Has the Catholic Church’s Teachings on The Eucharist Changed?

With the measures being implemented by Catholic churches to prevent the spread of the Covid19 virus, it seems that the Church is moving away from its teachings that Jesus is present in the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ. Is that the case?

As a result of preventative measures implemented in Catholic archdiocese throughout the world, resulting from the covid19 virus, many have asked whether the Catholic Church’s teachings on the Eucharist has changed. The answer is a definitive no! The Church’s teachings on the Eucharist can never be changed. More specifically, the Catholic Church’s teachings that Jesus is present body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist – the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ – has not changed, and cannot be changed.

As a preventative measure, many archdiocese throughout the world have implemented measures aimed at either preventing or curtailing the spread of the coronavirus. Some of these measures include, but not limited to, only distributing the Body Of Christ and not the Blood of Christ. The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in both the Body of Christ, and in the Blood of Christ. So if you have received just the Body of Christ, you would have received Jesus in His entirety. I have been at large Eucharistic celebrations, where in recognizing that they were running out of the Body of Christ, the Hosts were broken into smaller pieces, so that as many as possible would receive. I have also witnessed several times where they ran out of the Body of Christ, and the faithful were only given the Blood of Christ. In all these instances, be it receiving the Body of Christ alone, receiving a fragment of the Body of Christ, or receiving only a drop of the Blood of Christ; in each instance, the faithful would have received Jesus Christ in his entirety – His Body, His Blood, His Soul and His Divinity.  Always remember that Jesus wants to give Himself to us as food for our souls so much more than we could ever desire Him

In reality, and in accordance with what our Catholic faith teaches, neither the Body of Christ nor the Blood of Christ can be contaminated. This is what the Catholic Church teaches. It is my view that many parishes and archdiocese in areas that are unaffected by the coronavirus, are implementing these measures as a result of the lack of faith of its members. Please, do not get me wrong. There is an old saying that says that ‘prevention is better than cure.’ I believe in doing all that is possible to prevent the spread of all communicable diseases. I believe that if we, the members of the Holy Catholic Church truly believed in Jesus’ real presence – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity – in the Holy Eucharist – the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ -, it would impact on the actual measure being implemented.  I am reminded here, and I am sure you would recall the scripture passage where it is written,

And they would not except him. But Jesus said to them, “A profit is despised only in his own country, and in his own house,” and he did not work many miracles there because of the lack of faith. (Matthew 13: 57-58)

This ‘lack of faith’ can be very clearly seen at almost every Mass that is celebrated throughout the Church. Sad to say, we have lost a sense of reverence for what is holy. For instance, many no longer genuflect when they enter into the Church, or they do some kind of ‘fly swatting’ thing. Many see the church as a time for ‘chitter chatter’. Many see going to Church as a humbug. Too many are anxious to evacuate the church after receiving Jesus, as if the building was on fire.

As a Lay minister, I have periodically encountered situations where persons were hesitant to receive the Blood of Christ because of who received before them. I have also heard others complain that the person distributing the Blood of Christ did not wipe the vessel properly. So as a result of that, they choose not to receive the precious Blood of Christ. I have also heard many refer to the Blood of Christ as ‘wine’. So some of the preventative measures being implemented, should – I believe – remind us that our faith is not where it should be, and should challenge us to do more to increase our faith. In his letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul wrote the following:

Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.  Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.  Everyone is to examine himself and only then eat of the bread or drink from the cup; because a person who eats and drinks without recognising the body is eating and drinking his own condemnation.  That is why many of you are weak and ill and a good number have died.
(1 Corinthians 11: 26-30)

So once again, to the question of whether there has been a change in the teachings of the Catholic Church about the Holy Eucharist; the answer is an emphatic no!. I do believe that this time in which we live, challenges us all to go deeper, much deeper than our minds, into what Holy Mother Church teaches. If we do have challenges understanding or accepting what the Church teaches, I beg you to get down on your knees and beg God, beseech God to enlighten your heart and your mind to what the Church He left us, teaches. Your faith, your Holy Catholic Faith is far too important to treat as passively as many do.

Here are some references that I believe will help to answer many of the faith questions you may have:-

1. Fully Catholic Radio:- Catholic programming, Christian music, apologetics and much more. An app is also available for both android and apple devices.
2. Catholic Answers:- They provide amazing Catholic discussion and answers on everything that is Catholic, or that impact in any way on the faith. They too have a mobile app.
3. Dynamic Catholic:- Loaded with books, cds and dvds on the practical application of the Catholic faith
4. Catechism Of The Catholic Church