March Saint Peter Julian Eymard desired to have a religious order dedicated to the Eucharist which had professed religious as well as lay members. The lay members are known as Associates of the Blessed Sacrament (or Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament) and dedicate time in prayer to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In 1866, there […]

Eucharistic Spirituality
Eucharistic Spirituality · January / February 2021
“My Lord and My God” – An Inquiry into Our Personal Prayers During the Consecration
What is your response during Mass at the moment of consecration? At the consecration during the eucharistic celebration of the Mass we witness and participate in the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the mystery of faith that sums […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · September / October 2020
Soul of Christ: Reflections for After Communion
What do you pray after receiving the Eucharist and why? Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, hear me. Within your wounds, hide me. Let me never be separated from you. […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · September / October 2020
The Eucharist and the Dance of Death
What might Camille Saint-Saëns symphony Dance Macabre inspire in a eucharistic imagination? In June of 2019, my family and I attended the last performance of the 2018-2019 Connecticut Valley Symphony Orchestra Concert Series, a journey through the theme of dance. One of my favorite pieces of the afternoon was the Dance Macabre, by Camille Saint-Saëns. […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · September / October 2020
Eymard Along the Journey: Eucharistic Reflections of Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Eucharistic Abstinence in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic We who have lived through and have survived this pandemic of 2020, have suffered the loss of our beloved family members and faithful friends. We were further asked to walk through the desert of Lent and the glory of the resurrection, without the daily manna — […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · July / August 2020
Triangularity: The Shape of Eucharistic Hospitality
Saint Peter Julian Eymard founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. How did hospitality shape his eucharistic mission? Born from Hospitality Scratch under the surface of any historical account and there is another story ready to be told. The circumstances that gave rise to the emergence of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in the […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · July / August 2020
Praying the “Our Father” in its Scriptural Context
How does the context of the New Testament enhance our understanding of the Lord’s Prayer? We use words in prayer to keep our mind focused. What better than to use the words of prayer that Jesus left us, to raise our minds and hearts to God amidst the cares of daily life? I propose here […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · July / August 2020
Pondering the Parables: The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Mt 25:31-46)
What does it mean to be called a “brother or sister of Christ?” The scene described in this passage of Matthew’s Gospel, the final section of Jesus’ concluding discourse, is one of power and grandeur. Though it is frequently called a parable, the formal parabolic element here is the comparison of the separation of the nations […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · July / August 2020
Eymard Along the Journey: Eucharistic Reflections of Saint Peter Julian Eymard
July In a few days we will celebrate Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s feast day. It is a joy for all members of the Eymardian family to share this “outstanding apostle of the Eucharist” with the rest of our Church. Those who read Emmanuel have been learning about Saint Eymard for many years. Whether you have […]
Eucharistic Spirituality · May / June 2020
Poetic Contemplation: Trees as a Model of a Sacramental Reality
Mary Oliver’s poem When I Am Among the Trees offers an insight into being derived from an encounter with trees. How might her insights be applied to your eucharistic spirituality? When I Am Among the Trees – Mary Oliver When I am among the trees, Especially the willows and the honey locust, Equally the beech, […]