As pro-life people, we know that the preborn child is truly present within his mother’s body from the first cell onward. There is no point throughout a woman’s pregnancy when a child is not really and truly present.
As Catholic pro-life people, we know that Christ is truly present—body, blood, soul, and divinity—in the Eucharist. There is no point after the host is consecrated by the priest when Christ is not truly present.
This understanding is why the reception of the Eucharist is such a blessing, but it is also why a Catholic who is aware of his or her own grave sin should not receive this sacrament.
When we focus our attention on the Catholic Code of Canon Law, specifically Canon 915, we do so with the intention of holding accountable those who refuse to respect these truths. Canon 915 reads: “Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
In the words “others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin,” we find the reference to those who claim they are Catholic yet who support contraception, abortion, euthanasia, or, in some cases, all of them, and who choose to receive the Eucharist, anyway.
By doing so, they are offending Christ in the Eucharist and ignoring their culpability for publicly supporting evil attacks on the human person.
A profound teacher of such truths was the late Fr. James Buckley, FSSP. Fr. Buckley taught the meaning of Canon 915 and explained the obligation of faithful Catholics to focus attention on politicians who support abortion yet claim to be Catholics in good standing.
As a priestly mentor, Fr. Buckley encouraged American Life League because he knew that we would do our best to share the truth in order to save souls and to help others understand the idea of real presence, with the goal of leading them to see the relationship between the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the real presence of the preborn child.
Fr. Buckley wrote of those who fail to see the fundamental wisdom of Church teaching on this subject. He stated, “This appalling ignorance—if not denial—of the Church’s Eucharistic teaching is, in my opinion, attributable not only to deficient catechetics but also to a precipitous decline in reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. The separation of the tabernacle from the altar, the removal of the communion rail, the rarity of Benediction and the disappearance of Eucharistic processions and Forty Hours have produced a bitter harvest.”
It is that bitter harvest that troubles me more and more as far too many Catholics slide further away from absolute truth into the oblivion of personal opinions and posturing.
That absolute truth has been taught since the Last Supper. The Baltimore Catechism explains, “The whole Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Holy Eucharist. We use the words ‘really, truly, and substantially’ to describe Christ’s presence in the Holy Eucharist in order to distinguish Our Lord’s teaching from that of mere men who falsely teach that the Holy Eucharist is only a sign or figure of Christ, or that He is present only by His power.”
Yet today, false teaching is rampant. This leads some to think that disrespect for the Eucharist is a foregone conclusion, given the idea that Holy Communion is “just a symbol.”
I write about the real presence of Christ and the real presence of the preborn child as two fruits of the Tree of Life because the world waxes cold to the truth.
When considering the ways of the world, I am left not only grateful for the Catholic Faith and the truths that the Church teaches but am desirous of sharing these beautiful realities with one and all.
Fr. Buckley wrote these words more than twenty years ago, but they are as fresh today as they were when he penned them, “The Eucharist repairs spiritual damage by remitting venial sins.”
In his preparation for the delight of the Eucharist, Thomas à Kempis wrote in The Imitation of Christ, “Give Thyself to me, and it is enough; for without Thee no comfort is of any avail. Without Thee, I cannot exist; and Without Thy visitation I am unable to live.”
So it is that we defend the real presence of the preborn child because we love the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
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Besides the mentioned removal of altar rails, we also suffer from the removal of the instructive words in brackets from the Consecration: “For this is the Chalice of My Blood of the new and eternal covenant: [the mystery of Faith!] which shall be shed for you and for many unto the forgiveness of sins.” Divine Self-donation concretely present in the Eucharist…
Judie Brown’s quote from the Baltimore Catechism (from Trent) on the Eucharistic presence is preserved intact in the new Catechism (n. 1374). But the Eucharistic Church no longer fully and explicitly expresses the concrete immediacy of the Word made flesh when it abbreviates the act of Consecration, nor does society recognize in our politics the concrete and scientific (!) presence of the preborn child in the womb.
About these teachable moments for clearly adhering to central sacramental and to central human realities (“the Silent Scream”), surely the answer is in Fiducia Supplicans blessing “irregular couples” of all stripes (like being half-pregnant?), plus a bottom-up congregational “2028 Ecclesial Assembly” (capital letters!) resting on town hall “Synods” (caps!) and other “expert” Study Group (caps!) verbiage on “hot-button issues”…
About such a loss of Silence: “Where words are many, sin is not wanting; but those who restrain their lips do well” (Proverbs 10:19).
A beautiful sentiment taken to mistaken extreme. Fr Buckley’s “The relationship between the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the real presence of the preborn child” is figurative as contrasted to real.
