Angelus News | June 4, 2021 | Vol. 6 No. 11

have diminished among Catholics generally
as evidenced in declining Mass
attendance and poll numbers suggesting
that many American Catholics
think Christ’s presence in the Eucharist
is only symbolic, not real.
Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver
spoke to that issue in a recent article in
America magazine.
“I am afraid that many baptized
Catholics do not take the Eucharist
seriously because they do not take sin
seriously,” he wrote, adding that this
was “largely the fault of bad catechesis
overseen by me and my brother bishops
for too long.
“When the Eucharist is treated casually
in our liturgy, minimized in the
confessional or ignored in homilies,
then we should not be surprised by
confusion regarding its sacredness. …
In this respect, the ministers of the faith
have, perhaps, the greater responsibility
for improper reception of the Eucharist,”
he said.
One thing at least is clear. When the
bishops discuss “eucharistic coherence”
at their June general assembly,
they’ll have plenty to talk about. It
should be an interesting discussion.
Russell Shaw is a freelance writer from
Washington, D.C. He is the author of
more than 20 books, and previously
served as secretary for public affairs of
the National Conference of Catholic
Bishops/United States Catholic Conference
from 1969 to 1987.
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