The Parish and the Most Holy Eucharist

(Prof. Jose Vidamor B. Yu, Manila)

It is in the parish that the sense of community through the liturgical life of the people and their relationship with the bishop is realized. At the heart of the parish community one finds the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is because the Holy Eucharist is considered as the summit of the Christian life in the parish.

The Parish as Venue of Communion

The parish represents in some way the whole visible Church through its pastors because the parish serves as the place where the Church evangelizes and directly encounters various cultures, people’s way of life, and worldviews. Vatican II ensures that the liturgical life of the parish especially in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist must be fostered in the spirit and practice of the laity and the clergy in communion. There should be efforts that have to be done to encourage a sense of community. (cf SC 42)

The parish provides the venue of communion between God and the faithful as well as the communion of all the faithful. Eucharistic communion implies ecclesial communion. The parish is built up through the Holy Eucharist. John Paul II asserts that the Eucharist is both the source of ecclesial unity and this sacrament is the greatest manifestation of such unity. The Eucharist is considered as the “epiphany of communion” in the parish. (cf MND 20-21)

Besides fostering ecclesial communion through Eucharistic communion, the Eucharist which is celebrated in the parish level enhances fraternal communion. The participation of all the faithful in a Eucharistic sacrifice experiences the sacrament as the sacrament of love, a sign of unity and the bond of charity. As everyone in the parish participate in the saving mystery, Vatican II reminds all the faithful that they should not be there as strangers or silent expectators but a community of profound devotion and full collaboration due to a good understanding of the rites and prayers.( cf SC 48)

Parish as Venue of Evangelization

The parish participates in the universal mission of the Church. The parish composition and structure are fruits of mission as well as the concrete venue for the program of evangelization. Missionaries raised up communities of the faithful to carry out their priestly, prophetic, and kingly roles entrusted to them by God. The Christian community that continuously celebrates the Eucharist becomes a witness and sign of God’s presence in the world. Through their Eucharistic sacrifice, the community is carefully nourished by the Word of God and bears witness to Christ. (cf AG 15)

As the parish directly experiences the cultural riches of its faithful, the Christian faithful gradually realizes that as they gather into a worshipping community, they are not marked off from the rest of men either by country, by language, or by politics and therefore should live for God and for Christ. (cf AG 15) The parish then, becomes a venue for the opportunity of missionary activity like inculturation, interreligious and ecumenical dialogue, and proclamation. All these activities find their source, summit and fullest expression in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.