Mercy Mondays: Chaplain’s Corner – celebrating the Eucharist

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends of Salve,

It’s so good to be here on campus! As many of you know, I am new to Salve Regina, and I arrived here at the beginning of August. So I am thrilled to get to know the community and become part of it. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you on a monthly basis through Mercy Mondays, especially with my monthly Chaplain’s Corner. Please feel free to email me some topics of interests, questions or other items you may like to learn about here.

This month, I’d like to focus on the Eucharist. Pope Francis began a catechesis several years ago about the Eucharist. He started this series by “focusing on the ‘heart’ of the church, that is the Eucharist.” He continued to say, “It is fundamental for us as Christians to understand well the value and meaning of the Holy Mass, to live ever more fully our relationship with God.”

Here, we at Salve Regina know fully well the heart of Catholic education. Throughout history the church has defended the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith. Now more than ever during COVID-19, we need to acknowledge the true meaning and value of the heart of the church the Eucharist. Eucharist means “thanksgiving,” and thus to give thanks to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who captivates us and transforms us in his communion of love.

Pope Francis elevates the Eucharist as he celebrates Mass on the feast of Corpus Christi outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. (CNS photo/Paul Haring, June 19, 2014).

During a homily at Mass at Santa Marta in February 2014, the pope said: “The Eucharist is a marvelous event in which Jesus Christ, our life, makes His presence felt. To participate in Mass is to live once again the passion and the redemptive death of the Lord. It is a theophany: the Lord makes Himself present on the altar to be offered to the Father for the salvation of the world.”

Following the example of Pope Francis, I would like to invite you to rediscover the beauty that is concealed in the Eucharistic celebration, a beauty that once revealed gives full meaning to the life of each person. During this pandemic, we need to recognize the great gift we have in Holy Communion each time we celebrate together as a community of faith. Our Lady of Mercy Chapel is open and Masses are being celebrated!

Please join me for Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel on Sundays at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. or during the week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Peace,
Fr. Scott
scott.pontes@salve.edu

This post is part of an ongoing series called Mercy Mondays that highlights Salve Regina’s dedication to its Mercy Mission. Search the tag Mercy Mission for more updates on the Mercy branches of Salve Regina.