Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time | Bulletin of September 06, 2026 Message from Msgr. Schwanger

My Dear Family of Our Lady of Lourdes,

Through our celebration of the Eucharist, we enter into the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. We and all humanity rise to new life in Christ. Jesus enters into our very selves and goes forth into the world to fulfill His mission through our reception of His Body and Blood in Holy Communion. We “do this in memory of me.”

After the celebration of the Eucharist, we reserve the Body and Blood of Christ in the tabernacle in order to bring that same healing and life to our brothers and sisters who are sick or homebound. It is the Body and Blood of Christ and remains the Body and Blood of Christ. For that reason, we are able to visit and be in the intimate presence of our Risen Lord during Eucharistic Adoration, either before the tabernacle or in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel.

It is also for that reason that no one is free to take the Eucharist away from the church for personal use, no matter how well intentioned. That is why we always make sure that in receiving Communion at Mass everyone consumes the Eucharist before leaving the minister of Holy Communion. It is also why our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion see to it in bringing Communion to the sick and homebound that all Eucharistic Hosts are consumed or brought immediately back the be reserved again in the tabernacle. Jesus never goes home or about town with us in that manner.

It is also forbidden to reserve the Blessed Sacrament at home without the explicit permission of the Archbishop of Miami. That would require exceptional circumstances and a request made through the pastor of the parish, in the case of Our Lady of Lourdes, me. It is a particular responsibility of the pastor to ensure that the Blessed Sacrament is always secure and treated in a respectful and holy manner.

As a parish with Perpetual Adoration, our love and respect for the presence of Christ among us continues to grow and deepen. That authentic devotion must always be safeguarded.

Pastor
Msgr.  Schwanger

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