Pacwa: Words of sacrifice in the Eucharist

Since the very beginning, the Church has taught two points about the Eucharist: it is the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and it is the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Since the 1960s, some Catholics have either denied or, more likely, neglected both of these doctrines of the Real Presence and the sacrificial nature of the Mass. The ignorance has become so widespread that one time, in a conversation with a very well-educated seminarian, I surprised him by pointing out that each of the four primary Eucharistic Prayers of the Roman Rite explicitly mention the word “sacrifice” in the prayers. He doubted me, though he had been attending daily Mass for years, until he reread each prayer privately and then confirmed that this was true.

The shedding of blood

The first clue to the sacrificial nature of the Mass comes from the use of a present passive participle Christ uses to explain that in the new covenant, his blood “is being shed, poured out” (evkunnomenon). This verb appears in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (known as the Septuagint, LXX) 137 times, with a number of interesting meanings. Numerous times it refers to killing people and pouring out their blood.

In Exodus 4:9, the text refers to Moses pouring out the water turned into blood. It frequently refers to pouring out the blood of animals, particularly in sacrifices.

Though the word has other meanings, such as to pour out one’s soul before the Lord, the meaning that best fits our Lord’s use at the consecration of his precious Blood derives from the frequent uses of the word in sacrifices.

This raises some key differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament sacrifices. The animals of the Old Testament sacrifices did not have a free will, so they could not agree to being sacrificed. In the New Testament, Jesus freely chooses to offer his blood for the many who are sinners. The sacrificial animals did not share the same nature as those for whom the sacrifice was offered, while Jesus did share the same human nature of the sinners for whom he died. Furthermore, Jesus also had a divine nature, so that his infinite greatness could be an adequate offering for offenses against the divine majesty. As Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen pointed out many times, an offense acquires its seriousness from the one who has been offended. Therefore, though it is serious to hurt one’s neighbor, it is still more serious to hurt the president or the pope because of their offices. If we offend God, the offense is infinite, and it requires an infinite sacrifice to pay that infinite debt. For that reason, God himself had to become the sacrifice for sins against the divine majesty. Jesus Christ fulfills this perfectly.

Blood of the new covenant

A second way in which the words of the institution indicate their sacrificial nature is in the phrase describing Jesus’ blood as that of a “new covenant” in 1 Corinthians 11:25 and Luke 22:20. The Old Testament background lies in Exodus 24:8, after Moses had placed half of the blood of twelve young bulls in bowls and had splashed the other half on the altar (Ex 24:5-6). He read the book of the covenant to the assembled Israelites, who agreed to obey and do all that the Lord had said: “Then Moses took and sprinkled the blood on the people and said, ‘Behold, the blood of the covenant which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words’ ” (Ex 24:8, author’s translation).

This was the sealing of the old covenant with the blood of sacrifice, and likewise must the new covenant be sealed with the blood of Jesus’ sacrifice. Instead of an external sprinkling with the blood of bulls, as in the old covenant, Jesus gives us his own blood and commands that his disciples drink it, taking it interiorly. He explains the importance of drinking his blood in John 6:53-56:

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you do not have life within you. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. (Author’s translation)

Jesus makes the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood of the new covenant a requirement for remaining with him in this life and in eternal life. He becomes the very nourishment of our souls.

A command from Christ

A third element from the words of institution points to the sacrificial nature of the Mass – namely, our Lord’s command for the apostles to “do” this (Lk 24:19; 1 Cor 11:24, 25). In most languages, the word “do, make” has a wide range of meanings; one of its frequent uses in the Old Testament means to offer sacrifice, as appears in many texts.

This is an excerpt from Fr. Mitch Pacwa's new book. The Eucharist: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics. To read the rest of this section on sacrifice and more, order the book today!

About The Eucharist

The Eucharist is an interactive study guide, perfect for either individual or group study. It delves into the meaning of the Eucharist – the "source and summit" of the Catholic Faith – looking at Jesus' teaching and actions in the New Testament as well as the connections with the Old Testament and Jewish practice.

You can learn more about Fr. Mitch Pacwa's new book here.

Here's what people are saying about it:

The Church teaches us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. If that is the case why do so many Catholics, according to recent surveys, see the Precious Body and Blood as a mere symbol?  Part of the New Evangelization needs to be re-evangelization and that is why Fr. Mitch’s latest Bible study is so important. It gets right to the heart of the matter; the heart of our Lord as revealed in the Eucharist. This study guide will not only change lives but save souls and help re-build the Church. 

– Teresa Tomeo, Syndicated Catholic Talk Show Host, Best Selling Catholic Author

Anyone who is open to truth and uses this study guide will never look at the Mass, the Eucharist, and the Bible in the same way again. This book is comprehensive in its breadth and scope, and is very accessible at all levels of interest: for the average parishioner who wants a deeper, more personal experience of God’s word, for the armchair apologist who is looking for sound biblical exegesis to explain the faith, and even those with a more scholarly or academic interest will be satisfied by the rich fare served in this book. This guide is also particularly relevant for students and young adults who are often searching for reasons why they are Catholic, and who desire to connect the teachings of the Church with their everyday lived experience. 

– Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, M.T.S., EWTN Series Host, "Made in His Image: Family Life Today"; Author, The Mass in Sacred Scripture 

The Eucharist is the saving mystery at the heart of Scripture, and Fr. Mitch Pacwa gives us an excellent way to approach that mystery. He draws our attention to biblical connections too often missed – between Old Testament prefigurement and New Testament fulfillment, between the Day of Atonement and the death of Jesus, between Passover and Eucharist. His reflections on priesthood in Israel and in the Church are profound and illuminating. I recommend this series of Bible studies for personal and group study, especially during this Year of Faith. 

– Scott Hahn, the Father Michael Scanlan, TOR, Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Pope Benedict releases app, World Communications Day message

With more than 1.4 million Twitter followers on his English account alone, "The Pope App" released on Wednesday and a World Communications Day message focused on social networks, Pope Benedict XVI is diving into the world of social media. Social networks are, as the pope said at the press conference, the "new spaces for evangelization."

The new app provides live streaming of papal events, news, quotes and more. It is currently available for iPhone and iPad users in five languages and will be available for Android users in February. You can learn more about the Pope App here. 

The app was launched on the eve of today's release of Pope Benedict's World Communications Day messaged, themed "Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization."

From Pope Benedict:

As the 2013 World Communications Day draws near, I would like to offer you some reflections on an increasingly important reality regarding the way in which people today communicate among themselves. I wish to consider the development of digital social networks which are helping to create a new “agora”, an open public square in which people share ideas, information and opinions, and in which new relationships and forms of community can come into being.

These spaces, when engaged in a wise and balanced way, help to foster forms of dialogue and debate which, if conducted respectfully and with concern for privacy, responsibility and truthfulness, can reinforce the bonds of unity between individuals and effectively promote the harmony of the human family. The exchange of information can become true communication, links ripen into friendships, and connections facilitate communion. If the networks are called to realize this great potential, the people involved in them must make an effort to be authentic since, in these spaces, it is not only ideas and information that are shared, but ultimately our very selves.

The development of social networks calls for commitment: people are engaged in building relationships and making friends, in looking for answers to their questions and being entertained, but also in finding intellectual stimulation and sharing knowledge and know-how. The networks are increasingly becoming part of the very fabric of society, inasmuch as they bring people together on the basis of these fundamental needs. Social networks are thus nourished by aspirations rooted in the human heart.

Read Pope Benedict's entire World Communications Day message.

Dear Mr. President: Newsmax publishes OSV president's letter

As President Obama prepared to enter his second term as president of the United States, OSV president and publisher Greg Erlandson penned a letter challenging the president to build a different legacy, addressing the issues of abortion, conscience protection and religious liberty. Originally published in OSV Newsweekly, the letter also appeared on Newsmax here.

From Greg Erlandson:

On Jan. 20, you officially began your second term as president of the United States. You were first elected in 2008 at a time of grave fiscal crisis in this country. That crisis, and its legacy, in many ways defined your presidency in your first term.

We will leave it to history to judge the decisions you made in that first term, but we want to voice our concern that a different legacy may haunt your second term.

We recall that when you were elected, you had promised to bring a divided nation together. In your first inaugural address, you said: "On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." Later that year, you spoke at the University of Notre Dame, addressing some of the issues that divide us, most specifically abortion. You said: "Let’s honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our healthcare policies are grounded not only in sound science, but also in clear ethics ..." 

