Next Sunday we will be celebrating Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Our Lord. It is a feast that dates back hundreds of years and was started following a Eucharistic Miracle in response to the waiting faith of a young priest. The story goes that the priest was losing his faith and told the Lord that he didn’t know if he could continue to believe without a significant sign of some sort. Later that day he went to celebrate Mass, and the host turned into real human flesh and bled on the corporal, the white cloth spread under the host and chalice at Mass. Seeing this sign the priest’s faith was renewed and he traveled to the nearby town where the Pope was at the time to share the story. The Pope, in response, instituted the feast of Corpus Christi so that faith could be deepened for all the faithful. It is still possible to see the host that became flesh in Italy today.

             The feast is always the second Sunday after Pentecost and is traditionally associated with a grand procession of the Blessed Sacrament. Our grand procession will follow the Spanish Mass and once again we will process from the main church over to the chapel for a period of adoration. If you would like to join us but don’t want to go to Spanish Mass, we will depart from the main church at around roughly 2:15pm and walk down Hoyt to Everett Ave and then turn left. We will then walk straight down Everett until we hit Cedar St. You can also join us part-way through if you want to park at QFC or something. Make sure to remember to have one of your party have a car at the chapel if you plan to walk from the main church. Every year we have people who go over to the chapel and then remember that it’s all uphill back to Hoyt. It is a worthwhile occasion, and everyone says they were glad they participated so if you have not tried the procession, you definitively should this year. Particularly because it falls so late in June the weather should be great.

Prayers Always,
Fr. Joseph