Last weekend, our daughter and son-in-law discovered a partially consumed Host in the pew behind them at Mass.
They alerted their Pastor and stayed to offer reparation and ensure it was disposed of correctly. This was a shocking moment for their small, tight-knit Catholic community.
Yesterday, a local parish (where another daughter and son-in-law attend) had a partially consumed Host discovered in a hymnal. Again, another shocking moment for this reverent parish…especially since it was discovered by a child.
While we have often made reparations to Our Eucharistic Lord against public mockery, both these instances point to something even more shocking: indifference.
In both cases, someone received Our Lord in the Eucharist…and then carelessly discarded Him.
Can I ask two things of you today:
First, please join us in making reparations to Our Lord by praying The Divine Praises (The traditional prayer for reparation).
Please get packs of Divine Praises prayer cards at less than $2 and stock your family, friends, parish, etc.
Divine Praises Prayer Cards (5-pack)
SPANISH Divine Praises Prayer Cards (5-pack)
Knowing we have thousands of Divine Praises prayer cards, we reduced the price by 80%. We print locally, not in China, so this is less than our total cost, but we agreed to give them away so this prayer can be spread far and wide.
Second, I wanted to share these words from the parish priest who discovered the Host in his parish hymnal. His message is one that we can all benefit from:
For those who understand the preciousness of this Gift, we should ask ourselves: how do I care for the Eucharist? Do I make sure that I am properly disposed through the Sacrament of Confession to receive Our Lord without the stain of serious/mortal sin on my soul? Do I honor the hour fast before receiving Him? Do I show the proper reverence due to Him as I enter the Church, either with a genuflection or, if physical limitations prevent us, with a profound bow? Do I help maintain a reverent silence in the Church before and after Holy Mass, recognizing in Whose presence I am blessed to be, or do I treat the Church like any other space?
For parents, do I speak to my child about the preciousness of this Sacred Gift? Do I make sure my child understands the significance of receiving Jesus’ Body and Blood? Do I speak to them about what that means for our behavior (becoming What we consume and transforming how we treat others, loving them with the love of Christ)? Do I make sure they’re engaged in prayers of thanksgiving once they return to the pew? Am I showing them, both in words and actions, what that gratitude should look like? Does my love of the Eucharist properly translate into the care for the members of His Body here on earth?
Please join us in making reparations to our Eucharistic Lord.
Please get packs of Divine Praises prayer cards at less than $2 and stock your family, friends, parish, etc.
Divine Praises Prayer Cards (5-pack)
SPANISH Divine Praises Prayer Cards (5-pack)
PS–spreading news about Eucharistic Miracles is one of the most important works we do (one of my sons-in-law began his conversion to the Catholic Church after being presented with Eucharistic miracles).
A few resources to help teach your entire family about Eucharistic Miracles:
- Eucharistic Miracles of the World
- created by Blessed Carlo Acutis, this 350+ page volume is a must-have for Catholic families.
- Blessing Imelda coloring book
- the Eucharistic miracle that inspired the First Communion age to be LOWERED!
- SAINT Carlo Acutis coloring book
- includes his 8 steps to help kids become saints!
- Inside the Sacraments: The Holy Eucharist DVD
- includes several Eucharistic miracles!
- A Cardiologist Examines Jesus
- perfect for high schoolers with questions!
- Eucharistic Miracles and Eucharistic Phenomena in the Lives of the Saints
- Little Nellie of Holy God
- a beautiful picture book for the smallest children!
Ken Davison created Glory Stories, which became a weekly radio series heard globally on the Ave Maria Satellite Radio Network and EWTN’s radio network, WEWN. In 2007, he and his wife, Kerri, founded Holy Heroes–and their children stepped in to help shortly thereafter to create the online “Adventures” for Advent, Lent, Spiritual Adoption, and Marian Consecration.
Obviously a member of the parish at both churches became ill after beginning to consume the host or began uncontrollable coughing or some other physical problem that prevented them from simply consuming the host. So before stumbling out the door and vomiting or accidently spitting out the host onto the floor they did the most respectful thing possible given the circumstances. They put the fragment of the host in between pages of a church booklet that would ultimately be seen by a person that understood the sacred nature of the host and would dispose of it in a respectful manner. Which somebody did in both cases. Right? So what is the problem here? Why all the fuss and carrying on? Perhaps each of our parish bulletins need to put a short article on “What to do if suddenly you are unable to consume the communion host you have just received. Don’t be embarrassed. This is not your fault. We are here to help. God who is the source of all existence understands getting sick or feeling ill and is not offended. God loves you even when you are sick and not thinking too clearly.” Relax, on the scale of Eternity and Infinity this is no big deal.
Originally, I was going to delete this comment, but decided that it is important for folks to see a repsonse like this. For anyone reading this, please continue to pray the “Divine Praises” every day so we can return to a culture that revers the sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament.