Fr. Roger Landry on Ways to Increase Belief in the Eucharistic Lord

"In Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked who people said he was, and his two polls showed that only one person - Peter - said he believed Jesus was who he truly was, the Messiah and Son of God (Matthew 16:13-20).

"In July, the Pew Research Center asked U.S. Catholics who or what they understood the Eucharist to be. The response, like the one Our Lord received in Caesarea, was sobering.

"Only 50% of U.S. Catholics said that they knew the Church's teaching that, after the consecration, the bread and wine are totally changed into Jesus’ Body and Blood; 45% said that the Church teaches that the 'bread' and 'wine' are only symbols, and 5% didn't know what the Church teaches.

"Even among the 50% of those who were aware of the Church's teaching, a third said that they still regarded the Eucharist as a symbol, leaving only 31% who actually believed the Church's teaching.
In addition, 69% of Catholics said that they believe that the Eucharist was just a symbol - that Jesus is not on the altar after the consecration, or in the tabernacle, or in us after Holy Communion.

"Rather than news, the report was a confirmation of what had long been known and inferred: There is a grave crisis in Eucharistic faith. That crisis is ultimately at the root of many others: low Mass attendance, shuttered parishes, closed schools, insufficient priestly vocations, . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Roger Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River and national chaplain for Catholic Voices USA. reflected on the lack of belief in the Eucharistic Lord and on some pastoral practices that would help address this issue, including encourage priestly Eucharistic piety, making daily Mass a parish mainstay, and living the Church's teaching about worthy reception.

To access Fr. Landry's complete essay, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Behold, Christ! 10 Ways to Increase Belief in the Eucharistic Lord (23 OCT 19)