| | In accordance with the dogmatic teaching that Christ is really, truly and substantially present under the remaining appearances of bread and wine, and continues to be present as long as those appearances remain, the Catholic Church preserves the consecrated elements, generally in a [[Tabernacle (Catholic)|church tabernacle]], for administering Holy Communion to the sick and dying, and also for the secondary, but still highly prized, purpose of [[Worship|adoring]] Christ [[Real presence|present]] in the [[Eucharist]]. | | In accordance with the dogmatic teaching that Christ is really, truly and substantially present under the remaining appearances of bread and wine, and continues to be present as long as those appearances remain, the Catholic Church preserves the consecrated elements, generally in a [[Tabernacle (Catholic)|church tabernacle]], for administering Holy Communion to the sick and dying, and also for the secondary, but still highly prized, purpose of [[Worship|adoring]] Christ [[Real presence|present]] in the [[Eucharist]]. |
| − | The Roman Catholic Church declares that the doctrine of transubstantiation is concerned with ''what'' is changed, and not ''how'' the change occurs; it teaches that the appearances (the "species") that remain are real, not an illusion, and that Christ is "really, truly, and ''substantially'' present" in the Eucharist.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P41.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1356-1381,'' number '''1374''']</ref> To touch the smallest particle of the [[Sacramental bread|host]] or the smallest droplet from the [[chalice]] is to touch Jesus Christ himself, as when one person touches another on the back of the hand with only a fingertip and in so doing touches not merely a few skin cells but touches the whole person: "Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ."<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P41.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1356-1381,'' number '''1377'''], '''''Cf.''''' [[Council of Trent]]: DS 1641: "Nor should it be forgotten that Christ, whole and entire, is contained not only under either species, but also in each particle of either species. ''Each,'' says St. Augustine, ''receives Christ the Lord, and He is entire in each portion. He is not diminished by being given to many, but gives Himself whole and entire to each.''" (Quoted in Gratian, p. 3, dist. ii. c. 77; Ambrosian Mass, Preface for Fifth Sunday after Epiph.) —''[[Roman Catechism|The Catechism of the Council of Trent]] for Parish Priests, issued by order of Pope Pius V, translated into English with Notes by John A. McHugh, O.P., S.T.M., Litt. D., and Charles J. Callan, O.P., S.T.M., Litt. D.'', © 1982 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., Rockford, Illinois 61105, p. 249 "Christ Whole and Entire Present in Every Part of Each Species" ISBN 978-0-89555-185-6.</ref> | + | The Roman Catholic Church declares that the doctrine of transubstantiation is concerned with ''what'' is changed, and not ''how'' the change occurs; it teaches that the appearances (the "species") that remain are real, not an illusion, and that Christ is "really, truly, and ''substantially'' present" in the Eucharist.<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P41.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1356-1381,'' number '''1374''']</ref> To touch the smallest particle of the [[Host (Communion)|host]] or the smallest droplet from the [[Wine#Wine and Christianity|chalice]] is to touch Jesus Christ himself, as when one person touches another on the back of the hand with only a fingertip and in so doing touches not merely a few skin cells but touches the whole person: "Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ."<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P41.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1356-1381,'' number '''1377'''], '''''Cf.''''' [[Council of Trent]]: DS 1641: "Nor should it be forgotten that Christ, whole and entire, is contained not only under either species, but also in each particle of either species. ''Each,'' says St. Augustine, ''receives Christ the Lord, and He is entire in each portion. He is not diminished by being given to many, but gives Himself whole and entire to each.''" (Quoted in Gratian, p. 3, dist. ii. c. 77; Ambrosian Mass, Preface for Fifth Sunday after Epiph.) —''[[Roman Catechism|The Catechism of the Council of Trent]] for Parish Priests, issued by order of Pope Pius V, translated into English with Notes by John A. McHugh, O.P., S.T.M., Litt. D., and Charles J. Callan, O.P., S.T.M., Litt. D.'', © 1982 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., Rockford, Illinois 61105, p. 249 "Christ Whole and Entire Present in Every Part of Each Species" ISBN 978-0-89555-185-6.</ref> |