Every third year the Church offers us some rich summer reading and contemplation on the Eucharist with the Bread of Life discourse from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. We find ourselves in this period of contemplation now at Sunday Mass beginning with the account of the multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed the multitude. This year brings a special gift as we conclude the summer with a special two-day Eucharistic event (August 27-28) here in the Diocese of Columbus as part of our Real Presence Real Future initiative.  

This summer has seen a good deal of public discourse with debates about “Eucharistic consistency,” the U.S. Bishops’ initiative for Eucharist revival and most recently Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio, Traditionis Custodes, which provides guidelines for use of what is referred to today as the Traditional Latin Mass. The single most important thing to remember as we approach any of these topics is the very fact of what the Mass actually is – the sacrifice of Christ offered “for the praise and glory of His name [God the Almighty Father], for our good and the good of all His holy Church.” It is an encounter with the Lord that transcends all else. Any Mass offered validly in communion with the Holy Catholic Church is nothing short of a miracle wherein Jesus Christ gives his very self to us under the form of bread and wine. This is true regardless of the language proclaimed or whether the Mass is offered in the ordinary form of today or the extraordinary form using the Roman Missal from 1962.  

The Motu Proprio given to us by the Holy Father restores the responsibility of the regulation of liturgical celebrations under the Roman Missal of 1962 to the local bishop. I welcome that responsibility. With this in mind, it pleases me that we were able to establish last year the Oratory of St. Leo in Columbus under the pastoral care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. The priests of the Institute not only offer Mass in the extraordinary form but also provide full pastoral care for the Catholics who worship there. I am deeply grateful to the Institute for their presence and service in the Diocese of Columbus. The Oratory of St. Leo addresses appropriately the concerns that the Holy Father raises in the Motu Proprio. I look forward to meeting with the priests who offer the Latin Mass in a spirit of fraternal charity to assess the needs here in the Diocese of Columbus and the implementation of Traditionis Custodes.

Pope Francis reminds us that “the liturgical books promulgated by St. Paul VI and St. John Paul II in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II are the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite. In giving the bishops the ability to authorize where appropriate the use of the preconciliar Roman Missal of 1962, he stresses that the groups do not deny “the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs.” This is not new. Prior permissions to offer Latin Mass in the extraordinary form required the acceptance of the validity of the teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Now, while I believe that far and wide those who appreciate Mass in the extraordinary form do assent to the validity of the Council and all it teaches, there are voices to the contrary. One doesn’t need to look far into the blogs and media to see denials and dissent. Similarly, the Holy Father expresses concern for unity in the Church.

My own experience in this diocese is that Catholic individuals and families who seek the Mass of 1962 find it spiritually enriching at a number of levels. That is a good thing. As I consider the different attachments people have to particular forms of celebration, what inspires me most is the love that so many people have for this encounter with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. I witness this in our many parishes. I experience it in English and Spanish, at celebrations in our African communities, Asian communities and African American communities, in the city, the suburbs, rural areas and all over the diocese. Sadly, the number of people expressing this love is far too small, but among those faithful participating Catholics, the faith and appreciation is strong.   

You know Pope Francis is not the first Church leader to deal with these questions. Within 30 years after the death and resurrection of the Lord, the Apostle Paul had to address very similar questions in the city of Corinth. He had to deal with the reverence and appropriate behavior at the Eucharist. He had to deal with divisions between Jewish Christians and Greek (formerly pagan) Christians. There were divisions according to preferences, spiritual gifts, importance and even boasting about who was baptized by whom. He even needed to address public scandal in the community. St. Paul responds first by retelling the story of the Last Supper and reflecting on the one body made up of many parts. Then he speaks about Christian love. We are all familiar with passage in chapter 13 of his First Letter to the Corinthians. “Love is patient. Love is kind ...”  The point was not poetry or a love song but a real challenge to the early Christian community authentically to live the Gospel – especially in their unity in the Eucharist. In the end, he says “faith hope and love remain, and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13)

St. Paul speaks volumes to us today as we reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist, the gift of Christ’s perfect love. In the implementation of the Motu Proprio, our love, our charity has to be at the very heart.