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Reverence towards our
Eucharistic Savior


The following excerpts are taken from Church documents. They indicated the proper conduct and reverence we should have as Catholics towards our Eucharistic King.

Jesus -- "This is My Body"

Sign of Reverence
“The Church has always required from the faithful respect and reverence for the Eucharist at the moment of receiving it. . . .

“When the faithful communicate kneeling, no other sign of reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament is required, since kneeling is itself a sign of adoration.”
I
naestimabile Donum
Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980

 

Genuflection
“The venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed, as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained.”
Inaestimabile Donum
Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980

 

Transubstantiation
“The way Christ is made present in this Sacrament is none other than by . . . this unique and truly wonderful change the Catholic Church rightly calls transubstantiation. . . . Since after the change of the substance or nature of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, nothing remains of the bread and wine but the appearances, under which Christ, whole and entire, in His physical reality is bodily present. . . .

“For this reason the Church took special care to warn the faithful that in reflecting on this most august Sacrament, they 
should not trust to their senses, which reach only the properties of bread and wine, but rather to the words of Christ which have power to transform, change and transmute the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. For the power that accomplishes this is that same power by which God Almighty, at the beginning of time, created the world out of nothing.

“We have been instructed in these matters and filled with an unshakable faith,” says St. Cyril of Alexandria, . . . “that that which seems to be bread, is not bread, though it tastes like it, but the Body of Christ, and that which seems to be wine, is not wine, though it too tastes as such, but the Blood of Christ.”
Mystery of Faith
Pope Paul VI, September 3, 1965

 

Dispositions
“He who approaches the Holy Table should do so, not out of routine, or vainglory, or human respect, but for the purpose of pleasing God, or being more closely united with Him by charity, and of seeking this divine remedy for his weaknesses and defects.

“Those who communicate frequently or daily should be free from . . . mortal sin, with the purpose of never sinning mortally in the future. . . .

“The Sacraments . . . produce a greater effect in proportion as the dispositions of the recipient are better; therefore, care is to be taken that Holy Communion be preceded by serious preparation, and followed by a suitable thanksgiving according to each one’s strength, circumstances, and duties.”
Decree on Dispositions for Daily Communion
Pope St. Pius X, December 20, 1905

 

Thanksgiving
“When the Mass . . . is over, the person who has received Holy Communion is not thereby freed from his duty of thanksgiving; rather . . . [he] should recollect himself, and in intimate union with the Divine Master hold loving and fruitful converse with Him.”
Mediator Dei
The Integral Worship of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ
Pope Pius XII, November 20, 1947

The Apostle John gives communion to Our Lady

Faith and Reason
“We must approach especially this mystery with humble respect, not following human arguments, which ought to be silent, but adhering firmly to divine revelation.

“St. John Chrysostom . . . expressed these most fitting words: ‘Let us submit to God in all things and not contradict Him, even if what He says seems contrary to our reason and intellect; rather let His words prevail over our reason and intellect. Let us act in this way with regard to the (eucharistic) mysteries, looking not only at what falls under our senses but holding on to His words. For His word cannot lead us astray’. . . .

“St. Cyril says: ‘Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since He is the truth, He cannot lie.’”
Mystery of Faith
Pope Paul VI, September 3, 1965

 

Manner of Receiving
“[Communion on the tongue] rests upon a tradition of many centuries” and “is a sign of the reverence of the faithful toward the Eucharist. The practice in no way detracts from the personal dignity of those who approach this great sacrament and it is a part of the preparation needed for the most fruitful reception of the Lord’s body. . . . 

“In addition, this manner of communicating . . . gives more effective assurance that Holy Communion will be distributed with the appropriate reverence, decorum, and dignity; that any danger of profaning the Eucharistic species, in which the whole and entire Christ, God and man, is substantially contained and permanently present in a unique way, will be avoided; and finally that the diligent care which the Church has always commended for the very fragments of the consecrated bread will be maintained. . . .

“[Communion in the hand carries with it certain dangers.] They are a lessening of reverence toward the noble sacrament of the altar, its profanation, or the adulteration of correct doctrine.”
Memoriale Domini
Instruction on the Manner of Administering Holy Communion, issued by the Vatican, the Congregation for Divine Worship
Pope Paul VI, May 29, 1969

 

Not to Touch
“It is not permitted that the faithful should themselves pick up the consecrated bread and the sacred chalice, still less that they should hand them from one to another."
Inaestimabile Donum
Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980

 

Priest to Distribute
“A reprehensible attitude is shown by those priests who, though present at the celebration, refrain from distributing Communion.”
Inaestimabile Donum
Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980

 

Priest’s Duty
“The dispensing of Christ's body belongs to the priest for three reasons. First, because . . . he consecrates as in the person of Christ. But as Christ consecrated His body at the supper, so also He gave it to others to be partaken of by them. Accordingly, as the consecration of Christ's body belongs to the priest, so likewise does the dispensing belong to him. Secondly, because the priest is the appointed intermediary between God and the people; hence as it belongs to him to offer the people's gifts to God, so it belongs to him to deliver consecrated gifts to the people. Thirdly, because out of reverence towards this sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this sacrament. Hence it is not lawful for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency.”
Summa Theologica, Pt. 3, Q. 82, Art. 3
St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church

 

Respect for Ones Conscience in Upholding Tradition
“[A person] is not to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his conscience. Nor, on the other hand, is he to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience, especially in matters religious.”
Second Vatican Council
Declaration on Religious Freedom, ch. 3
December 7, 1965

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The Virgin Mary appears in America

This beautiful story of grace, peace and redemption opened publicly on June 18, 1970 when the Mother of God visited Veronica Lueken on the grounds of the old St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Bayside, New York and later at the Vatican Pavilion site (blessed by Pope Paul VI) in Flushing Meadows Park, New York. Beginning in 1968, St. Theresa the Little Flower prepared Veronica for these Heavenly apparitions.

For 25 years, the Virgin Mary and Her Divine Son would appear to this mother of five children during Rosary Vigils on these sacred grounds until her passing in 1995. Our Lady asked that this Shrine be called “Our Lady of the Roses, Mary Help of Mothers” and that a Sunday Holy Hour offered for the Pope and priests be held.

Over 300 comprehensive messages packed with wisdom and guidance for these latter days were transmitted through this seer named by Heaven, Veronica of the Cross.

Our Lady of the Roses Shrine is under the stewardship of the lay Order of St. Michael (est. 1977), a vibrant community of dedicated, celibate men who have been appointed by Heaven to lead this global mission. Our Lady has prophesied that this lay Order will bring forth the full-fledged religious Order of St. Michael, an order founded on tradition, which will also include a cloistered convent.

Our Lady has also stated that curative waters will erupt and a magnificent basilica will be erected at the original site of St. Robert’s.

The Vigils and Holy Hours continue to this day at the Vatican Pavilion inspired by Our Lord’s promise: “We have made Our home upon these grounds.” Cures and conversions abound and for countless pilgrims, faith and hope have been restored. We invite you to join us.

For a free rose petal blessed by Jesus and Mary with the power of cure and conversion, a Rosary Vigil calendar, and for more information, contact:

St Michael’s World Apostolate
P.O. Box 514 • Bayside, NY 11361
718-359-3908
1-800-345-MARY
toll free orderline 1-888-830-SMWA
http://www.smwa.org

smwa@smwa.org