adoration

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Does God Want Me to Avoid the Sacraments?”

Q: I live in a rural area in the South where there is only one Catholic church in the county. None of the other options within driving distance have a mask mandate. I am immunocompromised, and my doctor has told me not to be anywhere inside unless masks are worn even though I am vaccinated and received the booster. I have asked the church closest to me to consider finding a way to include the immunocompromised, but the latest response has gotten nowhere. We have Eucharistic adoration at our parish, and when I suggested that masks be required at least during one hour, the lay leader in charge said it might be best for me to wait until it is safer. I do not think COVID is going away anytime soon, so when it is safer seems very far in the future. I feel angry and resentful about the attitude toward those who are already so isolated. It seems so contrary to what Our Lord would do. It’s made me lose a lot of respect for the clergy and the diocese when they are preaching about ways to be a better person that are hypocritical. I receive the Eucharist almost weekly at home, thankfully, and the priest has been accommodating when I’ve requested reconciliation — but I used to go weekly and I feel like I’m a bother if I ask more than monthly. I’ve spent months in prayer about this issue, and the only answer I seem to receive is to stop trying to fit into a congregation that doesn’t want me there. I am able to attend as long as masks are worn, but no churches will comply here. Is it possible that God doesn’t want me to attend Mass? I love the sacraments and cannot believe that would be God’s will. Thank you for your ministry. – C.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: I’m sorry to hear about the situation.

While your frustration in understandable, you never want to think that God somehow doesn’t want you in the Church or receiving the sacraments. Those are thoughts you want to recognize as temptations.

It’s unfortunate that parishes and dioceses are still working their way through the pandemic and its aftereffects.

Some of the decisions being made come down to prudence. It might be good to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to assume that people are trying to do their best.

With all fatigue from the pandemic, some parishes might believe that requiring masks of everyone might be too much of a burden on the vast majority of people.

Some commentators note that an ongoing insistence on masks can actually undercut people’s confidence in the vaccines and keep others from getting the shot. And the more that people avoid the vaccine, the greater the risk of their getting and spreading COVID — and being a threat to the immunocompromised. It’s something of a catch-22.

Even before the coming of COVID, doctors would probably have advised their immunocompromised patients to avoid public gatherings; and there would have been no expectation that businesses or other institutions take extraordinary means to accommodate those prone to diseases and illness.

In any case, the effectiveness and necessity of masks, lockdowns and social distancing, etc., are hotly debated to this day, with experts coming down on both sides of the issue. If there is no consensus in the wider society, it’s not surprising that there is no uniform agreement in Catholic circles.

I mention all this to put things in perspective. God certainly wants us to receive the sacraments. But this isn’t to say that access will always be easy.

That you are able to receive the Eucharist weekly and the sacrament of confession occasionally is a sign that the parish is trying to reach out to you. It hasn’t abandoned you.

Nevertheless, it sounds as though this situation is starting to shake your faith. The devil would love for that to happen. He is the first one to exploit problems to sow disunity, especially within the Church.

To counter that, it would be good to intensify your prayer life and ask the Holy Spirit for serenity and guidance.

Then, in a moment of serenity, try to draw up a list of steps you could pursue. Try to be realistic; you shouldn’t be discouraged if you can’t have things 100% your way. God can shower his graces in many ways. And one of things he blesses is our obedience to the proper authorities.

You seem to be willing to give total obedience to your doctor. Perhaps a bit of that same spirit of obedience should be applied in the spiritual realm. Try to see that pastors and bishops are doing their best to accommodate as many people as possible.

That said, there might be ways to access the sacraments while taking reasonable precautions. For instance, you might see if you could go to a sparsely attended Mass and sit in the choir loft and receive Communion afterward from a masked minister.

If you want to confess more often, you might seek out the sacrament of reconciliation where a confessional has ample separation between priest and penitent.

In any case, it is good to remember that life involves a certain amount of risk. Every time we get in a car or an airplane, we are risking injury or even death. The vaccines themselves have caused a few deaths, so even they aren’t 100% guaranteed.

