Mass and Eucharist�Communion Basis for the Faith Tradition!

MASS --EUCHARIST CELEBRATION (posted under 17 U.S.C.105 fair use:scholarship, commentary, and education)

The Holy Mass by Catalina Rivas

The Testimony of Catalina

Note: Catalina Rivas is purportedly a seer from Cochabamba. But test! Discern the Spirit! Pray and meditate!

They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us always this bread. And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. (John 6:34-35 DRV)

Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. (John 6:54-55 DRV)

For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. (John 6:56-58 DRV) ... He that eateth this bread,shall live for ever. (John 6:59 DRV)

THE TESTIMONY OF CATALINA ON THE HOLY MASS

In a marvelous catechesis, the Lord and the Virgin Mary have been instructing us first on how to pray the Rosary, that being to pray it with our hearts and meditate and enjoy the moments when we encounter God and our Blessed Mother.

They have also instructed us on the way to make a good confession and, in this document, a teaching on what happens during the Holy Mass and how to live it with our hearts. This is the testimony that I must and want to give to the whole world, for the greater Glory of God and for the salvation of all of those who want to open their hearts to the Lord.

It is also given so that many souls consecrated to God will rekindle the fire of their love for Christ, some of whom are the owners of the hands that have the power to bring Him to our world so that He can become our nourishment.

It is also given for others so that they break lose of the �routine practice� of receiving Him and relive the amazement of their daily encounter with Love. And it is given so that my lay brothers and sisters from the entire world live the greatest Miracle with their hearts: the celebration of the Eucharist.

It was the vigil of the Annunciation and the members of our group had gone to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some of the ladies of the prayer group had not been able to do it, and so they left their reconciliation for the next day before the Mass.

When I arrived at church the next day, a little bit late, the Archbishop and priests were already coming out of the sacristy. The Virgin Mary said with her soft and feminine voice that sweetens one's soul: �Today is a day of learning for you and I want you to pay close attention because of what you will witness today.

Everything that you will experience today, you will have to share with all of humanity.� I was deeply moved without understanding why, but I tried to be very attentive.

The first thing I noticed was a choir of very beautiful voices that was singing as if it was far away. For moments the music came closer and, then, it went further away like the sound of the wind.

The Archbishop started Mass and, when he reached the Penitential Rite, the Blessed Virgin said: �From the bottom of your heart ask the Lord to forgive your faults that have offended Him.

In this way you will be able to participate worthily in this privilege of assisting at the Holy Mass.� I thought for a fraction of a second: �Surely I am in a state of grace of God, I went to confession last night.�

She answered: �Do you think that since last night you have not offended the Lord? Let Me remind you of a few things. When you left to come here, the girl who helps you approached to ask you for something and, as you were late and in a hurry, you did not answer her in a very nice way.

There was a lack of charity on your part and you say, you have not offended God...? "While on the way here, a bus crossed over your lane and almost hit you. You expressed yourself in a very non-advisable way against that poor man, instead of saying your prayers and preparing yourself for Mass.

You have failed in charity and lost your peace and patience. And you say you have not hurt the Lord? "You arrive at the last minute when the procession of the celebrants is already coming out to celebrate the Mass� and you are going to participate without previous preparation..."

I replied, �All right, my Mother, say no more to me. You do not have to remind me of more things because I am going to die of grief and shame.� "Why must you all arrive at the last moment?

You should have arrived earlier to be able to pray and ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit that He may grant you a spirit of peace and cleanse you of the spirit of the world, your worries, your problems and your distractions so as to enable you to live this so sacred a moment.

However, you arrive almost when the celebration is about to commence and you participate as if it is an ordinary event, without any spiritual preparation.

Why? This is the greatest of Miracles. You are going to live the moment when the Most High God gives His greatest gift and you do not know how to appreciate it."

This was enough. I felt so bad that I had more than enough to ask for forgiveness from God. It was not only for the offenses of that day, but also for all the times that, like so many other people, I had waited for the priest to finish his homily before entering the Church.

It was also for the times that I did not know or refused to understand what it meant to be there, and for the times that perhaps my soul was full of more serious sins and I had dared to participate in the Holy Mass.

It was a Feast day and the Gloria was to be recited. Our Lady said: �Glorify and bless with all your love the Holy Trinity, in your acknowledgement of being one of Its creatures.�

How different was that Gloria! Suddenly I saw myself in a far off place full of light, before the Majestic Presence of the Throne of God.

With so much love I went on thanking Him, as I repeated: �For your immense Glory we praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we give You glory, we give You thanks, Lord, God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.�

And I recalled the paternal face of the Father, full of kindness. �Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world��

And Jesus was in front of me, with that face full of tenderness and Mercy... �For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the most High Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit...�, the God of beautiful Love.

He, Who at that moment, caused my whole being to tremble� And I asked: �Lord, deliver me from all evil spirits. My heart belongs to You.

My Lord, send me Your peace so that I can gain the finest benefits from the Eucharist and that my life may produce the best fruits. Holy Spirit of God, transform me, act within me, guide me. Oh God, give me the gifts that I need to serve you better!�

The moment of the Liturgy of the Word arrived and the Virgin Mary made me repeat: �Lord, today I want to listen to Your Word and produce abundant fruit. May Your Holy Spirit clean the interior of my heart so that Your Word grows and develops in it, purifying my heart so that it may be well disposed.�

Our Lady said: �I want you to be attentive to the readings and to all of the homily of the priest.

Remember that the Bible says that the Word of God does not return without bearing fruit. If you are attentive, something from all that you heard will remain in you.

You should try to recall all day long those Words that left an impression on you. Sometimes it may be two verses, other times the reading of the entire Gospel or perhaps only one word.

Savor them for the rest of the day and it will then become part of you, because that is the way to change one�s life, by allowing the Word of God to transform you.

�And now, tell the Lord that you are here to listen, that you want Him to speak to your heart today."

Once again I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to hear His Word. And I asked Him for forgiveness for having had such a hard heart for so many years and for having taught my children that they had to go to Mass on Sundays because it is commanded by the Church and not for love and the need to be filled with God.

I had attended so many Eucharistic Celebrations mostly out of obligation and, because of this, I believed I was saved. But I did not live it and, much less, did I pay attention to the readings or to the priest�s homily!

How much pain I felt for so many years of needless loss because of my ignorance! How superficial is our attendance at the Mass when we go only because someone is getting married, or for a funeral Mass or because we have to be seen by society!

How much ignorance about our Church and the Sacraments! How much waste in trying to instruct and enlighten ourselves about the things of the world, which in a moment can disappear leaving us with nothing and, at the end of our life, not serve to extend a minute to our existence!

However, we know nothing of that which will give us a little of heaven on earth and, afterwards, eternal life. And we call ourselves cultured men and women!

A moment later the Offertory arrived and the Holy Virgin said: �Pray like this: (and I repeated after her) Lord, I offer all that I am, all that I have, all that I can.

I put everything into Your Hands. Build it up, Lord, with the little thing that I am. By the merits of Your Son, transform me, God Almighty. I petition You for my family, for my benefactors, for each member of our Apostolate, for all the people who fight against us, for those who commend themselves to my poor prayers.

Teach me to lay down my heart as if on the ground before them so that their walk may be less severe.

This is how the saints prayed; this is how I want all of you to do it.�

Thus, this is how Jesus asks us to pray, that we put our hearts as if on the ground so that they do not feel its severity, but rather that we alleviate the pain of their steps.

Years later, I read a book of prayers of a Saint whom I loved dearly, Jose Maria Escriv� de Balaguer, and in that book I found a prayer similar to that which the Virgin Mary taught me.

Perhaps this Saint, to whom I entrust myself, pleased the Virgin Mary with those prayers.

