The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement welcoming Pope Benedict XVI's Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist, saying it clearly reflects the mind of the bishops who attended the Synod.
"By implementing the wise guidance of the Synod and of the Holy Father, our Eucharistic Liturgies will not only be celebrated in a way that is beneficial to all who participate, but will also give glory and praise to the Father in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit," Bishop William S. Skylstad said.
Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love) is a papal reflection on the discussions and suggestions made during the 2005 World Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist. The document was released by the Holy See March 13.
This is the text of Bishop Skylstad's statement:
On behalf of the Bishops of the United States, I welcome Pope Benedict XVI's Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love). The Apostolic Exhortation clearly presents the authentic mind of the bishops who attended the Synod. Pope Benedict teaches that the Eucharist finds its source within the wellspring of love that is the Trinity, the love that is so abundantly expressed in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and in the new life of the Holy Spirit that flows into the hearts of those who participate in his sacrifice and receive him in Communion. The Holy Father also shows how the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Church's life in its relation to the other sacraments, especially the sacrament of Holy Orders and the sacrament of Matrimony.
In response to the Synod's request, the Holy Father addresses clearly the relationship of the Eucharist to daily life. His observations about celebrating the Eucharist are rooted in the holistic understanding that "This most holy mystery thus needs to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church" (paragraph 94). By implementing the wise guidance of the Synod and of the Holy Father, our Eucharistic Liturgies will not only be celebrated in a way that is beneficial to all who participate, but will also give glory and praise to the Father in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The sacrament of love must bear the fruit of love within our families, our parishes and our communities.
Read Pope Benedict XVI's Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love).
