Eucharistic Reflections

Reflections from Parishioners in the Diocese of Winona- Rochester

From Britta McColl, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona

A few years ago I was experiencing a crisis and I began to go to the Adoration Chapel at the Cathedral to pray. I came as a Lutheran and didn’t even know how to make the sign of the cross. I brought a lot of fear and uncertainty and questions  in prayer to God. I was soon to become the sole provider of our family, and three of my seven children were still minors living at home. I had health problems and I hadn’t been in the work force for 25 years. I had children who were hurt, whom I needed to protect and help heal. 

But while I was in the Adoration Chapel praying the Psalms, I began to feel an incredible peace. I was changed after my first hour in Adoration. The draw was so strong, I was compelled to go back every day and sometimes spent hours at a time there. I began to read about the Blessed Sacrament and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist - and I had no problem believing that it was all true, because Jesus Christ had already powerfully made Himself known to me in the Adoration Chapel.

My circumstances changed only very slowly, and I still had a lot of fear and uncertainty. But every day, I was assured by Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at Adoration that He would see me through. He had it all in hand! Ever so slowly, almost microscopically, situations in my life that looked to be impossible to solve, were resolved.  

As time went on, I was feeling the need for increased spiritual strength and guidance and very much desired to be able to attend Mass and take Communion. And that meant it was time for me to become Catholic. I was Confirmed on December 14, 2019, at the 5:15 PM Mass at the Cathedral. I will be forever grateful for my friends at the Cathedral who invited me to the Adoration Chapel; and most of all to Jesus Christ who saves me and changes me every  day.    

Since I am self-employed and can set my own schedule, I am able to attend Mass almost every day and receive the Eucharist. While I still live on this earth, I will never outgrow my desire to receive Jesus in the Eucharist each day, because Jesus is my only source of true peace and contentment. He has all the answers to my questions. “One thing I ask of the Lord, this I seek: to dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, to gaze on the Lord’s beauty, to visit his temple.” Psalm 27: 4 NAB  

From Jason and Laurel Quinn Family, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona

Welcome back! Please join us to celebrate the miracle of the Mass in person. “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” (Matthew 18:20) God always deserves and desires us to show up and praise him. Attending Sunday Mass helps our family keep the worship of God a priority in our week – even if it is an out of town tournament weekend and the kids need to attend in their soccer uniforms! Returning to normalcy for our family means returning to the celebration of Mass in church. At all times, we need courage and strength and the Catholic Mass sustains us. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Through the sacrament of the Eucharist our family receives grace to help us during the week. Come back and be fed and “put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). 

From Barry Peratt, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona

In the late 1990’s, I was a dedicated Evangelical Protestant, and my wife and I were members of the Nazarene Church. It was a close-knit, small family of good people who were serious about their commitment to Christ, studying the Bible, and living out their faith. I wasn’t looking for anything. But then, in the fall of 1999, I began experiencing the symptoms of an increasingly debilitating chronic illness, whose diagnosis eluded my doctors, and I had grown quite isolated. I did not want to talk to anyone. I could not pray. I felt like God maybe didn’t care anyhow.

It was at this low point of my life that I wandered into the Cathedral and into the Chapel of the Sacred Heart (just out of curiosity, or so I thought). At the time, it was the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, but I didn’t know anything about all of that. All I knew was that it was a little room with a statue of Jesus, lots of candles, a weird cylindrical container, and a tall thing with spokes with a round white thing in the middle. But something happened that day that I walked into that room. A holy hush – a penetrating quiet. Before long, I realized something strange about this quiet. It wasn’t actually the room that was quiet; it was quiet inside me. For the first time in about two and a half years, all of the anxiety, anger, frustration, hopelessness and despair melted away, and I felt like maybe God did still care about me. Maybe there was hope after all. And as long as I stayed in that room, I felt that way. So I would visit that room often: on my way to work, on my lunch hour, on my way home. I felt like if I could just make it there for a while each day, then I was going to make it.

That was the beginning, but certainly not the end. God has done a lot of healing work in my life: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And all of it has centered around Adoration of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Today, almost 20 years later, I am overjoyed to be Catholic, and the blessed fruits of Adoration have not ceased but only become so much a part of my life that I do not understand how I had lived without it for so many years.