Suddenly some characters whom I had not seen before began to stand up. It was as if from the side of each person present in the Cathedral, another person emerged and soon the Cathedral became full of young, beautiful people.

They were dressed in very white robes and they started to move into the central aisle and, then, went towards the Altar.

Our Mother said: �Observe. They are the Guardian Angels of each one of the persons who are here. This is the moment in which your guardian angel carries your offerings and petitions before the Altar of the Lord.�

At that moment, I was completely astonished, because these beings had such beautiful faces, so radiant as one is unable to imagine.

Their countenance was very beautiful with almost feminine faces; however, the structure of their body, their hands, their height were masculine. Their naked feet did not touch the floor, but rather they went as if gliding.

That procession was very beautiful. Some of them were carrying something as like asource golden bowl of gold with something that shone a great deal like with a golden-white light.

The Virgin Mary said: �They are the Guardian Angels of the persons people that who are offering this Holy Mass for many intentions, those who are conscious of what this celebration means.

They have something to offer the Lord..� �Offer yourselves at this moment� offer your sorrows, your pains, your hopes, your sadness, your joys, your petitions.

Remember that the Mass has infinite value.

Therefore, be generous in offering and in asking.�

Behind the first Angels came others who had nothing in their hands; they were coming empty handed.

The Virgin Mary said: �Those are the angels of the people who are here but never offer anything. They have no interest in living each liturgical moment of the Mass and they have no gifts to carry before the Altar of the Lord.�

At the end of the procession came other angels who were rather sad, with their hands joined in prayer but with their eyes downcast.

�These are the Guardian Angels of the people who are here but do not want to be, that is to say of the people who have been forced to come here, who have come out of obligation but without any desire to participate in the Holy Mass.

The angels go forth sadly because they have nothing to carry to the Altar, except for their own prayers.�

�Do not sadden your Guardian Angel. Ask for much, ask for the conversion of sinners, for peace in the world, for your families, your neighbors, for those who ask for your prayers.

Ask, ask for much, but not only for yourselves, but for everyone else.

�Remember that the offering which most pleases the Lord is when you offer yourselves as a holocaust so that Jesus upon His descent may transform you by His own merits.

What do you have to offer the Father by yourselves? Nothingness and sin. But the offering of oneself united to the merits of Jesus, that offering is pleasing to the Father.�

That sight, that procession was so beautiful that it would be difficult to compare it to another. All those celestial creatures bowing before the Altar, some leaving their offerings on the floor, others prostrating themselves on their knees with their foreheads almost touching the floor.

And as soon as they arrived at the Altar, they would disappear from my sight. The final moment of the Preface arrived and when the assembly said, �Holy, Holy, Holy�, suddenly everything that was behind the celebrants disappeared.

Behind the left side of the Archbishop, thousands of Angels appeared in a diagonal line, small angels, big angels, angels with immense wings, angels with small wings, angels without wings.

As the previous ones, all were dressed with tunics like the white robes of the priests or altar boys. Everyone knelt with their hands united in prayer and bowed their heads in reverence.

Beautiful music was heard as if there were many choirs with different voices, all singing in unison together with the people: Holy, Holy, Holy� The moment of the Consecration, the moment of the most marvelous of Miracles had arrived.

Behind the right side of the Archbishop appeared a multitude of people also in a diagonal line. They were dressed in the same tunic but in pastel colors of: rose, green, light blue, lilac, yellow, in short, in different and very soft colors.

Their faces were also brilliant, full of joy. They all seemed to be the same age. You could note (I can�t say why) that they were people of different ages but their faces looked the same, without wrinkles, happy.

They all knelt down as well at the singing of �Holy, Holy, Holy Lord�� Our Lady said: �These are all the Saints and the Blessed of Heaven and among them are the souls of your relatives who already enjoy the Presence of God.�

Then I saw Her, exactly to the right of the Archbishop, a step behind the celebrant. She was suspended a little off the floor, kneeling on some very fine, transparent but at the same time luminous fabric, as crystalline water.

The Holy Virgin, with hands joined, was looking attentively and respectfully at the celebrant. She spoke to me from there, but silently, directly to the heart, without looking at me: �It surprises you to see Me standing a little behind Monsignor [the Archbishop], does it not ?

This is how it should be... With all the love that My Son gives Me, He has not given Me the dignity that He has given the priests of being able to perform the daily Miracle with My hands as they do with their priestly hands.

Because of this, I feel a deep respect for priests and for the miracle that God carries out through them, which compels Me to kneel here behind them.�

[Translator�s note: In Latin America and in other countries a Bishop and Archbishop is addressed as �Monsignor�.]

My God, how much dignity, how much grace the Lord pours over the priestly souls and neither we, nor perhaps some of them, are conscious of this.

Before the Altar, there appeared some shadows of people in a gray color with their hands raised. The Holy Virgin said: �These are the blessed souls of Purgatory, who await your prayers to be refreshed.

Do not stop praying for them. They pray for you but they cannot pray for themselves. It is you who have to pray for them, in order to help them depart so that they can be with God and enjoy Him eternally.

�Now you now see it; I am here all the time. People go on pilgrimages, searching for the places where I have appeared. This is good because of all the graces that they will receive there.

But during no apparition, in no other place, am I more present than during the Holy Mass. You will always find Me at the foot of the Altar where the Eucharist is celebrated; at the foot of the Tabernacle, I remain with the angels because I am always with Him.�

To see that beautiful countenance of the Mother at that moment of the words �Holy, Holy, Holy�� as well as all the others with their radiant faces, with hands joined, awaiting that miracle which repeats itself continuously, was to be in Heaven itself.

And to think there are people who can at that moment be distracted in conversation. It hurts me to tell you, many men, more than women, stand with their arms crossed, as if paying homage to the Lord as one equal to another.

The Virgin Mary said: �Tell all people that never is a man more manly then when he bends his knees before God.�

The celebrant said the words of the Consecration. He was a person of normal height, but suddenly he began to grow, becoming filled with light, a supernatural light between white and gold that enveloped him and grew very strong around the face.

And because of it I could not see his features. When he raised the Host, I saw his hands and on the back of his hands he had some marks from which emanated a great deal of light.

It was Jesus! It was Him Who was wrapping His Body around the celebrant, as if He were lovingly surrounding the hands of the Archbishop.

At that moment the Host began to grow and became enormous and upon it the marvelous face of Jesus appeared looking at His people.

By instinct I wanted to bow my head and Our Lady said: �Do not look down. Look up to view and contemplate Him. Exchange your gaze with His and repeat the prayer of Fatima: Lord, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love You. Forgiveness and Mercy�

Now tell Him how much you love Him and pay your homage to the King of Kings.� I told it to Him and it seemed as if I was the only one He was looking at from the enormous Host.

But I learned that this was the way He gazed at each person, with love to the fullest. Then I lowered my head until I had my forehead on the floor, as did all the Angels and the blessed from Heaven.

Perhaps for a fraction of a second, I wondered how Jesus was taking on the body of the celebrant and at the same time He was inside the Host. And as he lowered the Host, it returned to its normal size.

Tears ran down my cheeks; I was unable to let go of my astonishment. Immediately Monsignor said the words of the Consecration of the wine and, as the words were being said, lightning appeared from the heavens and in the background.

The walls and ceiling of the church had disappeared. All was dark but for that brilliant light from the Altar. Suddenly, suspended in the air I saw Jesus crucified.

I saw Him from the head to the lower part of the chest. The cross beam of the Cross was sustained by some large, strong hands. From within this resplendent light, a small light, like a very brilliant, very small dove, came forth and flew swiftly all over the Church.

It came to rest on the left shoulder of the Archbishop, who continued to appear as Jesus because I could distinguish His long hair, His luminous wounds and His large body, but I could not see His Face.

