Feast of Corpus Christi/the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Dear Epiphany Family,

Happy Feast of Corpus Christi/the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ! What a miracle and gift we have of Christ’s Real Presence with us in the Eucharist! We are called to bring and offer our lives – our joys, works, sufferings – in the celebration of the Mass, uniting them to the one sacrifice of Christ, made present to us, as together we offer the sacrifice of the Son to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. Heaven and earth meet most powerfully when we celebrate the Eucharist. Through the power of the Holy Spirit our offerings are transformed and multiplied; we enter into deep intimacy with Jesus as we receive His Body and Blood, and grow in our union with one another. Our celebration of Corpus Christi this weekend marks the beginning of the Parish Year of Revival as part of the three year National Eucharistic Revival that began last year. The National Eucharistic Revival is “a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States by helping us renew our worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist”. Read more about it in this bulletin and stay tuned for more ways in which we will strive to grow in our love and worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist this year.

I had a very blessed experience on the mission immersion trip to San Antonio and Uvalde, Texas, with Catholic Extension. It was a powerful, heavy, but also hopeful experience – hopeful because of the presence of Jesus and His Church reaching out to those hurting and struggling. There were 11 priests, one deacon, and two directors of religious education from around the country that joined Catholic Extension staff on this pilgrimage. We came in solidarity, support, and prayer to our brothers and sisters in south Texas. In San Antonio we visited the San Jose mission, the Mexican American Catholic College, a road-side memorial to the 53 migrants that died trapped in a semi-trailer nearly a year ago, and a Catholic Charities Migrant Resource Center. In Uvalde we attended Mass with the Archbishop of San Antonio at Sacred Heart Parish, visited and prayed at the now shuttered Robb Elementary School, and also visited a community center run by the Teresian Sisters where they offer activities to help bring unity and healing to the community. At the community center a family of one of the survivors shared how they are still struggling and need prayers. Let’s pray for them and all who suffer through tragedies and are on the margins of our society. We are a Church that is connected across states, nations, ethnicities, and more, but we make up one Body of Christ. Also may the Lord open our eyes to see the needs of our brothers and sisters around us and respond prayerfully and with our help and presence.

In Christ,
Father Eric