Despite your initial rhetoric, however, we have seen steps taken by your administration that have aroused our concerns about freedom of conscience and religious liberty, and about the desire for "unity of purpose over conflict and discord." There have been numerous decisions by your administration to weigh in on some of the most divisive and conflicted social issues of the day, particularly regarding abortion, religious liberty and freedom of conscience.

Read entire letter on Newsmax.

Shaw: The pope, the Supreme Court and gender identity

By Russell Shaw

Defenders of traditional marriage may not believe it, but the Supreme Court's apparent intention to decide two important same-sex marriage cases by midyear may be a stroke of good fortune for their side.

This timing means the Supreme Court's first head-on tangle with this issue almost certainly will come before President Barack Obama gets an opportunity to nominate another justice for the court and thereby probably tip its balance in favor of gay marriage.

True, it would be foolish to predict what the court as presently constituted will do with the two cases now before it – one of them focused on the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the other on California's Proposition 8 barring same-sex marriage in that state. As so often before, Justice Anthony Kennedy appears to be the swing vote, and how Justice Kennedy will swing on DOMA and Proposition 8 is anybody's guess.

Still, it's at least a possibility that the court will opt for a local option solution, leaving it to states to decide this question for themselves. Even Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the senior liberal among the justices, has said she thinks the Supreme Court erred back in 1973 in abruptly imposing abortion on the entire nation instead of allowing a consensus to jell. Ginsburg and others might well say the same thing of gay marriage today.

The court will hear oral arguments in the two cases in just a few weeks. Its decision, as noted, is expected around the time its term ends in late June. Legal and constitutional considerations will naturally predominate in its deliberations. But important as these are, even larger issues are at stake.

'New philosophy of sexuality'

Just how large was suggested by Pope Benedict XVI in his annual pre-Christmas address to the Roman Curia. The pope obviously wasn't thinking only about the United States – same-sex marriage is a red-hot issue in France just now – but what he said does apply here as much as in France or anywhere else. The central question in this dispute, he insisted, is whether the fundamental nature of gender, personhood and marriage is forever fixed or forever in flux.

In making his argument, Pope Benedict turned to remarks by the Chief Rabbi of France, Gilles Bernheim, an opponent of gay marriage. Rabbi Bernheim quoted an aphorism by Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), the French proto-feminist who was mistress of existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre: "One is not born a woman, one becomes so" (On ne naît pas femme, on le devient).

As a feminist battle cry opposing social conventions of her day, this makes sense of a sort. But as a statement of timeless fact, it's the deconstructing of gender and gender-based relationships. Here, as Pope Benedict observed, is the foundation for "a new philosophy of sexuality."

Its central premise is that sexual identity is not "a given element of nature" but a role people decide for themselves. Formerly, the role was imposed by society, but today, de Beauvoir would have it, individuals do it on their own, and the words of Genesis, "male and female he created them," are irrelevant. "From now on," Pope Benedict said as he described the notion, "there is only the abstract human being, who chooses for himself what his nature is to be."

But if gender is something individuals choose for themselves, variations on the theme of marriage and family must include whatever preferences and whims suit particular individuals, with same-sex unions one. In an earlier, more clear-thinking time and place, this was what people called playing God. Does the Supreme Court really wish to join that game?

Russell Shaw is an OSV contributing editor.

Messages from bishops mark 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the infamous U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Roe v. Wade,  many bishops across the country have released statements about the occasion. For your convenience, excerpts and links from many are listed below. This list may not be exhaustive, so if you note any missing, please feel free to share it in the comments section below. (Please note: Links must be approved, so your comment will not show up right away)

• Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston
  A letter to the faithful
  
  "On Tuesday, we will remember the somber 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe vs. Wade, that legalized abortion in our country, a decision that has unleashed the death of over 50 million unborn children, nameless to many but not to the Lord, and caused great brokenness to the mothers and fathers and extended families of those same children. ... The Catholic Church remembers January 22nd each year as a day of voluntary fast and abstinence; there is a special Mass in the Missal with its proper Scriptural Readings assigned for that day. I ask, most especially this year, that all of our priests, clergy, religious and faithful make a major effort to stop that day, to pray more fervently for a rebirth of a culture of life, to fast and abstain from food as a mark of solidarity for all those affected personally by the scourge of abortion, and to make space and time to participate in prayer at Mass."
  