Above was Jesus crucified, His head fallen upon His right shoulder. I was able to contemplate His face, beaten arms and torn flesh. On the right side of His chest He had an injury and blood was gushing out toward the left side and toward the right side, what looked like water, but it was very brilliant.

They were more like jets of light coming forth towards the faithful, and moving to the right and to the left.

I was amazed at the amount of blood that was flowing out toward the Chalice. I thought it would overflow and stain the whole Altar, but not a single drop was spilled.

At that moment the Virgin Mary said: �This is the miracle of miracles. I have said to you before that the Lord is not constrained by time and space. At the moment of the Consecration, all the assembly is taken to the foot of Calvary, at the instant of the crucifixion of Jesus.�

Can anyone imagine that? Our eyes cannot see it, but we are all there at the very moment that they are crucifying Jesus.

And He is asking for forgiveness to the Father, not only for those who killed Him, but also for each one of our sins: �Father forgive them because they know not what they do.�

From that day on, I do not care if the world thinks I am crazy, but I ask everybody to kneel and try to live, with their heart and with all their sensibility that they are capable of, this privilege that the Lord grants us.

When we were going to pray the Our Father, the Lord spoke for the first time during the celebration and said: �Wait, I want you to pray with the deepest profundity which you can summon.

At this moment, bring to mind that person or persons which have done you the greatest harm during your life, so that you embrace them close to your bosom and tell them with all your heart: �In the Name of Jesus I forgive you and wish you peace. In the Name of Jesus, I ask for your forgiveness and wish my peace.

If the person is worthy of that peace, then the person will receive it and feel better for it. If that person is not capable of opening up to that peace, then peace will return to your heart.

But I do not want you to receive nor offer peace when you are not capable of forgiving and feeling that peace in your heart first.

�Be careful of what you do,� continued the Lord, �you repeat in the Our Father: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

If you are capable of forgiving but not forgetting, as some people say, you are placing conditions upon the forgiveness of God. You are saying: You forgive me only as I am capable of forgiving but no more.�

I do not know how to explain my pain, at the realization of how much we can hurt the Lord. And also how much we can injure ourselves by holding so many grudges, bad feelings and unflattering things that are born from our own prejudices and over-sensitivities.

I forgave; I forgave from the heart and asked for forgiveness from all the people whom I had hurt at one time or another, in order to feel the peace of the Lord.

The celebrant said, �...give us peace and unity�� and, then, �the peace of the Lord be with all of you.� Suddenly I saw that among some (not all) of the people who were embracing each other, a very intense light placed itself between them.

I knew it was Jesus and I practically threw myself to embrace the person next to me. I could truly feel the embrace of the Lord in that light.

It was Him Who embraced me giving me His peace, because in that moment I had been able to forgive and remove from my heart all grief against other people.

That is what Jesus wants, to share that moment of joy, hugging us and wishing us His Peace. The moment of the celebrants� Communion arrived. There I once again noticed the presence of all the priests next to Monsignor.

When he took Communion, the Virgin Mary said: �This is the moment to pray for the celebrant and the priests who accompany him. Repeat together with Me: �Lord, bless them, sanctify them, help them, purify them, love them, take care of them and support them with Your Love.

Remember all the priests of the world, pray for all the consecrated souls...� Dear brothers and sisters, that is the moment in which we should pray for them, because they are the Church as we, the laity, are also.

Many times we, the laity, demand so much from the priests, but we are unable to pray for them, to understand that they are human and to comprehend and appreciate the solitude that many times can surround a priest.

We should understand that the priests are people like ourselves and that they need to be understood, to be cared for. They need affection and attention from us because they are giving their life to each one of us, as Jesus did, by being consecrated to Him.

The Lord wants the people of the flock that God has entrusted to him to pray and help in the sanctification of their Pastor. Someday, when we are on the other side, we will understand the marvels that the Lord has done, giving us priests who help us to save our souls.

The people began to leave their pews on their way to Communion. The great moment of the encounter had arrived.

The Lord said to me: �Wait a moment; I want you to observe something...� An interior impulse made me raise my eyes towards the person who was going to receive Communion on the tongue from the hands of the priest.

I should clarify that this person was one of the ladies from our group who the previous night was unable to go to confession but this morning was able to do so before the Holy Mass.

When the Priest placed the Sacred Host on her tongue, a flash of light, like a very golden white light, went right through this person, first through her back, then surrounding her from the back, around her shoulders and then her head.

The Lord said: �This is how I Myself rejoice in embracing a soul who comes with a clean heart to receive Me.�

The tone of voice of Jesus was that of a happy person. I was astonished to see my friend return to her pew surrounded by light, embraced by the Lord. I thought of the marvel that we miss so many times by going to receive Jesus with our small or large offences when it should be a feast.

Many times we say that there are no priests to whom to go to confess at any given moment. But the problem is not about confessing at each moment but the problem resides in our ease of falling into evil again.

On the other hand, in the same way that we make an effort to search for a beauty parlor or men search for a barber when we have a party, we have to also make an effort to seek a priest when we need to remove all that dirt from ourselves.

We must not have the audacity to receive Jesus at any moment with our hearts full of ugly things. When I went to receive communion, Jesus told me: �The Last Supper was the moment of the greatest intimacy with My own.

During that hour of love, I established what could be thought of as the greatest act of lunacy in the eyes of men, that of making Myself a prisoner of Love.

I established the Eucharist. I wanted to remain with you until the end of the centuries because My Love could not bear that you remained orphans, you whom I loved more than My life.�

I received that Host which had a different flavor. It was a mixture of blood and incense that inundated me entirely. I felt so much love that the tears ran down my cheeks without me being able to stop them.

When I returned to my seat, while kneeling down, the Lord said: �Listen...� A moment later I began to hear the prayers of the lady who was seated in front of me and who had just received communion.

What she said without opening her mouth was more or less like this: �Lord, remember that we are at the end of the month and I do not have the money to pay the rent, the car payments or the children�s school.

You have to do something to help me� Please, make my husband stop drinking so much. I cannot bear any more his being intoxicated so often and my youngest son is going to repeat the year again if you do not help him.

He has exams this week... And do not forget our neighbor who must move. Let her do it right away. I cannot stand her anymore� etc., etc.�

Then the Archbishop said: �Let us pray,� and obviously all the congregation stood up for the final prayer.

Jesus said in a sad tone: �Did you take note of her prayer? Not a single time did she tell Me that she loves Me. Not a single time did she thank Me for the gift that I have given her by bringing down My Divinity to her poor humanity, in order to elevate her to Me.

Not a single time has she said: thank You, Lord. It has been a litany of requests� and so are almost all of those who come to receive Me.�

�I have died for love and I am risen. For love I await each one of you and for love I remain with you... But you do not realize that I need your love. Remember that I am the Beggar of Love in this sublime hour for the soul.�

Do you all realize that He, Love, is begging for our love and we do not give it to Him? Moreover, we avoid going to that encounter with the Love of Loves, with the only love who gives of itself in a permanent oblation.

When the celebrant was going to give the blessing, the Holy Virgin said: �Be attentive, take care� You do any old sign instead of the Sign of the Cross.

Remember that this blessing could be the last one that you will receive from hands of a priest. You do not know when leaving here if you will die or not. You do not know if you will have the opportunity to receive a blessing from another priest.

Those consecrated hands are giving you the blessing in the Name of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, make the Sign of the Cross with respect, as if it was the last one of your life.�

How much we miss in not understanding and not participating everyday at the Holy Mass! Why not make an effort to begin the day a half hour earlier and run to the Holy Mass and receive all the blessings that the Lord wants to pour over us?

