on reverence and sacrilege.
The Eucharist holds a central place in Catholic belief, and the Church provides clear guidelines regarding its reverence and the grave sin of sacrilege.
The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol, but the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ . Through the consecration by a priest, the bread and wine are transubstantiated, becoming the Body and Blood of Christ, while maintaining the outward appearances of bread and wine . Christ is truly present—body, blood, soul, and divinity—under these appearances . This is the "Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist . The Church emphasizes that this presence is not just symbolic but substantial . The Eucharist contains "truly, really and substantially the Body and Blood together with soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ" .
Given the Church's belief in the Real Presence, the Eucharist is treated with utmost reverence and adoration . This reverence is expressed in various ways:
Sacrilege is the act of profaning or treating unworthily sacraments, liturgical actions, or persons, things, or places consecrated to God . The Church considers sacrilege, especially against the Eucharist, a grave sin because it is directed against the true Body of Christ .
The Church emphasizes the need to avoid any form of carelessness or negligence regarding the Eucharist . Those who commit grave offenses against the Eucharist may incur penalties, including excommunication . The Church's concern in imposing penalties is to safeguard the moral integrity of the community and seek the spiritual good and correction of offenders, and primarily to safeguard Christ .
In summary, the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and the Church calls for profound reverence towards it. Sacrilege, particularly against the Eucharist, is a grave sin, and the Church has established norms and penalties to address such offenses, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding the sanctity of this central sacrament.