SW News: The bishops of the US wish to foster greater awareness about the divine gift of the Eucharist among believers, said Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles who heads the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. To achieve this objective, the bishops will prepare a teaching document on the Eucharist.

During the spring meeting of the bishops held virtually last week, as many as 168 prelates voted in favour of drafting a document on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church. While 55 bishops voted against it, six abstained from the vote.

The archbishop said the proposed document will focus on the beauty and power of the Eucharist, which is the heart of the Church as well as the lives of believers. “In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Christ himself draws near to each one of us personally and gathers us together as one family of God and one Body of Christ.”

The archbishop said there will be regional meetings and consultations as the drafting begins. The completed document will be reviewed during the fall meeting of bishops in November.

The document will contain various sections on the teachings of the Church such as the Real Presence in the Eucharist, the Sunday obligation, corporal works of mercy and worthiness to receive Communion.

The bishops have also agreed to begin a three-year Eucharistic Revival initiative in 2022 and will conclude with a national Eucharistic congress in 2024.