I am aware that because of their obligations not everybody can attend daily Mass, but at least two or three times a week. So many avoid Mass on Sundays with the smallest excuse that they have a child, or two, or ten, and, therefore, they cannot attend Mass.

How do people manage when they have other important types of commitments? They take all the children or take turns and the husband goes at one hour and the wife another, but they carry out their duty to God.

We have time to study, to work, to entertain, to rest, but WE DO NOT HAVE TIME AT LEAST ON SUNDAY TO GO TO THE HOLY MASS. Jesus asked me to remain with Him a few minutes more after Mass had finished.

He said: �Do not leave in a hurry after Mass is over. Stay a moment in My company and enjoy it and let Me enjoy yours��

As a child I had heard someone say that the Lord remained with us for five or ten minutes, after communion. I asked Him at this moment: Lord, truly, how much time do You stay with us after communion?

I suppose that the Lord must have laughed at my silliness because He answered: �All the time that you want to have Me with you. If you speak to Me all day long, offering Me some words during your chores, I will listen to you.

I am always with you. It is you who leaves Me. You leave the Mass and the day of obligation ends.

You kept the day of the Lord and it is now finished for you. You do not think that I would like to share your family life with you, at least that day.�

�In your homes you have a place for everything and a room for each activity: a room to sleep, another to cook, another to eat, etc. Which place have you made for Me?

It should not be a place where you only have an image, which collects dust all the time, but a place where at least five minutes a day the family meets to give thanks for the day and for the gift of life, to ask for their needs of the day, to ask for blessings, protection, health.

Everything has a place in your homes, except Me.�

�Men plan their day, their week, their semester, their vacations, etc. They know what day they are going to rest, what day they will go to the movies or to a party, or visit grandmother or the grandchildren, the children, their friends and to their amusements.

How many families say at least once a month: �This is the day for our turn to go and visit Jesus in the Tabernacle,�and the whole family comes to talk to Me?

How many sit down in front of Me and have a conversation with Me, telling Me how it has been since the last time, telling Me their problems, the difficulties they have, asking Me about what they need� making Me part of these things? How many times?

�I know everything. I read even the deepest secrets of your hearts and minds. But I enjoy your telling Me about your life, your letting Me participate as a family member, as your most intimate friend.

Oh, how many graces does man loose by not giving Me a place in his life!�

When I remained with Him that day and on many other days, He continued to give us teachings. Today I want to share with you this mission that He has entrusted to me.

Jesus said: �I wanted to save My creature because the moment of opening the door to Heaven has been impregnated with too much pain��

�Remember that not even one mother has fed her child with her own flesh. I have gone to that extreme of Love to communicate My merits to all of you.

�The Holy Mass is Myself prolonging My life and My sacrifice on the Cross among you. Without the merits of My life and My Blood, what do you have with which to come before the Father? Nothing, misery and sin...

�You should exceed in virtue the angels and archangels, because they do not have the joy of receiving Me as nourishment like you do.

They drink a drop from the spring, but you that have the grace of receiving Me, you have the whole ocean to drink.�

The other thing that the Lord spoke about with pain concerned people who encounter Him out of habit, of those who have lost their awe of each encounter with Him.

That routine turns some people so lukewarm that they have nothing new to tell Jesus when they receive Him. He also said that there were so many consecrated souls who lose their enthusiasm of falling in love with the Lord, and have made their vocation an occupation, a profession to which nothing more is given, except that which is demanded of one, but without feeling...

Then the Lord spoke to me about the fruits that must come from each communion that we take. It does happen that there are people who receive the Lord daily but do not change their lives.

They spend many hours in prayer and do many works, etc. but their life does not go on transforming and a life that does not transform cannot bear true fruits for the Lord.

The merits we receive in the Eucharist should bear the fruits of conversion in us and fruits of charity toward our brothers and sisters. We the laity have a very important role in our Church.

We do not have the right to be silent because the Lord has sent us out, as all the baptized, to go forth and announce the Good News. We do not have the right to absorb all this knowledge and not share it with others and to allow our brothers to die of hunger when we have so much bread in our hands.

We cannot watch our Church crumble as we stay comfortable in our parishes and homes, receiving and receiving so much from the Lord: His Word, the homilies of the priests, the pilgrimages, the Mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the marvelous union with the nourishment of communion, the talks of preachers.

In other words, we are receiving so much and we do not have the courage to leave our comfort zone and go to a jail, to a correctional institution, to speak to the neediest.

To go and tell them not to give up, that they were born Catholic and that their Church needs them there, suffering, because their suffering will serve to redeem others, because that sacrifice will gain for them eternal life.

We are not capable of going where the terminally ill are in the hospitals and by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, helping them with our prayers during that time of struggle between good and evil to free them from the snares and temptations of the devil.

Every dying person has fear and just taking their hand and talking to them about the love of God and the marvel that awaits them in Heaven next to Jesus and Mary, next to their departed ones, gives them comfort.

The hour in which we currently live does not allow us to be indifferent. We must be an extension of the hands of our priests and go where they cannot reach.

But for this, we need courage. We must receive Jesus, live with Jesus, nourish ourselves with Jesus.

We are afraid to commit ourselves a little more and when the Lord says, �First seek the Kingdom of God and the rest will be added onto you,� He says it all, brothers and sisters.

It means to seek the Kingdom of God, by all possible means and with all means and� to open your hands in order to receive EVERYTHING in addition! This is because He is the Master Who pays the best, the only One Who is attentive to your smallest needs.

Brothers, sisters, thank you for allowing me to carry out the mission that was entrusted to me, that of having these pages reach you� The next time you attend Holy Mass, live it.

I know the Lord will fulfill for you His promise that �your Mass will never again be the same.� And when you receive Him, love Him! Experience the sweetness of feeling yourself resting against the folds of His side, pierced for you in order to leave you His Church and His Mother, to open for you the doors to His Father�s House.

Experience this so that you are able to feel for yourself His Merciful Love by means of this testimony and try to reciprocate with your childlike love. May God bless you this Easter.

Your sister in the Living Jesus, Catalina Lay Missionary of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Apostolate of the New Evangelization Spanish: www.a-n-e.net - www.jesucristovivo.org ane@a-n-e.net English: www.apostolate.org Calle 1H No.104 esquina 20 Col. M�xico Norte, C.P. 97128 Tel: (52) (999) 944-05-40 Fax: (52) (999) 948-17-77 M�rida, Yucat�n, M�xico website:

http://greatcrusade.org/greatcrusade/ French: 63e Message de la Madone du 28/12/2003. La Madone �tait v�tue de blanc et tenait dans ses bras l'Enfant J�sus, elle a dit :

Copyright � 2004 by The Great Crusade of Love and Mercy. All rights reserved.

If Jesus speaks to your heart as you read this book, please share these words by photocopying, printing or purchasing additional copies and further disseminate this document to people whom you believe will be blessed by these words. Please allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in evangelizing in accordance with the gifts He has given to you.

DEDICATED TO

His Holiness, John Paul II,

The First Apostle of the New Evangelization

From his example, we, the laity,learn faith, courage and piety. With immense gratitude and love

To all the priests:

The umbilical chord of God with man,who transmit divine grace through forgiveness and the consecration of the Eucharist Catalina From the Spanish edition, the original languagein which this book was written by/dictated to Catalinaand, later, reviewed by the Church:

�I DO NOT FIND ANYTHING AGAINST THE FAITH OR THE CUSTOMS OF THE CHURCH�

PBRO. DANIEL GAGNON. OMI.

COMISSION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH. ARCHDIOCESE OF MEXICO

APRIL 2000.

IT IS NOT MY FUNCTION TO CONFIRM ITS SUPERNATURAL CHARACTER; NEVERTHELESS, I RECOMMEND IT FOR ITS SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION.

