From Father Joe: Eucharistic Revival and the Tabernacle
Dear Friends,
As many of you are aware the bishops in the United States have begun a several years “Eucharistic Revival.” This movement is designed to foster a deeper understanding and devotion to this great mystery of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.
One of the ways we at Guardian Angels believe we can foster this deeper devotion is to relocate the tabernacle from the Blessed Sacrament Chapel into the Sanctuary of our main church.
The tabernacle is the place where the Eucharist is stored safely between Masses. The movement of the tabernacle into the main church would help us to better understand the reality that our community is centered not on an abstract idea or vague purpose but centered on the person of Jesus Christ.
Placing the tabernacle into the sanctuary, where we all gather to pray, is a visible reminder that we are the Body of Christ with Jesus as our head. It is through the Eucharist that we find the source and summit of our Faith and it is in the Eucharist that we are brought together.
A practical reason to move the Tabernacle is to grant a deeper dignity to the Eucharist during the Mass, currently we keep the consecrated hosts on a table behind the pulpit, by keeping the Blessed Hosts in the tabernacle until communion it grants Him a deeper dignity.
As for the use of the current Blessed Sacrament Chapel we believe that it can be converted into a Divine Mercy Chapel or an Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel.
If you have any concerns about this move, please feel free to email me and voice your concerns about moving the tabernacle into the sanctuary.
In Christ,
Fr. Joe Connelly