  Read entire letter.
  
  
• Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, D.C.
  "Proclaiming the Gospel of Life on the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade"
  
  "This is not an anniversary we celebrate, it is an annual observance that invites somber reflection. How did we get here? How have we, as a nation, tolerated the destruction of 55 million lives at our own hands? What is the spiritual climate in our country that allows this culture of death to prevail?
  
  Blessed John Paul II spoke these questions in his encyclical, the Gospel of Life, 'When the sense of God is lost, there is also a tendency to lose the sense of man, of his dignity and his life' (21). The culture of death prevails when faith is lost and the light of God's word ceases to shine on our trials and sufferings, the challenges of the human condition, giving us perspective and hope.
  
  Our witness to the value of life must be the voice that awakens our society to the emptiness of shortsighted measures that condone the widespread destruction of unborn human life. We must speak for the worth of all life – for the right to life."
  
  Read entire message.
  
  
• Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities
  "On the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade"
  
  "Without grounding in the Constitution, law or human rights, these decisions have made it legal for the past forty years in the United States to end the life of an unborn child. Since then fifty-five million children never had the chance to be born. The scope of this loss is staggering, yet the Court and many in our society relegate it to a matter of personal choice.
  
  As part of the ongoing response to innocent children's lives being taken with the protection of the law, the U.S. Catholic bishops have launched a major pastoral initiative calling for prayer and penance to promote and build a culture of life, marriage and religious liberty.
  
  The initiative includes "Nine Days of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage" from January 19 to 27, 2013. I invite Catholics in the United States to join me in this novena. It includes daily prayer intentions for the healing and conversion of our nation, for elected officials who support abortion, and for all people whose lives have forever been changed by an abortion. The novena is available through social media, text messaging and email.
  
  Read entire statement. You can also learn more about the novena.
  
  
• Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati
  "A Letter From Archbishop Schnurr: On The 40th Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade"
  
  "The 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the tragic U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion at all stages of pregnancy by judicial fiat, is a sobering and dispiriting occasion. Many of us have spent most or all of our lives fighting to restore a culture of life in the United States. We reflect painfully upon the 54.5 million lives lost and the millions more lives changed forever by abortion in these past four decades. ...
  
  In this Year of Faith, however, there is much reason for hope. While public opinion polls vary, it is clear that the legality of abortion has not led to a general acceptance. A majority of Americans in many polls agree that abortion ends a human life and that it is morally wrong. Moreover, 41 states set new limits on abortion in 2011 and 2012."
  
  Read entire letter.
  
  
• Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio
  Transcript of message at Right to Life Rally
  
  "In this Year of Faith, let us never let our belief in the power of prayer waiver against the unbelieving force of the world or the sadness in the losses we may encounter in this the day-to-day struggle for life. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, 'Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.' (Phil 4:6-7)
  
  If we hope to stop this terrible holocaust we must recognize that prayer is at the foundation of every initiative, every struggle, every victory in our struggles to defend all human life from the moment of conception to natural death. I join my brother bishops throughout this great land, urging Catholics and all people who join with us in our great cause to participate in a Nine-Day pilgrimage of prayer marking the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The intentions for these nine days will be for healing and conversion, for elected officials who support abortion and for all people whose lives have been forever changed by its tragedy."
  
  Read entire transcript.
  
  
• Archbishop Henry J. Mansell of Hartford, Conn.
  "40th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade"
  
  "Since that historic day, each year Catholics and all people of good will come together to pray and publicly intercede on behalf of the unborn, their parents, their families, our communities, our nation and its leaders. It is our hope that this prayerful presence in our nation’s capital will open hearts, minds, and souls to the fullness of the Gospel of Life in our lives and laws. The March for Life in Washington D.C. began as a grassroots response of pro-lifers nationwide to Roe v. Wade, but today draws hundreds of thousands of young and old from all walks of life and from every part of the country who come together in prayer and public witness in defense of the Gift of Life."
  
  Read entire blog post.
  
  
• Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles
  "Life is beautiful"
  
  "As Catholics we have been entrusted with the good news of Jesus Christ – that the human person is sacred and created in God’s image.
  