This booklet is published in coordination with The Apostolate of the New Evangelization. Translated from the April 2003 Revision of the original Spanish edition, published in Merida, Mexico.

Permission is granted to reproduce this booklet in its entirety with no changes or additions and as long as the reproduction and distribution is done solely on a not-for-profit basis.

This document is available at no cost online and can be downloaded and printed from the following Web Sites:

in English at: www.greatcrusade.org

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For information on ordering printed copies of this booklet and other books and videos, please write to:

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Answers to Questions on the Celebration and Sacrifice of the Mass

357. What is the Mass?

The Mass is the Sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ, through the ministry of the priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner under the appearances of bread and wine.

(a) The name "Mass" comes from the Latin word Missa meaning dismissal. In the early days of the Church the catechumens were asked to leave after the gospel and sermon were finished. The faithful, however, remained until they were dismissed after the sacrifice was completed. Then, as now, this was done by saying or singing Ite Missa Est. In the course of time the word Missa, or dismissal, was used to designate the entire sacrifice.

358. What is a sacrifice?
A sacrifice is the offering of a victim by a priest to God alone, and the destruction of it in some way to acknowledge that He is the Creator of all things.

(a) By his very nature man wants to adore and thank his Creator. Men mistaken at times about the nature of the true God have offered false worship; but they have always recognized the obligation of adoring the Supreme Being.

As far back as the history of man is recorded, there is evidence that men acknowledged their dependence on the Supreme Being by offering sacrifices to Him. (b) Before the coming of Christ, sacrifices were offered to God in many different ways. The patriarchs and Jewish priests at the command of God offered fruits, wine, or animals as victims. Cain, for example, offered fruits; Abel offered some sheep of his flock; Melchisedech offered bread and wine.

The destruction of these offerings removed them from man's use and thereby signified that God is the Supreme Lord and Master of the entire created universe and that man is wholly dependent upon Him for everything. Sacrifice, therefore, is the most perfect way for man to worship God.

(c) All these different sacrifices of the Old Law were only figures of the sacrifice which Christ was to make of Himself. His offering of Himself on the cross was the greatest sacrifice ever offered to God. All the sacrifices of the Old Law derived their efficacy, or value, from the sacrifice which Christ was to offer on the cross.

359. Who is the principal priest in every Mass?

The principal priest in every Mass is Jesus Christ, who offers to His heavenly Father, through the ministry of His ordained priest, His body and blood which were sacrificed on the cross.

(a) The Mass is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross. It is now in the New Law, the sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

THE PRIEST

He is another Christ,(Alter Christi) respect him; He is your benefactor, be thankful to him.

At the Altar

He offers your prayers to God, do not forget him; He prays for you and yours in Purgatory, ask God's mercy for him.
In the Confessional

He is the physician of your soul, show him its wounds; He directs you towards God, follow his admonitions; He is judging, abide by his decisions.

In His Daily Life

He is human, do not hastily condemn him; He is human, a word of kindness will cheer him; If you must tell his faults, tell them to God; That He may give him light and strength to correct them.

Prayer for Priests

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Give all priests Thy spirit of humility; Jesus, poor and worn out for souls, Give all priests Thy spirit of zeal;

Jesus, full of patience and mercy for sinners, Give all priests Thy spirit of compassion;

Jesus, victim for the sins of the world, Give all priests Thy spirit of sacrifice;

Jesus, lover of the little and the poor, Give all priests Thy spirit of charity.

Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us; and obtain for us numerous and holy priests and religious. Amen.

360. Why is the Mass the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross?
The Mass is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross because in the Mass the victim is the same, and the principal priest is the same, Jesus Christ.

(a) Christ, though invisible, is the principal minister, offering Himself in the Mass. The priest is the visible and secondary minister, offering Christ in the Mass.

(b) The most important part of the Mass is the Consecration. In the Consecration bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ who then is really present on the altar. Through the priest He offers Himself to God in commemoration of His death on the cross.

(c) The other most important parts of the Mass are the Offertory and the Communion. In the Offertory the priest offers to God the bread and wine that will be changed into the body and blood of Christ. In the Communion the priest and the people receive the body and blood of Our Lord under the appearances of bread and wine.

361. What are the purposes for which the Mass is offered?

The purposes for which the Mass is offered are: first, to adore God as our Creator and Lord; second, to thank God for His many favors; third, to ask God to bestow His blessings on all men; fourth, to satisfy the justice of God for the sins committed against Him.

(a) In every Mass adoration, praise, and thanksgiving are given to God, and reparation is made to Him.

(b) Besides the purpose for which the Mass is offered and the effects that it produces, there are also special fruits of the Mass. The fruits Of the Mass are the blessings that God bestows through the Mass upon the celebrant, upon those who serve or assist at it, upon the person or persons for whom it is offered, and also upon all mankind, especially the members of the Church and the souls in purgatory.

(c) The measure of these blessings depends especially on the dispositions of those to whom they are given.

362. Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the cross and the Sacrifice of the Mass?

The manner in which the sacrifice is offered is different. On the cross Christ physically shed His blood and was physically slain, while in the Mass there is no physical shedding of blood nor physical death, because Christ can die no more; on the cross Christ gained merit and satisfied for us, while in the Mass He applies to us the merits and satisfaction of His death on the cross.

(a) On the cross Christ was offered in a bloody manner; in the Mass He is offered in an unbloody manner. On the cross Christ alone offered Himself directly; in the Mass He offers Himself through the priest, who is the secondary but true minister, dependent upon Christ.

(b) On the cross Christ suffered and died; in the Mass He can no longer suffer or die. On the cross He paid the price of our redemption; in the Mass He applies to us the merits of His Sacrifice on the cross.

(c) There are various kinds of Masses: first, a Solemn Mass, which is celebrated by a priest who is immediately assisted by a deacon and a sub-deacon; second, a High Mass, in which the celebrating priest sings certain parts of the Mass; third, a Low Mass, in which the priest reads all the parts of the Mass: fourth, a Pontifical Mass, which is celebrated by a bishop and by certain other prelates.

Any of these kinds of Masses can be a Requiem Mass, which is one offered for the dead. In a Requiem Mass the celebrating priest wears black vestments and reads or chants special prayers for the dead.

(d) Some prayers make up the "Ordinary" of the Mass and are practically always the same; others make up the "Proper" of the Mass and differ according to the seasons and the feasts of the ecclesiastical calendar.

(e) Ordinarily Mass must be offered on an altar stone consecrated by a bishop or by his delegate.

(f) The priest wears the following vestments during Mass:

an alb, a long white linen garment covering the body; an amice, a white linen cloth placed over the shoulders and about the neck (as needed); a cincture, a cord tied about the waist (as needed); the stole, a long narrow band of cloth worn over the shoulders; and the chasuble, an outer garment covering the greater part of the body.

These vestments have an ancient origin, and most of them resemble the garments worn by the apostles.

(g) The colors of the outer vestments worn during Mass are: white, which signifies purity of soul and holiness, red, which signifies the shedding of blood and burning love; green, which signifies hope; violet, which signifies penance; black, which signifies mourning; rose, which signifies joy in the midst of penance; and gold, which is used on solemn occasions in place of white, red, or green vestments.

White vestments are worn on feasts of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, saints who were not martyrs, and during the Easter season; red is used on the feasts of the Holy Ghost, the passion of Our Lord, and martyrs; green is used on the Sundays outside of Advent, Lent, and the Christmas and Easter season; violet is worn in Lent, Advent, and on penitential days, black is worn in Masses for the dead; rose may be used instead of violet on the third Sunday of Advent and on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

(h) Some of the important articles used during Mass are: the chalice, a gold-lined or other precious cup, in which the wine is consecrated; the paten, a gold-covered or other precious plate, on which the host is placed; the purificator, or cloth, for wiping the chalice, the pall, or linen-covered card, used to cover the chalice; the corporal, or square linen cloth, on which the host is placed; the missal, or book, from which the priest reads the prayers of the Mass; the candles, usually of beeswax; the crucifix over the altar; and the three linen cloths that cover the altar.

