On preparing to receive Christ worthily in the Eucharist

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

Did you know that the U.S. Confer­ence of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) wrote a “teaching document” on the Eucharist in 2006? The title (and subtitle) of that document is the title that I chose for this column. The full text of the document is available online or you can Google: Happy are those called to His Supper. I highly recommend taking the time to read the document and to read it prayerfully.

I had not known of the existence of this document until I attended a meeting of the Bishops of “Region 3” of the USCCB. Region 3 includes all the bishops of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I write this column as I prepare to attend my first in-person meeting of the full USCCB in Baltimore from Nov. 15 to 18. The full USCCB usually meets twice a year, in November and June. Since I was named a bishop in April 2020, the June 2020 USCCB meeting was cancelled due to the pandemic and the November 2020 and June 2021 meetings were held virtually (via Zoom).

The most recent USCCB meeting in June 2021 received a significant amount of attention and press coverage concerning the bishops’ consideration of writing a “new” (or another) document on the Eucharist. I wonder, if it were simply a matter of “writing a document on the Eucharist,” whether there would be as much attention as seems to be raised by the question of the bishops’ stand toward Catholic politicians and elected leaders, especially with regard to the reception of Holy Communion?

There was a lengthy and spirited debate (discussion) that took place amongst the bishops at the June meeting, when the question was considered concerning whether a committee should continue its work on drafting the proposed document on the Eucharist (for which a detailed outline had been prepared). While many in the press interpreted this debate/discussion as revealing a division or a lack of unity among the bishops, I have written and stated that I found the honest differences of opinion and approach to be encouraging, as the bishops spoke, not only from their personal experience and knowledge, but also from their listening to the faithful, religious, priests, lay leaders, and others from within and outside their dioceses. When the matter was brought to a vote, 75 percent of the bishops voted in favor of going ahead with the work on the document.

One of the themes of the comments made by so many of the bishops during the June meeting was that the matters and questions being discussed were so important that, discussing them virtually via Zoom, was an insufficient means and that we should wait until we would be able to discuss this in person (in November). While the discussion and vote did go forward, there was also an agreement that each Region would have an in-person meeting during the summer to continue the conversation on a local level and also discuss the work and progress on the proposed document. As I said, it was at that regional meeting, when one of the bishops raised the subject of “the 2006 statement” that I first became aware of Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper. If you take the time to read that document, I think you may be surprised to realize that “it could have been written yesterday,” as it addresses many of the questions and concerns that have been discussed (and debated) leading up to, during, and since the June meeting of the USCCB.

In the Introduction to the 2006 document, the bishops write:

As bishops and shepherds of the Catholic faithful in the United States of America, we recognize our responsibility to nurture the faith of our Catholic brothers and sisters in this most wondrous mystery — Jesus’ Real Presence in Holy Communion. In the following series of questions and answers, we wish to affirm clearly what the Church believes and teaches concerning the Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion. We also wish to provide a clear affirmation as to who may receive Holy Communion within a Catholic Eucharistic celebration. Finally, we want to recommend some practices that every Catholic can use for preparing to receive Holy Communion in a more worthy fashion.

As part of my preparation for this week’s meeting, I have just finished reading the draft of the “new” 28-page document. Before I read that draft, having read Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper, I was unsure whether a “new” document was a good idea. After having read the document, with the proposed title, The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, I now think that the document may be a very good idea. Reading the document was similar to a number of experiences I have had through which I “fell in love” with our Church. I think it is beautifully written, inspiring, and while (as 2006 teaches) no document is going to “solve all our problems,” I think this document could be a great blessing and asset in a hoped for “Eucharistic Revival.”

Since this coming week’s meeting will be my first (in-person) USCCB meeting, I really do not know what to expect and I am very unsure as to how the discussion on the proposed Eucharistic document will develop. By the time you are reading this column, there will probably have been some reports as to how things are going. I noticed that the last day of the meeting, Nov. 18 is the Feast of the Dedication of the Churches of Ss. Peter and Paul. I see that as providential. No matter what happens, let us continue to pray for our beloved Church, her leaders, and all her members, that, as we journey together on the “synodal” path, we may be more and more the Church that the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, is calling us to be.

“Ss. Peter and Paul and Mary, Mother of the Church, please pray for us.”