Reflections from Diocesan Priests and Staff

Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Over a year ago, life drastically changed for all of us, when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Some changes were unimaginable, such as the protocols that limited those who could be present for the celebration of Mass with their pastors and especially for the Sacred Liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. The Eucharist is central to our Catholic life because it is the presence of the Risen Christ who builds up the Church for mission and prepares us for eternal life. The decision to suspend public celebrations of Masses was the most difficult and serious decision I have ever made. It was a most painful decision for me, as I thought of our priests and our faithful parishioners, who center their lives around the Eucharist and the celebration of the Mass. 

However, Christ is the Light of the World. His promise to be with the Church to the end of time fills us with hope and assures us that the power of grace is always at work, even in the darkest hours of our life. Due to the blessing of technology, there have been live streamed Masses from the Cathedral and from many of our parishes that have reached thousands of God’s people in their homes, and which have been a source of evangelization to countless thousands who tuned in from around the world. In addition to daily Mass, our pastors found creative ways to make available the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of Penance. Even with all these generous efforts by priests, deacons and lay ministers, parishioners would write to me and express their yearning and desire for the Eucharist. They agreed that televised Masses were a blessing but that it didn’t provide the opportunity for them to receive the Eucharist, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. They wanted to participate in the celebration of Mass in the presence of their brothers and sisters in Christ and receive the Eucharistic Lord. 

A lot has happened in this pandemic and grace always abounds. Our lives are beginning to resume normalcy with the return of routine activities such as shopping, going to restaurants and attending sporting events. Most importantly, public Masses have resumed at about half capacity, to accommodate social distancing. Our Catholic Schools have remained open with students present since August 2020, due to our dedicated administrators, teachers and parents. Vaccinations are becoming increasingly available and the wearing of masks and social distancing have become standard practice for us. 

As part of our gradual return to normalcy, I am inviting our Catholic community to reflect on their attendance and participation in the Eucharist, especially if a person is healthy and has resumed routine activities that are public and done in the presence of other people. I ask the question: if you are able to resume public activities, should you not be attending Mass? If you have an underlying health condition, are a care giver, or are sick, please stay at home and be safe. Also, it might be that your parish church is already at capacity for worshipers. However, if there is not room for you at a Sunday Mass, you might consider going to Mass during the week. 

In time, the COVID-19 pandemic will pass into history but the Church will still be celebrating the Eucharist until the Lord returns in glory. St. Teresa of Avila said, “All things pass away, only God never changes.” If you are healthy and are able, I encourage you to return to the Eucharist out of love and not obligation, even now while the dispensation from Sunday Mass is still in effect. Blessed are you!

In Christmas of 1994, Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to children in the Year of the Family. He shared names of saints who were children: St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Tarcisius, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, the children of La Salette and Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta of Fatima. Pope John Paul II in his letter, speaks of the enormous power of prayer of children. Jesus awaits, encourages and welcomes their prayer. 

One of the many duties for parents and teachers in teaching the Catholic faith to children / students includes the concept of Eucharistic Adoration.  How will a preschool child, as well as those younger or older, comprehend the Mystery, let alone understand the Eucharist, as the source and summit of our faith? 

The first challenge begins with helping children find silence. This silence supports them in their desire to grow and seek the joy of Jesus in their daily lives. For small children, Eucharistic Adoration begins with planning. It may include one decade of the Rosary, prayers, reciting of short scripture verses, silent adoration, prayer intentions, and Benediction if possible. It is a way to introduce children to contemplative prayer and a perfect opportunity for them to visit, pray, adore, thank, and understand Jesus’ presence.  

Eucharistic Adoration prepares children to become familiar with Jesus in His real presence at Mass. Children begin to understand the mystery of our faith and the relationship of the gift of the Eucharist at Mass.  These experiences help children to know Christ’s sacrifice of death on the cross - a true gift of love.  

As you gather for family meals to eat and share your day with one another, remind your children that the church gathers as a family at Mass to receive spiritual nourishment.  Only at Mass can we receive the body and blood of Christ and receive the strength to live our week as loving Christians.  

Children need to know that Jesus is their Friend. They need to talk about this friendship, so they will understand that Christ is present in the Eucharist. His presence in the Eucharist allows Jesus to stay close to them and all of His friends. Children need to know the Eucharist unites the whole Christian family with Christ. Jesus comes to each of us every time we receive Him in the Eucharist.  He stays with us this way because He loves us so much! Children deserve to experience the love of Christ. Please consider allowing your child / children to experience the love of Christ which happens at Eucharistic Adoration and Mass.