And be wary of how the devil might be using all this to get you discouraged or angry at a parish or diocese. It would give him a chuckle to see you pull away from the Church.

I hope that some of this helps. Count on my prayers.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type your question HERE and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: Does God Want Me to Avoid the Sacraments?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Why Do I Still Feel Rotten?”

Q: Just over a year ago I went to adoration and received the gift of tongues while praying for my dying mom. After this experience, I felt compelled to attend daily Mass and go to confession monthly. Everyone told me I would receive great spiritual graces from daily Mass. Here is my question: Why do I still feel like a “rotten” person even though I am called to daily Mass and monthly confession? I still think bad thoughts, say things I shouldn’t. I have colorful language while in traffic, and wish I had more patience with my husband and family. I thought maybe these graces would help change me and make me a better woman. My mom passed away, grief came, but I never became angry with God, as I know she finally has peace and is with my brother and is loved by God even more than we could ever love her. God also saved my marriage, gave me an amazing career, and two beautiful children. And yet I am still this same wretched person. Is my heart that hardened? If so, how do I get to be more holy and not just go through the motions? I read spiritual books too to help educate me but I feel like I will never become more holy. Thanks for your help and guidance. – M.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It’s not unusual that we are aware of receiving special graces from God, and yet we still feel keenly our own sinfulness.

In one sense this is healthy. The closer we get to God, the closer we draw to the Light. And the closer we draw to the Light, the more clearly we see our defects.

It is the difference between a person looking at herself in the mirror at night under a black light, and looking at herself in the morning sunshine. Same face, but the defects are more obvious in daylight.

The important thing is that your sense of your sinfulness brings you to a deeper love for God and a deeper desire to move ahead in the spiritual life.

If feeling our limitations makes us humbler, that’s good. This keeps us close to Our Lord in prayer. It can also make us more patient with the people in our lives.

If, on the other hand, your sense of your sinfulness leaves you discouraged, that isn’t coming from God. It might be coming from the devil. If that is the case, just shrug off the sad feeling, get to confession if need be, and continue with your regimen of prayers and daily Mass.

It might be helping to seek out a solid, regular confessor or a spiritual director who could guide you. An objective observer can help us move on if we feel stuck on a plateau. In some cases spiritual attention might need to be supplemented with a bit of therapy. (For further reading, see Answers: Catholic Advice for Your Spiritual Questions.)

It might help to keep in mind that God in his wisdom tends not to take away all our faults — he knows that would easily lead us to pride.

Rather, he lets us feel our limits, even as he helps us to overcome them little by little. This keeps us humble and close to him. Count on my prayers.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: Why Do I Still Feel Rotten?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: How Can We Recruit Priests for Our Parish?”

Q: We are a rural Catholic church in the South. As you can expect, we are having problems throughout the diocese in finding priests for our parishes. Our current pastor has about a year and a half left before he retires. We would like to attract a priest to pastor us over the next six to 12 years. We have fewer than 200 families in our parish, but expect to grow as population shifts. Is there a website we could use to locate priests who would consider moving to our parish? They could be missionary priests or others who would consider meeting with us. How can we get the word out on a national basis that we would like to speak with priests and their bishops about the possibility that one might eventually become our pastor? Thank you. – T.N.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: Thanks for your desire to have a priest for your parish in the future.

Recruiting a priest from outside the diocese is something that would be done by the bishop or someone he appoints. Laypeople can’t recruit on their own for something like this.

The best thing would be to contact the chancery, though it is probably already well aware of the priest shortage.

In the meantime you might want to promote Eucharistic adoration for vocations in your area. “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).

While the presence of foreign-born priests is a godsend for many parishes, the better long-term solution is to promote vocations among the young men in your own diocese. As much as the U.S. is experiencing a priest shortage, the problem is even more acute elsewhere in the world.

Perhaps you can work to find vocation prospects in your area, and pass on the leads to the diocesan vocations director.

