Become What You Receive

June 2023

Landmarks around the Heart

This article originally appeared as one of The Record's Class of 2023 student essays. To see more of this year's student essays, click here.

By Ophelia Lorenz  When a student walks into Sacred Heart Academy, they are instantly greeted by the regal Ursuline crest embedded in the floor of the lobby. Over a thousand feet walk over this crest every day, the floor beneath supporting the weight of an entire school resting on it. This placement of such a core component of an Ursuline education is a testament to its significance in the everyday life of a Sacred Heart Academy student.  The words “Soli Deo Gloria” are emblazoned atop the crest, translating to “glory to God alone.” As students enter school each morning, passing over the crest, they are reminded that God is at the core of everything Sacred Heart Academy stands for.  At Sacred Heart, there are countless ways for students to get involved. Students can showcase their athleticism on the field, express their artistic side in the theater, and showcase their leadership through the Jean Frazier Leadership Institute. But at the core of all these activities is the call to Sacred Heart’s roots, the call to live by the example the foundress Saint Angela set.  Students are reminded each day not only of the idea of “glory to God alone” but also of the bravery and perseverance of Saint Angela. Around campus, there are multiple statues of the beloved saint. One such statue depicts Saint Angela with her arms extended, almost as if she is lifting something up. Similar to the Ursuline crest that rests at the forefront of the school, Saint Angela carries the foundation of Sacred Heart Academy with a grace and admirability she is known for. These statues and the Ursuline crest are significant but specific to those at Sacred Heart; very few outside of the academy know about the crest in the lobby or the statues of Saint Angela.  When many think of Sacred Heart, they most likely think of the iconic red heart with a white cross down the center. It is difficult to find a single place...Read More

The Shrine of St. Martin of Tours

On the June 2023 episode of the What's New in ArchLou podcast, Fr. Paul Beach, rector of the Shrine of St. Martin of Tours and Judicial Vicar for the Archdiocese, joins host Dr. Brian Reynolds, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, to discuss Archbishop Shelton’s decision to designate St. Martin of Tours in Louisville as the Archdiocese of Louisville’s first shrine.

New episodes of What's New in ArchLou will be available on the first Tuesday of each month in both video and audio only here.

From the Pastor’s Desk

By Fr. Jeff Shooner

"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." "For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven." (From 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 and John 6: 55-58) Too often, I think, we focus on Jesus's body and blood in the Eucharist as objects, as things. We try to understand how, under the appearance of bread and wine, Jesus is present body, blood, soul, and divinity. Or we get focused on the moment when these things change from bread and wine into body and blood. Though a great mystery, Jesus's body and blood are not static. Jesus does not come to be just a thing on an altar or just an object to be honored. As we contemplate the mystery of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, there are two important aspects to more fully grasp Jesus's real presence in the Eucharist.  First, we understand the Eucharist to be a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus, of his being "broken" for us in his death. His atoning death, as an act of love for us, gives us life, freedom, and salvation. God raises Jesus from the dead. The Paschal Mystery, death, and resurrection are remembered in a way that makes them present again on our altar under the appearance of bread and wine. We are invited to participate now in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are invited to die with him and rise with him. Our participation now in a past saving act of God, through our participation in his body and blood, is manifest when we die to ourselves, when we sacrifice, when we become selfless, and when we love. St. Augustine famously said, "Behold what you are and become what you receive." The Paschal Mystery is not simply a past event that we benefit from, but a participation in a dynamic and ongoing event of the life of God and our very lives. It is death and resurrection made present for us and in us. It is not static. It's not just a thing.  Second, the Eucharist is also communal. It is communion, so it is relational. Our participation in the one bread and one cup, in Jesus's body and blood, make us one with God and one with each other. It is not just about my belief, my opinion, my preference, or my idea. It's also not just about my actions, my service, my devotion, or merit. It's not about me. It is God's action and our response. We are one body, Christ's body made one in him. We, though many, are one body because of our participation in his body and blood. He remains in us and we in him. It is about all of us. Again, we behold what we are and become what we receive. Even in the objects of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist, God is dynamically at work through his saving action for us on the cross and in the resurrection, and he forms us in unity as his body. In his body and blood, God is alive and at work. We receive, we worship, a living person, the Son of the Father, the Word made flesh, the Bread come down from heaven. Become what you receive. Behold what you are. The Reverend Jeffrey P. Shooner is the Vicar for Priests and pastor of St. Boniface and St. Patrick Churches.

Archbishop's Tweets Follow @ArchbishopFabre on Twitter for more of his tweets. June 5 @ArchbishopFabre: “Whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it in eternity, says the Lord” (Mt 10:39). We are called to lose ourselves in this world and to find ourselves in Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Upcoming Events 6/15/23 9 a.m. Catholic Identity: Creating Comprehensive School Themes Based on Scripture and Tradition (See link for cost/registration) 6/28/23 1:00 p.m. Renewing Our Relationship with the Eucharist: The Catholic School as a Eucharistic Community (See link for cost/registration)

Resources & Recommendations

This month, we're highlighting some helpful and timely resources for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese. We encourage you to check out the resources below. Archbishop Shelton Fabre’s Daily Twitter Archbishop Shelton is tweeting a daily reflection. Follow him at @ArchbishopFabre. Eucharistic Revival The Archdiocese of Louisville continues its observance of the Eucharistic Revival – a three-year initiative of the USCCB – which is a movement of Catholics from across the United States that seeks to “renew the Church by kindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The USCCB has divided up this effort into three years, each with a different focus, but all related.  Year 1, which concludes this summer was the diocesan year – focused on catechesis, formation, and modeling Eucharistic devotion at the diocesan level. During this year, the Archdiocese of Louisville formed a planning team, held a diocesan-wide Corpus Christi procession in June of 2022 and 2023, offered workshops on Eucharistic devotions, and launched a catechetical campaign around the Eucharist, which includes a series of articles in The Record over the last few months and teaching editorials in the month of June. Year 2 – the parish year – is about to begin. During this year, parishes will build upon the diocesan year by launching initiatives around the Eucharist. These efforts will look different in every parish. Year 3 will be a national focus and will include a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. These will be once-in-a-generation events. More information about them will be coming soon. This is not a three-year program. Rather, this effort challenges and inspires us to permanently adjust our focus and to be strengthened by our love for Jesus in the Eucharist as we make Jesus the very center of our lives. On the Feast of Corpus Christi this past weekend, Catholics in the Archdiocese returned to distribution of the Precious Blood from the Chalice. For more information about the Eucharistic Revival and the Eucharist in general, please see here.  Faith Formation Opportunities Interested in learning more about your Catholic faith? Please see the Office of Faith Formation’s summer offerings here. Employment Opportunities in the Archdiocese of Louisville Parishes, schools, and archdiocesan agencies are all hiring. For more information, go here.

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