Dear Parishioners,
Happy Feast of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, also known as Corpus Christi (Literally, “Body of Christ”). Today we specifically focus on the reality of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. When the priest says the words of consecration over the bread and the wine at Mass, it really does become Our Lord Jesus’s body, blood, soul and divinity.
This year we are also doing something special: after the Noon Mass, we are having a procession with benediction to celebrate this feast day with more solemnity. A Procession is another way Catholics worship the Blessed Sacrament. After I expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration, I will walk out of the church carrying it, lead by the servers and followed by the choir and the rest of the faithful. We will then walk around the entire property of the parish and have a benediction at an altar near Building 2 (the former Spiritual Center). We will have a canopy covering the Eucharist during this procession because the Blessed Sacrament should not be exposed directly to the sky, out of respect for it. Benediction is when Christ Himself blesses us through the action of the priest taking the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance and making a sign of the cross over the people. We will have a benediction at the altar near Building 2 and then walk back to the Church to have a final benediction at the main altar. The faithful can follow and sing the hymns whose words will be provided on sheets in the back of Church.
I am really looking forward to see how this will all go since it has been many years since the last time we have had a procession. I thank the deacons, servers, choir, ushers and Knights for helping me to arrange everything. I hope we can do this for very many more years.
May our Lord continue to give us many blessings through the precious gift of His Body and Blood.
God bless!
Fr. Carter