The liturgy is seen as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. It involves the presentation of man’s sanctification under the guise of signs which can be perceived by the senses, and its accomplishment in ways appropriate to each of these signs. In the liturgy, full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that …

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not only a ritual which reminds us of the sacrifice of Calvary, but through the ministry of ordained priests, Christ continues, until the end of time, His sacrifice of the Cross in an unbloody manner. The Holy Mass is the sacrifice by which the Church not only remembers Jesus Christ, but really brings …

Our Lord Jesus Himself, true God and true man, is really and substantially present, in a mysterious way, under the appearances of bread and wine. After the priest speaks the words of consecration, the appearances of bread and wine remain, meaning that bread and wine appear to be there but are not really there substantially. At the Last Supper, when …

When a priest pronounces the words of Eucharistic consecration at Mass, the bread and wine, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, which were given for us in sacrifice. At the Last Supper, Jesus’ words and power made Him really and substantially present under the outward appearances of bread and wine …

The Church celebrates the Eucharist in obedience to the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). At this time, Jesus gave the Apostles both the command and the power to bring the Eucharist to us. The celebration of the Eucharist is the Church’s way of doing what Jesus did at the Last …

The Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Under the appearance of bread and wine, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ are really, truly, and substantially present for the nourishment of souls and as a sacrifice of the Church.