To the editor:

An article appeared in the Tuesday, June 13 edition of the New Ulm Journal titled, “Catholics Honor Christ in Eucharist Procession,” outlining the Catholic Diocese of New Ulm’s Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession which took place through the streets of New Ulm on Sunday, June 11. As the article accurately stated, the procession is part of the National Eucharistic Revival, a multi-year movement by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to restore an understanding of and devotion to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

However, the article’s author unknowingly made a slight misstep in language, which in God’s divine providence, makes clear the ambiguity and confusion the Eucharistic Revival seeks to clarify. The article stated, “The Corpus Christi Eucharist Procession is a walk from one holy place to another with the Blessed Sacrament, a ‘representation’ of Jesus Christ.” However, with a solemn and unwavering faith, the Catholic teaching is that the Holy Eucharist does not simply “represent” Christ, but rather IS the Very Presence of Christ Himself, whole and complete, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. The Catholic Church has always held this truth with the utmost certainty, believing Christ to have meant what he said, without confusion, in the Gospels when he says, “This is my Body. . . This is my Blood.”

As Catholics took to the streets on Sunday, June 11, with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we sought to profess with clear certainty that it is the true and living Christ we venerate and carry – not simply a representation. And it is to this perpetual and unwavering truth that we Catholics recommit ourselves as we enter this time of renewal in Eucharistic devotion and Eucharistic faith.

On behalf of Bishop Chad W. Zielinski, the Diocese of New Ulm is grateful to the The Journal for coverage of Sunday’s event that is most significant to our faith as well as other events that The Journal has covered in the past.

Fr. Tanner Thooft

New Ulm

— Father Tanner Thooft is the assistant

to the Diocese of New Ulm

Office of Wors