Eucharist
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and abides in me, and I him” (John 6: 51, 54, 56).
The Eucharist is the heart and summit of the Church’s life. In it, Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father. By this sacrifice, he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body, which is the Church. The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, that is, of the work of salvation accomplished by the life, death and resurrection of Christ – a work made present in liturgy. Christ himself, the eternal high priest acting through the ministry of priests, offers the Eucharist.
Eucharistic celebrations always include the proclamation of the Word of God, thanksgiving to God the Father for all his gifts, the consecration of bread and wine, and our participation in this sacred banquet. The essential signs of the Eucharist are wheat bread and grape wine. The blessing of the Holy Spirit is invoked on these simple elements and Christ’s works spoken at the Last Supper transubstantiate bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Thereabout, Christ himself is present in a true, real, and substantial manner with his soul and divinity.
Anyone who desires to receive Christ in the Eucharist must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received sacramental absolution. Communion increases the communicant’s union with the Lord while also forgiving venial sins. The Church warmly recommends that the faithful receive Holy Communion when they participate in the Eucharist, at minimum, at least once a year.
We would love you to join us to participate in the Eucharist regularly!
Our Mass Schedule:
Saturday Vigil Mass
4:00PM – St. Margaret Church, Albany
Sunday Masses
8:00AM – St. Thomas Chapel, Springfield
10:00AM – St. Margaret Church, Albany
5:30PM – St. Margaret Church, Albany
Weekday Masses
Tuesday – Friday at 7:00AM, St Margaret Church, Albany
Holy Day Masses
Scheduled as Announced