363. How should we assist at Mass?

We should assist at Mass with reverence, attention, and devotion.

(a) There are different ways of assisting at Mass devoutly: using the missal to follow the priest, saying the Mass prayers as found in a prayer book; singing hymns; and the like.

364. What is the best method of assisting at Mass?

The best method of assisting at Mass is to unite with the priest in offering the Holy Sacrifice, and to receive Holy Communion.

(a) It is evident from the words of the priest himself that we do unite with him in offering up the Holy Sacrifice. After the Offertory he turns to the people and says: "Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty." In the second commemoration of the Canon of the Mass he says: "Remember, O Lord, Thy servants . . . for whom we offer, or who offer up to Thee, this sacrifice of praise . . . "

365. Who said the first Mass?

Yeshua, Jesus, the Christ first Mass gathering was at the Last Supper, the night before He died. ----

Baltimore Catechism, modification of Lesson 27.

See EWTN Online Services members as BALTEUCH.TXT.

EUCHARIST
Following are quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): But fiorst, an anecdote from a young person.

---------------------------------------------------------- From: P_Charis_Catho

I am not sure why I am posting this... but it was something I had done at a conference and the only reason I did it was because it was like I had Christ pulling my tail to go tell them.

I have a huge devotion to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, so while I was at a youth conference, on my free time I spent it in the adoration chapel.

Well when I was coming out of the chapel I saw these teens outside the adoration chapel... they were probably my age. I had remembered them coming in for a few moments and left... when they came in I felt as if they were there so they could tell their leaders that they had gone... well the second I walked outside I went right up to them and asked them if they would mind if I asked them a question.

There was about six or seven of them there. They said they didn't mind... and almost with tears in my eyes and more conviction than I have ever felt before in my life I asked them why they weren't in the chapel... why would they be sitting outside. They all replied the same way... we were just in there.

So I felt compelled to ask them if there happened to be a man about six foot long wavy brown/black hair, very dark complected with white cloth on if they would still be sitting outside the chapel. They looked at me as if I were crazy and said absolutely not... they would be right there with Him. So I felt compelled yet again to ask them another question. I asked them what a butterfly is before it becomes a butterfly... the responded with a caterpiller... then I asked them what it was before it was a caterpiller... they responded with... an egg and larve... So I felt compelled once more to ask if that egg was still a butterfly. They all looked stunned and said yes of course it is.

That was when I continued to say well if you take a walk into that chapel and open your eyes a little wider you could see that, that truly is like that egg in there waiting for you to see what it truly is. And that all they had to do was ask Christ to show Himself to be truly present there in the Eucharist, because even a larve shows himself to truly be a butterfly.

Hope it helps someone. I know it wasn't me who thought it up, the Holy Spirit gave it to me to share. If it cannot help you maybe it will help someone you know. Godbless

Questions. What if the President of the United States were in your neighborhood, quite close, and you had the ability to go see him without any problem, no appointment�just walk on in. what if the president of your country were so available? For those of you in the commonwealth nations-what if the Queen of England were so available , or the Prime Minister.

WHAT IF THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE WERE SO AVAILABLE, WITHOUT APPOINTMENT, AND YOU COULD JUST WALK IN AND SEE AND TALK FREELY TO THAT CREATOR, NO TIME LIMIT...???

CCC#1373: Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us", is present in many ways in his church: in his word, in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name", in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned, in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the person of the minister. But he is present...most especially in the Eucharistic species."

CCC#1378: Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. "The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession."

CCC#1379:...As faith in the real presence of Christ in his Eucharist deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species. It is for this reason that the tabernacle should be located in an especially worthy place int he church and should be constructed in such a way that it emphasizes and manifests the truth of the real present of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

CCC#1380: It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way...In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:

Another anecdote:

From: becky

http://www.dayspring.com/ecards/predesign.asp Let me tell you a secret, paradise lies in the heart of Jesus! Each one of us may enter this heart & in it find absolute peace & love. Jesus gathers us ALL together there.

Once in his heart, he carries us in his heart to Calvary where he suffered & died. We deserve the punishments, but he endures the sufferings. He protects us as if in the womb of our mother, or baby birds under their mother's wing. We lie in the depths of his heart. Once we have passed through the terrible crucible of death,he then brings us home with him, in the depths of his heart, and offers us to our loving Abba.

Holy Communion makes this happen!! This is why it was begun before his terrible sufferings. In communion we bring Jesus directly to our hearts & he binds himself to us as the NEW COVENANT. Not the covenant of Moses, but a new covenant, a more perfect convent, which is Jesus himself. Scripture says that "the law" (Old Covenant) shall be written in our hearts. Jesus is the NEW COVENANT. He himself is "the way...the truth...the life."

We must only unite ourselves to him & the rest will come. Love ushers in goodness of every kind. Perfection exists only in the love we pour into our deeds springing from the gratitude of our hearts. -No one deserves this love, it comes only as a gift. The most perfect of souls cannot earn this reward. All is a gift! Such is our poverty before him, that even the love with which we have to offer him, must first be borrowed from him to be worthy of him!!

Please do not take the gift of the Eucharistic Presence for granted. He is our beloved, he aches & yearns & pines for our hearts, he wants to save us from the evil one & bring us home to his loving father! St Augustine said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, & our hearts are restless until they rest in you!" We were made for God & we will only find true happiness when we return to him.

Pope John Paul II: "The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease."

Monday, July 22, St. Mary Magdalene:

Ven. Charles de Foucauld wrote of the Blessed Sacrament, "St. Mary Magdalene was no closer to You when she sat at Your feet at Bethany than I am here at the foot of this altar."

Tuesday, July 23, St. Bridget of Sweden:

"Oh Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen." (St. Bridget of Sweden)

Wednesday, July 24:

"I shall always keep my heart turned to the altar where my beloved Jesus dwells. Tired and oppressed, afflicted, desolate, there shall I take my rest, seen only by my Jesus." (Bl. Geltrude Caterina Comensoli)

Thursday, July 25:
"The more pure and chaste is a soul, the more it hungers for this Bread, from which it derives strength to resist all temptations to sins of impurity, and by which it is more intimately united with the Divine Spouse; 'He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, abides in Me and I in him.'" (Pope Pius XII, Sacra Virginitas, On Consecrated Virginity)

Friday, July 26, Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

A Family Prayer Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Your Blessed Mother Mary and Good St. Joseph we ask You to bless, protect and guide our family. Humbly we approach Your Eucharistic throne of grace and pray that You mold us into a Holy Family. By the power of the Holy Spirit please help us to do the will of Our Heavenly Father, during our earthly sojourn, for Your honor and glory and the salvation of souls. Help us to lead others to You in the Most Blessed Sacrament. At the end of our journey please gather us together, again, that we may be a family in Your heavenly paradise and with the angels and saints sing Your praises for eternity. (From the book Family Hours of Adoration)

Sts. Joachim and Anne, pray for us!

