Cathedral Family,
This weekend, we celebrate the beautiful and impactful Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ: Corpus Christi. Pope Urban IV established this day on the liturgical calendar to promote true and reverent devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, in response to the decline in Eucharistic devotion and practice, and to the faithful’s confusion about the “real presence.”
He also commissioned St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest theologians of all time, to compose “Eucharistic Hymns” that would instruct the faithful on the meaning of the true presence. Hymns were used to instruct the faithful because most people at the time were unable to read. These Eucharistic hymns were created to inspire the faithful and help them reflect on the reality of Jesus’s true presence in the Eucharist, which is our sustenance on our journey to our heavenly home.
The Eucharistic hymns by St. Thomas are still used by the Universal Church today; most widely known is the “Tantum Ergo” sung during Benediction at the end of Eucharistic Adoration. In communion with the Universal Church’s celebration of the most holy body and blood of Jesus, we will be holding our annual Eucharistic procession after the 12 p.m. Mass. Please join us still if you have chosen to go to a different Mass this weekend for this beautiful devotion! It will be very inspiring!
The practice of Eucharistic processions is a powerful reminder that all of life is a great procession toward eternity, with Jesus our Lord walking with us along this journey of life. He is our companion and guide, our strength and our hope–especially as we make our way through the “valley of tears,’ that we often experience in this world. We need to be strengthened and encouraged to turn with greater love to Jesus in our many hardships and trials and to trust He is with us and walking with us!
After Corpus Christi, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 12th. In a special way this year, we are joining the Church of the United States in an act of piety and prayer for the 250th anniversary of our nation. The American Bishops, in preparation for our consecration of our country to the Sacred Heart, have asked us to pray a 9-day novena. We have been praying the novena at our daily Masses, and we will also recite the novena prayers at Mass this weekend. Please join us for a special Mass at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12th, in honor of the Sacred Heart, when we will also recite the prayers of consecration.
Consecration is more than a ceremonial gesture; it’s a spiritual invitation. It calls each of us to open our hearts to Christ, embrace His teachings, and allow His love to shape our personal lives and communities. In the great story of our nation’s history, now more than ever, we are called to live the vision that God has for humanity. With God alone in our hearts and minds, peace, unity, and freedom can overcome the challenges of our times.
I encourage all of us to try to make this special Mass a priority this week! I look forward to celebrating and praying for our country with you.
Finally, please keep our 8th graders in your prayers, who have just graduated this past Thursday! We pray that all we have invested in them over the past years will serve as a strong foundation for them as they enter God’s future! Catholic education remains one of the most foundational places to pass on the faith to the next generation. I am so proud of our school, faculty, and administration.
Sincerely in the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Father Christy