Solemnity ofSolemnity ofThe Most Holy Body and Blood The Most Holy Body and Blood

of Christof ChristCorpus ChristiCorpus Christi

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will

raise him up at the last day." raise him up at the last day." -- John 6:53, 54-- John 6:53, 54

• The Solemnity of the Most The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Holy Body and Blood of Christ is a parallel to Holy Christ is a parallel to Holy Thursday whichThursday which

• commemorates the commemorates the institution of the Eucharist.institution of the Eucharist.

• This feast day was instituted This feast day was instituted in the late 13in the late 13thth century and century and was known as Corpus was known as Corpus Christi.Christi.

• It was celebrated for a It was celebrated for a century before becoming a century before becoming a mandatory feast in 1312.mandatory feast in 1312.

• Its purpose was to Its purpose was to encourage the faithful to encourage the faithful to give special honor to the give special honor to the institution of the Holy institution of the Holy Eucharist or Blessed Eucharist or Blessed Sacrament. Sacrament.

• The name was changed in The name was changed in 1970 from Corpus Christi to 1970 from Corpus Christi to The Solemnity of the Most The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Holy Body and Blood of Christ and it is usually Christ and it is usually celebrated on the Sunday celebrated on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday.following Trinity Sunday.

• Turning to the official Turning to the official teaching of the Catholic teaching of the Catholic Church in the Catechism we Church in the Catechism we read.read.

• 1324 1324 The Eucharist is The Eucharist is "source and summit of the "source and summit of the Christian life." "The other Christian life." "The other sacraments, and indeed all sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and ecclesiastical ministries and

• works of the apostolate, are works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it.and are oriented toward it.

• For in the blessed Eucharist For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole is contained the whole spiritual good of the spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Church, namely Christ himself (CCC 1324).himself (CCC 1324).

• It would be great to revive It would be great to revive the Corpus Christi the Corpus Christi procession -- in your parishprocession -- in your parish.

• Pope Urban IV asked Saint Thomas Aquinas to write a hymn in Pope Urban IV asked Saint Thomas Aquinas to write a hymn in honor of the feast, he wrote Tantum Ergo which is the sound honor of the feast, he wrote Tantum Ergo which is the sound you hear in the background.you hear in the background.

To go to our To go to our website click on website click on the above Saint the above Saint Paul MinistriesPaul Ministrieswww.SaintPaulMinistries.netwww.SaintPaulMinistries.net