For more ideas, see http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/adoration/holy-hour-for-vocations.cfm.

You might also think about getting parishioners to pray for the perseverance of a particular seminarian in the diocese. I hope some of this helps.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: How Can We Recruit Priests for Our Parish?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: What Is the Value of the Blessed Sacrament?”

Q: I am trying to wrap my head around the value (for lack of a better word) of the Blessed Sacrament. I remember hearing on the news when Notre Dame Cathedral was burning, that the chaplain and firefighters were able to save the Blessed Sacrament from the burning building. Would this have been a lesser concern had there been people trapped inside? Secondly, is there any functional difference between sitting in front of a tabernacle and sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament when it is exposed? Thank you. – F.M.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: The Eucharist is Christ himself present — body, blood, soul and divinity. One can’t find anything else in this world so valuable.

It is the summit of the sacraments, and it’s a reminder that Jesus really is with us till “the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

We wouldn’t think to question the value of our mom or her presence in our life. It’s a little like that with the Eucharist. The world would be lonelier place without Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. Moreover, worthy reception of Communion can help us grow in holiness.

So the firefighters and priests who raced into Notre Dame were rushing to ensure that nothing happened to Our Lord, who is sacramentally present. This doesn’t detract from the people who might have been in need of being saved. It wouldn’t have been an either-or situation, but a both-and. Save the people and the Eucharist.

As for adoration before a tabernacle or before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance: strictly speaking, both can have great value, depending on the disposition of the adorer.

Adoration with exposition is a fuller sign of our worship of Christ present, since we can actually see the Host. But adoration before a closed tabernacle can have immense value too.

A book you might find helpful is 7 Secrets of the Eucharist. Also worth a look is Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia.

Maybe the easiest way for you to begin to deepen your appreciation for the value of the Eucharist would be to watch or listen to Food for the Journey: A Retreat Guide on the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: What Is the Value of the Blessed Sacrament?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: As an Atheist Drawn to the Eucharist, What’s My Next Step?”

Q: So I was baptized Anglican as a kid but have never been practicing and have been an atheist for about 20 years. Long story short: I stumbled across an article about the Real Presence a few months back and ended up in my local Catholic cathedral at exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The hour I was there felt like five minutes, and I keep being drawn back, once or twice a week. I’ve been to vespers and Mass (but don’t go up for Communion) as well as praying the rosary at home. I’ve also been reading a lot — Chesterton, Dante, Barron, Aquinas — and finding out that a lot of people that are a lot smarter than me have believed without sacrificing reason. In short, I’ve realized that the Catholic tradition is so vast and deep that I hardly know anything about it. I’ve kind of thrown myself in at the deep end with this for no other reason than realizing that I was probably wrong all these years. If God is giving me grace, then the least I can do is try to respond. On the other hand, this is so far outside of my experience that I am having serious doubts. How am I supposed to know if this is just my own thoughts sending me down what is likely to be a very difficult road? What do I do next? Take a step back from going to church and maybe see if I can figure it out in my head? I’m not in contact with any practicing Catholics, have no religious friends and haven’t spoken to a priest or anyone about this. Any help or insight you can offer would be appreciated. – S.G.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It sound as though the Holy Spirit is nudging you closer to the Catholic faith.

You are on a journey, and journeys take time.

It also helps to see the example of others who have been on a journey. Here, the Surprised by Truth books might be fruitful reading.

Also, you might consider joining an RCIA program. You could contact a local Catholic parish about such a program.

The RCIA would give you instruction in the beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith, in preparation for your possible entrance into the Church.

The program usually runs over the course of a few years. This would give you time for lots of questions and for lots of prayer.

You could read more about the RCIA on Internet.

In the meantime, it would be a good idea not to take a break from the Church. This is precisely the moment to keep feeding your soul!

And by all means, take advantage of being in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and praying the rosary. Our Lord will guide you.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: As an Atheist Drawn to the Eucharist, What’s My Next Step?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Am I Too Sensitive About Indifference to the Eucharist?”