Saturday, July 27:

"'My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,' I said and I multiplied the bread in the desert. 'Son, do you want to be healed?' I asked the paralytic. I consoled, pardoned, and loved making myself everything to everyone. Because my time on earth was short, to satisfy the need to make hearts happy, I remained in the Eucharist, making myself food for your love" (Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, Servant of God)

Sunday, July 28:

"The world must not be deprived of the gentle and liberating presence of Christ in the Eucharist! You yourselves must be fervent witnesses to Christ's presence on the altar. Let the Eucharist mold your life and the life of the families you will form. Let it guide all life's choices." (Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day 2000, Rome)

Monday, July 29, St. Martha:

"It took me a long time as a convert to realize the presence of Christ as Man in the Sacrament. He is the same Jesus Who walked on earth, Who slept in the boat as the tempest arose, Who hungered in the desert, Who prayed in the garden, Who conversed with the woman by the well, Who rested at the house of Martha and Mary, Who wandered through the cornfields, picking the ears of corn to eat. "Jesus is there as Man. He is there, Flesh and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He is our leader Who is always with us. Do you wonder that Catholics are exultant in this knowledge, that their Leader is with them? 'I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.'" (Dorothy Day)

Tuesday, July 30, St. Peter Chrysologus:

"Today Christ works the first of his signs from heaven by turning water into wine. But water [mixed with wine] has still to be changed into the sacrament of his blood, so that Christ may offer spiritual drink from the chalice of his body, to fulfill the psalmist's prophecy: How excellent is my chalice, warming my spirit." (St. Peter Chrysologus)

And Confession-Rite of Penance, which is a part of every Mass

http://www.catholic.net/rcc/Periodicals/Homiletic/2002-06/kokoski.html

Through the Sacrament of Penance our sins are forgiven and we receive great consolation of soul.

The practice of frequent confession

By Paul Kokoski

On In recent years the practice of frequent confession has been gravely neglected and even discouraged by those who assert that little importance should be given to the frequent confession of venial sins. Such thinking, however, is alien to the Spirit of Christ and disastrous for the Mystical Body of our Savior.1 In this essay I will attempt to explain the meaning of the sacrament of Penance, indicate why and when the sacrament is necessary, indicate how the sacrament should be approached, and provide a number of reasons as to why the practice of frequent confession may be especially beneficial.

The Catechism explains that Penance is the sacrament through which those who approach it obtain "pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example and by prayer labors for their conversion."2

While the sacrament of Baptism is effective in removing original sin, concupiscence, the effect of original sin remains. Christians, therefore, are still inclined toward sin and do, in fact, sin. Aptly, if not dramatically, the Church Fathers refer to the sacrament of Penance as the "second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace."3

Penance is the sacrament of the new law whereby all sins committed after Baptism are forgiven those who approach the sacrament in the proper disposition and who receive absolution from an authorized priest. The sacrament of Penance is often called the sacrament of confession, then, since it is a practice by which one confesses, in a profound sense, his sins to a priest.

Officially, the Church requires one to confess serious sins at least once a year. As well the Church strictly insists that, except for a grave reason, sacramental absolution of serious sins must precede the reception of Holy Communion, for while the Eucharist is the source of all grace, it is not directly ordained for the forgiveness of mortal sins.4 Holy Mother Church also requires that children confess before receiving Christ in the Eucharist for the first time.5

The Church teaches that confession is required only for mortal sins as they destroy sanctifying grace, cause the supernatural death of the soul and wound ecclesial communion. Mortal sin not only damages but breaks our union with God. Confession is always necessary in such instances because it restores sanctifying grace, it restores our friendship with God and leads the forgiven penitent toward reconciliation with himself, his brethren, the Church and with all creation.6 In this sense, like the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, it is often referred to as a sacrament of healing.

While venial sins do not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, they weaken one's spiritual strength and also lower one's resistance to evil. Therefore, the Church strongly recommends that we regularly confess our everyday minor faults (venial sins).

Deliberate venial sins speak to us about our own frailty. These are the sins "of which we are guilty in rash moments, on account of some passing excitement, from want of reflection, through forgetfulness or thoughtlessness."7 Though it is not absolutely necessary, they are still sins which should be confessed. Often there are deep rooted reasons for such transgressions which can be brought to the surface by a qualified priest in the confessional.

Religious who have already attained a higher degree of perfection than the average person will usually confess, as a rule, not necessarily every imperfection, but certain sins and faults which they have made up their mind to conquer. Here the principle "non multa, sed multum" holds, i.e., not much, but well done. This refers primarily to sins that are particularly difficult for an individual to overcome perhaps because of personal temperament. The principle "non multa, sed multum" is especially recommended to those who are somewhat apathetic in attaining virtue or for those who continuously worry about having sufficient contrition for the sins they confessed.

While it is certainly necessary to be fully aware of our sins, we must also be wary of becoming scrupulous. Hence to recite our sins to the priest in great detail is quite unnecessary.

For many, especially advanced souls, confession may center on either a particular sin committed since their last confession, some inordinate passion, practice or inclination, or even a specific Commandment that the penitent is having trouble with.8 It is also worthwhile, in each frequent confession, to accuse oneself in a general sense of all the sins of one's past life. This is closely linked to what is known as "universal contrition" which I will get to later.

Normally, imperfections such as "indeliberate and involuntary distractions in prayer, manifestations of impatience, uncharitable thoughts and feelings, aversions, rash judgments and such things . . . are not matter of confession."9

There are several benefits that we receive from frequent confession. A practical benefit is that it helps us develop a correctly informed conscience. The "development of conscience is an essential part of the religious and moral formation of a Christian. It goes on almost unnoticed, unsystematically, day by day."10 Nowadays secularization and moral relativism are threatening to push God completely out of our lives. "Consequently, in our time, a more regulated and systematic training of conscience is called for."11 This can be done in two ways both of which are compatible with frequent confession. The first is to make a regular examination of conscience.

Secondly, and in a more positive sense, it is necessary to focus more acutely on our virtues. The goal is to eliminate sin and to grow in virtue. The more often we examine our conscience the more we will come to know ourselves and remember our faults. This in turn will not only enable us to bring more of ourselves to the sacrament but, through our own self-awareness, help us to avoid committing the same sins in the future.12 A spiritual benefit we receive from the sacrament of Penance is that of sanctifying grace, which is communicated to the soul.

Over and above sanctifying grace we also receive a special sacramental grace that is conferred by the valid and fruitful reception of confession. These graces help to weaken concupiscence and our inclination to sin. Not only are our sins forgiven in the sacrament but we are strengthened with the ability to fight against our evil tendencies.

Through frequent confession we also obtain from the priest direction in the spiritual life which enables us to gradually overcome our bad habits and develop virtues. Just as the Jews needed Moses to guide them continually after they had been delivered from Egypt so Christians need someone representing Christ whom they can trust and obey. The way of the interior life is often dark and difficult.13 No one should presume to be his own guide. St. Bernard has said, "the man who is his own teacher is the pupil of a fool."14

Further, the higher one ascends in the spiritual life the greater are the pitfalls and deceptions. It is especially in this situation that the penitent needs continued encouragement and advice so as to stay focused with respect to his or her supernatural motives. Except, perhaps, for someone like St. Paul, progress in the spiritual life usually comes about only gradually. This is why frequent confession is necessary. Under the guidance of the priest we are able to devote the proper attention to our individual sins as well as our virtues. Accordingly, the so-called confession of devotion has been called the school that formed the great saints.15

As with the other sacraments, confession is an encounter with the Lord. The more we frequent the sacrament the more opportunities we have "to spend time with the Lord in a special way. It is, in a sense, a private, personal appointment with Jesus."16 Moreover, the encounter that takes place in sacramental confession "between man's misery and God's mercy is one of the conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence."17 Indulgences, depending on whether they are partial or plenary remove either part or all of the temporary punishment due to sin.

