Many years ago I read a statement by Padre Pio that said something along the lines of "It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun and the moon than without the Holy Eucharist." I thought that was hyperbole in the service of a point. But in the past year or two I've begun to think it may be true, not about the physical planet on which we live, but about the human world. This is a variation on the oft-made observation that a post-Christian society is a much sicker thing than a pre-Christian one. The entry of Christ into the world has changed it forever, re-oriented the world around him, even the world that is indifferent to him, and extending by spiritual influence to those parts of it that have never known him. The withdrawal of that presence now might have the effect of destroying essential supports in a large and complex structure.
Corpus Christi
21 responses to “Corpus Christi”
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Well, I suppose that the Eucharist is pretty much hyperbole in the service of a point.
AMDG -
I think of “hyperbole” as implying falsity. But it is certainly an extreme statement.
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I’ve heard a similar saying about the prayers of monastics being what holds the world together. Sounds like hyperbole as well, but when you think about it, maybe not.
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Falsity? Hmmm. I don’t think that at all. I mean, it’s more than is true–so what I said doesn’t really fit–but when I use hyperbole, it’s in a way that makes it clear what I’m doing, so I don’t think of that as being false. But maybe. Still, you have point.
I’m thinking outloud here, can you tell? 😉
AMDG -
“False” in the sense that the statement is not literally true: “After two hours in that meeting I would have chewed my arm off to escape.” Not “false” in the sense that I wasn’t actually extremely eager to escape.
I think I’ve heard that, too, Rob. -
Right. I got that. I wasn’t questioning you, really, I just never thought about it that way before.
AMDG -
Rob, I’ve heard it said that when St Domninic started the OP, his first foundation was a convent of enclosed nuns to pray for the preachers out on the road.
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There was a Corpus Christi procession in Leuven on Thursday evening, starting with Mass at a church on the outskirts of the old town and then processing to the main church in the city centre – holding up the traffic on one of the main thoroughfares. After benediction there, the procession continued to the church where Fr Damien is entombed, for late-night adoration, but I had to catch a train home so couldn’t join that bit.
There’s something about being in a crowd following Jesus through a city that I can’t entirely put into words. Particularly with the international crowd (with Belgian, Asian and African priests and seminarians heading the procession, along with a delegation of Copts). A Chinese convert who has only been in Belgium for a couple of weeks described it as “like a dream come true; like being in a fairy tale”. -
Sounds impressive. I was about to say we don’t do things like that here, but then I remembered a Christ the King procession a few years ago that included a pretty large number of people (hundreds) and traveled five or six city blocks, from a part to the cathedral.
I’m sorry to have to admit, though, that I didn’t really feel what you did. I felt a little uncomfortable, actually.
This is a city with a minority but significant Catholic population (25-30%?) and in the past, say prior to the 1960s or 1970s, they did things like that more frequently than today. -
We went last night to a procession at our local parish. It was just a parish event, but several hundred people showed up. The KofC were there, with their hats and swords; a group of young girls in white dresses strewed the way with flower petals; the priest carried the monstrance under a canopy, and then we all straggled along behind, singing and praying. It was great (apart from the choice of songs, naturally). The kids liked it. We just went around the property of the church and the adjoining school.
Last year for Corpus Christi I was in Rome, and got to walk in the big procession from San Giovanni in Laterano to Santa Maria Maggiore. Calling that ‘great’ doesn’t quite do it justice. -
That’s beautiful, Paul.
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We had a really beautiful procession in downtown Memphis a few years ago, but I missed it. They walked a mile from the convention center where there had been a conference to Court Square. It was a candlelight procession–very beautiful and thousands of people. Our 74 year old bishop carried the monstrance elevated the entire way and then Fr. (then) Barron said Mass in Court Square. I could kick myself for not going.
AMDG -
I could kick you too, Janet.
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Ouch! I’m not looking for volunteers.;-)
AMDG -
Sorry!
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I think I’ll survive.
AMDG -
Our parish procession was like yours, Craig, but with good music 🙂
The first Corpus Christi procession I ever saw was in Cologne. Every parish, guild, and Catholic organization sent a delegation with a banner. I think the only mass said that day was the one in the cathedral, and the whole square outside was filled with pilgrims (and some tourists). The procession went all around downtown, past houses decked with papal bunting and little homemade shrines covered in flowers. When I marveled, my friends said, “This is nothing! You should have seen it before the war, when you couldn’t see the pavement for all the flowers.” -
That would be worth a trip to Cologne.
Fr. Groeschel talks about Corpus Christi processions when he was a boy and the women of the church would make a picture of the Blessed Sacrament on the ground outside the door of the church with different colored rose petals.
AMDG -
Indeed it would be worth a trip.
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We should have a Light on Dark Water pilgrimage to Cologne next year. You can pay. It will be expensive, but worth it.
AMDG -
Ok. I’ll let you know when you can sign up.
Light On Dark Water 
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