The reason is the Real Presence is the unique person of Christ, which is definitive and entirely unique as the second person of the Trinity. We can not add other persons in an ontological sense. We may speak of such a presence figuratively. We may say the Church, understood as Christ’s Mystical Body is present with Christ – although this stands on the premise that all creatures remain distinct from their creator, a distinction that separates us from pantheism.
I think Fr. Buckley and the author are careful not to conflate the natural life of a child with the supernatural reality of the Eucharist. But both presences are indeed real; the body of the Risen Christ, while glorified and beyond our understanding, is indeed his body; the body of a child is of course completely real. I liken it to this, in the Catechism:
“The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”: “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.” (par 460)
Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, is divine by nature. But we, sharing in his divine life, do become children of God. This relationship is completely in keeping with what Fr. Buckley and Judie Brown express.
I suppose my studies at the Angelicum and emphasis on Aquinas’ philosophy of Being, the First Principle who he says at the beginning of the Summa is the only absolute truth distinguishes him from the act of existence, esse, of all of us. Whereas, there is that unity which you speak of that is spiritual, identified more through God’s essence which is love.
J.M.J.
True, Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church is Pro-Life because it affirms the Sanctity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus God ‘s intention for respect for the Sanctity of Human Life from the moment of conception as we participate in God’s Creative Love, and thus the fact that God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Complementary Divine Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost(Filioque) , Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage and thus the fact that The True Church of Christ, Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church is not in a “Quest For The Living God”, for we recognize Christ in The Breaking Of The Bread. One, no doubt, has to wonder how those who claim that Vatican II did not change any Dogma of The Catholic Faith, can honestly believe that is true, when we can know through both Faith and reason, that by doing away with The Charitable Anathema, which Christ , Himself , Instituted, for The Salvation of Souls, when He Stated “You cannot be My Disciples, if you do not abide in My Word”, that it is precisely because Vatican II did away with The Charitable Anathema, that a bridge that can only lead to apostasy from The Word of God was allowed to subsist within The One Body of Christ , creating a counterfeit magisterium, that serves to deny The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, and thus The Divinity Of The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity, Father, Son, And Holy Ghost, The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, and thus deny Divine Law grounded in Divine Love, making it appear as if it is possible to be for Christ, while denying that The Blessed Trinity, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, which is, in essence, apostasy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8j24FBRgrA
Here is what Pope Benedict XVI stated in his Christmas Address regarding the philosophy and wisdom of man sans The Truth Of Love In The Light Of Christ, when, no doubt, he realized the wolves were subsisting in Christ’s Church and we’re attempting to create a false magisterium that denies The Blessed Trinity, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque), Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage and that once we are Baptized, we do not need to keep our Baptismal Promises to remain in communion with Christ and His One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, which is the lie from the start that has led to The Great Apostasy.
“When the freedom to be creative becomes the freedom to create oneself, then necessarily the Maker himself is denied and ultimately man too is stripped of his dignity as a creature of God, as the image of God at the core of his being. The defence of the family is about man himself. And it becomes clear that when God is denied, human dignity also disappears. Whoever defends God is defending man.” – Pope Benedict’s Christmas Address 2012
Who can deny that by resigning The Ministerial Office, while maintaining The “forever” Office of The MUNUS, which includes the valid Magisterium of Christ’s Church, grounded in Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, The Deposit Of Faith that Christ Has Entrusted To His One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, The Eternal Love Between The Father And The Son(Filioque), that Pope Benedict exposed the counterfeit church, with its counterfeit magisterium, and it’s counterfeit pope, who denies sin is, in essence sin?
Yes, there have been men elected to the Papacy, who have sinned, but can anyone give me an example of one Pope who denied sin is sin .
Jorge Bergoglio’s “refusal of submission to the supreme pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him“, was evident, prior to his election to the Papacy, when his heresy was manifested and made public ,in his book, On Heaven And Earth, on page 117, when he stated, in regards to same sex sexual relationships and thus same sex sexual acts, “If there is a union of a private nature, there is neither a third party, nor is society affected. Now, if the union is given the category of marriage, there could be children affected. Every person needs a male father and a female mother that can help shape their identity.”
Jorge Bergoglio defected from The Catholic Church , prior to his election to The Papacy, by denying sin done in “private” relationship is sin, denying The Sanctity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and that we, who are Baptized Catholic, are Called to be, “Temples of The Holy Ghost”. (God’s Universal Call To Holiness), and thus deny The Unity of The Holy Ghost, making it appear as if it is Loving and Merciful to desire that we or our Beloved remain in our sin, and not desire to overcome our sinful inclinations and become transformed by accepting Salvational Love, God’s Gift of Grace and Mercy. If it were true that it is Loving and Merciful that we desire that we or our beloved remain in our sin and not desire to overcome our disordered inclination , and become transformed through Salvational Love, God’s Gift of Grace and Mercy, we would have no need for our only Savior, Jesus The Christ.