Q: I am very sensitive about indifference to the Eucharist. My parish priest, though he spends time in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament especially in Eucharistic adoration, recently told me that indifference by Catholics to the Eucharist does not bother him as this indifference is expected. I was very saddened by his response because it seemed he was dismissive about indifference to the Eucharist. Am I being overly sensitive? – J.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It is good to hear of your love for the Eucharist. My guess is that your parish priest also loves the Eucharist. So you have a lot to be thankful for.

It would be good not to read too much into his comment about indifference to the Eucharist. He himself doesn’t appear indifferent since he spends so much time praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

He might be simply recognizing a fact of life: that many people don’t give the Eucharist the devotion it deserves. They simply don’t grasp what it means for Jesus to be truly present in the Sacrament.

While this indifference is lamentable, there is only so much the rest of us can do about it.

The fact that your parish has Eucharistic adoration might be a sign that your priest is trying to do his part to promote devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. That’s another reason why not to assign any bad motives to your priest.

A better channel for your energies might be to promote Eucharistic adoration on your own. Let family and friends know how much it helps you. And then pray for them when you go before the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for vocations, too.

We are living in a post-Christian age in many places. The best we can do is try to live our faith as fully as possible, to share it with others when the opportunity arises, and to leave things in God’s hands. For he doesn’t call us to success but to fidelity.

You might find our Retreat Guide “Food for the Journey” helpful.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: Am I Too Sensitive About Indifference to the Eucharist?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Can you explain the connection between the priesthood, the Eucharist, and the Church?”

Q: For the past three Sundays our priest has asked us to pray for vocations to the priesthood and then said, “Without priests there is no Eucharist, and without the Eucharist there is no Catholic Church.” Please explain. Thank you. -K.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: That is a memorable way of describing the link between the priesthood, the Eucharist, and the Church.

It echoes the language of St. John Paul II in his last encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia. In that 2003 encyclical the Pope wrote that “the most holy Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself, our passover and living bread.” In No. 26 of the document he added that “the Eucharist builds the Church and the Church makes the Eucharist.”

The Church is also called the mystical body of Christ. We are incorporated into this mystical body at baptism. This body — indeed, each of us — needs to be nourished to maturity. That nourishment comes, in part, from the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Little wonder that the Catechism, No. 1324, says, “The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.'” The Eucharist is the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ himself, under the appearances of what looks like simple bread and wine.

We believe Christ is present in the Eucharist because he himself said so. On Holy Thursday night, “Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins'” (Matthew 26:26-28).

At the Last Supper he also instituted the priesthood, giving mere men the power to consecrate bread and wine in his name and under his power. This is essentially the heart of each Mass: a re-presentation of what Christ gave us at the Last Supper: the gift of himself in the Eucharist.

The fruit of this sacrament, worthily received, is nourishment for the soul and a growth in the practice of charity and — this part might help us understand your priest’s comment — stronger bonds of unity within the Church. The Eucharist brings us closer together and helps us think and love in union with one another.

The Eucharist is a catalyst and point of union for Catholics. If a community wants the Eucharist, it needs a priest. A priest receives ordination from a bishop and assists him in ministering to the flock. The bishop is a successor to the Apostles and is named by the bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter, whom Jesus designated as the visible head of the Church on earth. Hence we can see a link between the Eucharist and the Vicar of Christ.

And where do priests come from? They come from families, but the call to the priesthood comes from Jesus, who urges us to “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Matthew 9:38). One of the best ways to pray for vocations is Eucharistic adoration. Hence the connection between priesthood, Church and Eucharist comes full circle.

I hope this helps. And I would encourage you to pray for vocations. If you find a young man who is interested in the priesthood, think about directing him to vocation.com. God bless.

“Ask a Priest: Can you explain the connection between the priesthood, the Eucharist, and the Church?” Read More »

Scroll to Top

Looking for another country?

RC Near You

News & Resources

News & Resources

The Regnum Christi Mission

The Regnum Christi Identity

Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!