Communion.
The Eucharist.
The Lord's Supper.
The Source and Summit of the Christian Life.
The Holy Sacrifice.
The Most Blessed Sacrament.
The Breaking of Bread.
The Host.
The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 
The True Presence.

As Catholics, one of the core tenets and beliefs is the belief in the True Presence of Christ in the consecrated Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
 

"That in this sacrament are the true Body of Christ and his true Blood is something that 'cannot be apprehended by the senses,' says St. Thomas, 'but only by faith, which relies on divine authority.' For this reason, in a commentary on Luke 22:19 ('This is my body which is given for you.'), St. Cyril says: 'Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie.'"¹

CCC 1381, (emphasis added)
 

It is not merely a symbol or some kind of reflection of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, but His true Body and Blood. Moreover, the Catechism tells us that we can't understand this based on our senses, but only by faith. At the heart of this belief is this: if Christ tells us something, we can believe Him, since he is truth. 

A recent Pew Study found that almost 70% of Catholics don't believe in the True Presence or the Real Presence of Christ. The startling headline reads: Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is the body, the blood of Christ. While this article linked by Ascension Press puts that number into perspective, it is nonetheless alarming. 

But there is more. The study did not merely ask if people believed the teaching of the True Presence, but probed further to ask Catholics if they knew that this was official Catholic Church teaching. A concerning number of Catholics who believe that the Holy Eucharist is only symbolic are unaware that their belief is contrary to church teaching. So it is not just a lack of belief. There is a catechesis issue in our church today.
 

"Most Catholics who believe that the bread and wine are symbolic do not know that the church holds that transubstantiation occurs. Overall, 43% of Catholics believe that the bread and wine are symbolic and also that this reflects the position of the church. Still, one-in-five Catholics (22%) reject the idea of transubstantiation, even though they know about the church’s teaching."²

Smith, 2019 (emphasis added)
 

As Catholics, we also believe in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In order to prepare for this sacrament, we have to examine our conscience. Sometimes that examination of conscience comes when we have sinned and we must prepare to humble ourselves in order to confess and be reconciled to God. But we must also examine our conscience when we are faced with a challenge to our beliefs. After reading this study and its result, we need to ask ourselves:

"Do I understand what the Church teaches about the True Presence?"
"Do I need to ask more questions, or learn more about this?"
"Do I really believe that Christ is there, present in the Eucharist, in the tabernacle?" 

And after we have asked these things, what will we do with the answers? When we come to recognize a great truth in our faith, that understanding should influence our actions and often that influence demands change. Does our preparation for receiving Christ and the manner in which we approach him reflect our belief in the True Presence of Christ?

Our parish is also offering some wonderful ministries and studies to help you to deepen your faith. We will be starting a new bible study in September on the Most Holy Mass. Please consider joining this study if you want to enter more fully into the True Presence of Christ. There is no greater way to prepare your heart, soul, and body to receive Christ than through Reconciliation. If it has been a while since your last confession, please know that Christ and the priest offer healing and love. Another way to deepen your relationship with Christ and to know his True Presence in the Eucharist is to sit with him in Adoration. 

Below you will find some additional resources, articles,s books, and videos on the Eucharist, the True Presence, and the Mass.

¹Catechist of the Catholic Church, 1381
²Smith, Gregory. "Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ." Pew Research Center, August 5, 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics/