2021 to focus on the power of the Eucharist

After consultation with the Council of Deans, the Presbyteral Council and the Ministerial Council, we in the Archdiocese of New Orleans will declare 2021 the Year of the Eucharist.

One of the things that prompted this idea was our experience during the first several months of the stay-at-home mandate, when people were not able to go to church. Our priests and deacons heard from many people that they were hungering for the Eucharist.

As we now know, our churches are still limited in the number of people who can come to Mass because of social distancing and occupancy percentage restrictions. Some people are still fearful of coming to church.

All of these circumstances present an opportunity for us to reflect on the great gift of the Eucharist and, of course, we long for the day when our churches will not have a percentage limit and we will be able to return to participating in Mass as we did before.

One of the purposes of the Year of the Eucharist will be to utilize homily time and other occasions to explain the meaning of the Mass.

Secondly, surveys show that many Catholics do not understand the meaning of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This will give us the opportunity to explain the theology of the Real Presence and to reflect on it.

Thirdly, we will take time to explain the obligation to celebrate Mass on Sunday. Hopefully, that obligation will be able to return sooner rather than later. We have no idea of when that will happen because it will depend largely on guidelines for public gatherings.

Why is the obligation to attend Sunday Mass so important? The obligation is to encourage us to be fed weekly by the Word of God in the Scriptures and to celebrate the Eucharist and receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Communion.

Besides the instructional dimensions of the Year of the Eucharist, we will provide opportunities for eucharistic devotions to be explained and celebrated. We have a committee working now to put together these materials and make them available to those who will be teaching and preaching.

The Year of the Eucharist will begin on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Jan. 10, 2021. May the Risen Lord, who is fully present to us in the Eucharist, feed us abundantly.

Questions for Archbishop Aymond may be sent to [email protected].