You can only have a Great Apostasy from The True Church of Christ, Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church, Through The Unity of The Holy Ghost(Filioque).
“For The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter that by His revelation they might make known new doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles. “
By making it clear that The Office Of The MUNUS is “forever”, for it is not possible to have Sacramental Communion without Ecclesiastical Communion”, due to The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, Pope Benedict’s resignation illuminated the counterfeit magisterium that was attempting to build a bridge to Apostasy.
Pray for the conversion of Jorge Bergoglio, while Praying that those whose competence it is because they have remained Faithful to Christ and His Church, hold a Council to anathema the counterfeit church through the affirmation of the Filioque and thus restore the Papacy and once restored Pray that The Consecration to Our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart be done, exactly as She requested, restoring Peace in Her Son’s One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church 🙏✝️🌹💕
“Behold your Mother.” – Christ On The Cross
What about those who steal wives of other (vulnerable either economically, physically, mentally or otherwise just negligent towards their wives) men. Holy Communion for them when they incognito join another city in another state and receive Holy Communion?
Two points:
1. I was six months in my mother’s womb, and to this day, I distinctly remember opening my eyes and seeing blood vessels, etc., and thinking to myself that I still had 3 more months to go. My cousin had a similar experience at 8 months in his mother’s womb.
2. I became Catholic while in the Navy. My work schedule was arduous to say the least when I was baptized. I worked 2 eve watches, then 8 hours later, worked 2 day watches, then 8 hours later, worked 2 midnight watches. I was baptized in between my eve watches. Sunday Mass (when I could now receive communion) was just after my last midnight watch. That midnight watch was the most hectic and frantic watch I ever served in the Navy. We had detected 13 Soviet submarines (each armed with 19 nuclear missiles) 18 miles offshore up and down the east coast. The Chinese had suddenly gathered 3 army divisions at the point of land closest to Taiwan, and 2 Soviet ships deliberately banged into our ships at sea. I worked for NSA communications, and everything was chaotic. I was totally drained after that watch, and had no desire to attend Mass, even though I was now Catholic. I just wanted to get a ton of sleep. But I went to Mass, and received communion. I took 3 steps, and every cell in my body exploded with energy. I was revitalized, and had the energy to drive the 150 miles to my parents house (I was now off duty for 80 hours). I drove, arrived at my parents house. When I closed the front door, every ounce of energy immediately drained from my body. I was confused and bewildered. I then remembered that it all started after receiving communion. At that point, I heard as clear as bell a voice from the top of the foyer say to me “IT IS my Body, always treat it with reverence and respect”. It was Jesus telling me the true meaning and aspect of the Eucharist. I had failed to comprehend that. That occurred 57 years ago, and it taught me that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.
We read: “We had detected 13 Soviet submarines (each armed with 19 nuclear missiles) 18 miles offshore up and down the east coast.” You have posted this remark before…
The Commanding Officer (CO) of my anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft carrier in 1969-70, later recounted to me in 2003 his key part in the event you report—part of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. And, that all of the thirteen subs were not only under surveillance but also effectively targeted for immediate destruction from on-site airborne defenses. I was told that news of this capability was red-phoned to the White House in time to tilt successful negotiations for Khrushchev to stand down. On another occasion, also in 2003 or so, the same CO (a life-long devout Catholic, 1921-2006) confided to me a Marian experience while as a small child. In a coma and expected to die, he was taken by the hand and told that he would recover, because later there were things for him still to do.
Good memory. Yes, I did post this before about the Soviet submarines. Just felt that it applied again to the above CWR article. The event occurred on June 30, 1968. My duty stations were strictly ASW sites. When an enemy sub was detected through our detection methods, we sent one of our subs to stand guard near the detected enemy sub. The Vietnam War was bad enough, the ASW detections added more to the tensions we experienced.
FYI Don’t know if I missed it in the article, but there is a pro life organization called called Pre Born. Pre Born provides free ultrasound sessions for pregnant women to encourage them to have their babies. More info on their website.
One thing I find rather astonishing is how little if it all the prolife-anti abortion message is preached in sermons. Why?
“pre-born” is a silly, simplistic term that was made up in the 60s as a way to appeal to those of subpar intelligence and those who are overly emotional. It is a hysterical word, used by hysterical people.