They can be applied either to the individual in question or to a soul in purgatory. This is because of the healing we receive in the sacrament, which unites us with all of the members of the mystical Body of Christ. The Catechism thus speaks of how the penitent is strengthened in "the exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ, whether still on pilgrimage or in the heavenly homeland."18

There is also a psychological benefit attached to frequent confession. Although it is not necessary to confess venial sins in the confessional it is still a good practice to do so because through the spoken words of the priest we receive a somewhat more tangible form of encouragement than had we just gone to our room, for example, and confessed our sins privately. Just as two people who are in love need to hear the words "I love you" from time to time, it is also good once in a while for us to hear someone say, "Your sins are forgiven, go in peace." "There is something reassuring about the certitude of hearing someone tell us our sins are forgiven."19

In a similar manner it is perhaps equally important for us to verbally express our own inner thoughts, intentions, and desires. Many people today spend exorbitant amounts of money on psychiatrists and psychologists trying to get in touch with their inner selves so as to solve their everyday problems. In the confessional we are reassured on two counts. First, because the priest, who represents Christ, is a trained expert in morality we can be confident of his advice.

Secondly, it is comforting to know that what we say in the confessional can never be repeated outside of it by the priest. Because of the "sacramental seal" it is the grave duty of the priest to keep absolutely secret all sins that are told in sacramental confession and anything else that is told by the penitent and is related to the confession.

Another important advantage of confessing our venial sins is that as a rule "our acts of contrition, of purpose of amendment and of resolution to atone and do penance are much more carefully made when we go to confession than in the case of the extra-sacramental forgiveness of venial sin, e.g., by means of an ejaculation or by the pious use of Holy Water."20

If our confession is to be valid and stimulating with respect to our spiritual growth we must approach the confession with a firm purpose not to repeat the same sins. Hence our purpose of amendment is an integral part of genuine contrition.

Though an explicit act of amendment is not essential for the valid reception of the sacrament of Penance, it is nonetheless desirable for one's confession "to be really fruitful and so become for him a means to interior progress and sanctity."21 St. Francis de Sales mentions that "it is an abuse to confess a sin in confession unless one's mind is made up to avoid it in future or at least to strive earnestly against it."22 It is also beneficial to approach the confessional with a positive purpose of amendment, i.e., a purpose that is directed toward attaining a particular virtue.23 When we concentrate on things that are good and holy we are better disposed not to fall into the same faults and weaknesses.

It would be quite futile, in making an act of amendment, to simply make a resolve not to commit the same sin again. Usually this strategy is doomed to failure. The best procedure is for a person to make a simple resolve to fight against potential sins once he becomes conscious of them. One should be determined at such times to recollect oneself, ask the Lord for help, or perhaps make an act of patience. It is also a good idea, in making an act of amendment to formulate some means that can be taken and which may be especially beneficial in overcoming a particular fault.

Contrition, which is intimately connected to our purpose of amendment, is another aspect of confession without which there can be no forgiveness. Contrition extends only to known and deliberate transgressions, i.e., sins. "It suffices to have contrition in a general way for the negligence and carelessness with which one has given way to venial sins."24 The person who makes frequent confession is usually more concerned with pursuing holiness and is therefore likely to be interested in making a more fruitful confession. While imperfect contrition or attrition (the fear of punishment in this life or the hereafter) is sufficient for a valid confession, perfect contrition is more desirable. A person with perfect contrition thinks not only of himself but more importantly of the God whom he has offended by his sins and whom he should love above all things. True contrition, whether perfect or imperfect, is not rooted in our feelings but in our will.

"Universal contrition," mentioned above, is "sorrow for and loathing of the sins of our whole past life."25 This is important in the practice of frequent confession for it makes us accustomed to look upon all our sins as the greatest of all evils. It is important to be continually sorry for our sins for as St. Thomas Aquinas says, "It must always remain a source of regret to us that we have sinned."26 "Universal contrition" is recommended for those who confess frequently because it excites us to make a real act of contrition and hence disposes us to approach the sacrament with the proper reverence.

Satisfaction is also an integral part of the sacrament of Penance. This involves penitential acts (prayer, fasting, almsgiving) that are necessary for forgiveness and for the remittance of the temporal punishment due to sin. The greater the penances imposed, the more fully our debts of temporal punishment are cancelled and our purgatory shortened.27 Frequent confession "produces the spirit of penance and impels us to works of atonement and satisfaction in union with our Lord, who made atonement for our guilt."28

Bishop Austin Vaughan, in mentioning the value of frequent confession, stresses how in each confession the penitent acknowledges himself to be, apart from sinful humanity, an individual sinner with personal sins for which he is responsible.29 As a result individual confession is required by the Church. General absolution, which involves a number of penitents, is reserved for cases of grave necessity or danger of death.

Bishop Vaughan also informs us that with each confession the penitent affirms that God's mercy is always available to him, that it comes to him from Christ (present in the priest), and that it reaches him through the Church. Hence, the penitent also affirms that "the priest is God's minister in a unique way."30

The bishop also advises us that with each visit to the confessional, the penitent importantly acknowledges to himself that he cannot succeed in life on his own and that he, therefore, is in need of God's grace. The penitent is thus drawn more strongly toward reception of the Eucharist by frequent confession.31

Although the sacrament of Penance is primarily reserved for mortal sins it is, even for venial sins, extremely wise for each Catholic to adopt the habit of frequent confession. Many of the greatest saints received the sacrament frequently. Pope Pius XII visited the sacrament every day. Through the sacrament of Penance our sins are forgiven and we receive great consolation of soul. Peace and serenity are also restored to the conscience. If we approach the sacrament with a firm purpose of amendment, contrition and a strong desire to atone and do penance for our sins we will be well on our way to sharing with these and all the saints the eternal banquet with Christ in heaven. The following selection from the encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi by Pope Pius XII is an eloquent summation of the importance of frequent confession:

For a constant and speedy advancement in the paths of virtue we highly recommend the pious practice of frequent confession, introduced by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; for by this means we grow in a true knowledge of ourselves and in Christian humility, bad habits are uprooted, spiritual negligence and apathy are prevented, the conscience is purified and the will strengthened, salutary spiritual direction is obtained, and grace is increased by the efficacy of the sacrament itself."32

1 Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi n. 88. 2 Catechism of the Catholic Church (New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1995), no. 1422. (Hereafter cited as The Catechism.) 3 The Catechism no. 1446. 4 Council of Trent (Session 13, chap. 7 and the relative canon, DS 1647 and 1655.) 5 The Catechism no. 1457. 6 Pope John Paul II, Reconciliation and Penance n. 31. 7 Benedict Baur, Frequent Confession (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1984), p. 48. 8 Ibid. p. 50. 9 Ibid, p. 49. 10 Ibid, p. 68. 11 Ibid. 12 Rev. Christopher M. Buckner, Theology of the Sacraments, Part One (Hamilton, Virginia: The Catholic Distance University, 1995), Lesson 11-3. 13 Frequent Confession p. 61. 14 Ibid. 15 Pope John Paul II. L'Osservatore Romano, March 24, 1999 in an address to the Apostolic Penitentiary. 16 Theology Of The Sacraments pp. 11-3. 17 Frequent Confession p. 27. 18 The Catechism no. 1469. 19 Theology Of The Sacraments 11-3. 20 Frequent Confession p. 37. 21 Ibid. p. 44. 22 Francis De Sales, Introduction To The Devout Life (New York: Doubleday, 1989), Part II Ch. 19. 23 Frequent Confession p. 46. 24 Ibid. p. 56. 25 Ibid. 26 St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica III, q. 84, art. 8. 27 Frequent Confession p. 58. 28 Ibid. p. 60. 29 Theology of the Sacraments 11-4. 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid. 32 Mystici Corporis Christi n. 88.

Mr. Paul Kokoski is an undergraduate student at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, where he is pursuing a degree in philosophy. In addition, Mr. Kokoski is a correspondence student with the Catholic Distance University in Hamilton, Virginia. His last article in HPR appeared in October 2001.