  But we live in a society that has accepted legalized abortion for 40 years and is now moving more and more to the acceptance of euthanasia. This is the challenge we face – as a Church and as individuals. ...
  
  We have been in this struggle for life in our society for a long time. We need to keep at it. And we need to deepen our efforts at every level, beginning in our own personal commitment to the Church’s teaching on life. ...
  
  We also need to continue to resist the 'anti-life' and 'anti-family' movements and tendencies in our society. We need to remind our neighbors that the right to life is the foundation of every other right and liberty in our society – and the only foundation of true justice and peace.
  
  If the child in the womb has no right to live, then no one does. If the child in the womb has no human dignity, then no one does."
  
  Read entire message.
  
  
• Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver
  "40 Years of the Culture of Death: A Pastoral Letter on the Occasion of the Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade"
  
  "[D]uring my employment in hospitals, something changed. At that time, some states had approved abortion laws that I wasn't even aware of. Because of those laws, when I was in college I witnessed the results of two abortions. ...
  
  The memory haunts me. I will never forget that I stood witness to acts of unspeakable brutality. In the abortions I witnessed, powerful people made decisions that ended the lives of small, powerless, children. Through lies and manipulation, children were seen as objects. Women and families were convinced that ending a life would be painless, and forgettable. Experts made seemingly convincing arguments that the unborn were not people at all, that they could not feel pain, and were better off dead.
  
  I witnessed the death of two small people who never had the chance to take a breath. I can never forget that. And I have never been the same. My faith was weak at the time. But I knew by reason, and by what I saw, that a human life was destroyed. My conscience awakened to the truth of the dignity of the human being from the moment of conception. I became pro-life and eventually returned to my faith.
  
  I learned what human dignity was when I saw it callously disregarded. I know, without a doubt, that abortion is a violent act of murder and exploitation. And I know that our responsibility is to work and pray without ceasing for its end."
  
  Read entire letter.
  
  
• Bishops of Florida
  "Statement of the Catholic Bishops of Florida on the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade"
  
  "We are saddened by a culture that devalues the life of an unborn child, and considers fertility a 'disease' and pregnancy a 'pathology.' Catholic teaching on life is supported by science and reason: unborn children are human beings and abortion hurts women and men. No human being should be discriminated against or suffer the loss of life because of their stage of development.
  
  Two generations have grown up with the notion, constantly fueled by media messages, that sex is a 'recreational activity,' that can be engaged in without thought of any possible consequences such as pregnancy or emotional harm. Abortion is seen as the solution to an unforeseen problem. No person, made in the image and likeness of God, is a problem. In fact each human being is a blessing from God."
  
  Read entire statement.
  
  
• Bishops of Nebraska
  "40 Years of Roe v. Wade: 1973-2013 A Message from the Catholic Bishops of Nebraska"
  
  "Most estimates indicate that more than 55 million unborn babies have been killed by abortion since 1973. And this number grows by more than 3,000 every day. In addition, millions of women and men suffer from spiritual, emotional and/or physical wounds from their encounter with abortion. ...
  
  Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta summarized the legacy of Roe when she said 'America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe vs. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts – a child – as a competitor, an intrusion and an inconvenience.' "
  
  Read entire message.
  
  
• Bishop Edward J. Burns of the Diocese of Juneau and Southeast Alaska
  "40th anniversary of a tragic decision"
  
  "I recognize that many Americans view the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion as a victory oriented toward justice for women. However, from my perspective, it has led to, and continues to be, a modern day holocaust. ...
  
  As a Catholic Bishop I desire to stand in solidarity with the poor, the weak, and the marginalized. And who could be weaker, more vulnerable, or poorer than a human being developing in the womb of her mother?"
  
  Read entire column.
  
  
• Bishop Roger Foys of the Diocese of Covington, Ky.
  Interview in story, "For the 40th anniversary of 'Roe v. Wade' Bishop Foys reflects on pro-life efforts"
  
  "I think that it [Roe v. Wade] has remained for so long because of our culture. Our late Holy Father, Blessed John Paul II, referred to it as a 'Culture of Death.' We live in a culture of death, we live in a culture of selfishness, and we live in a culture of lack of respect for each other. I think that all feeds into a system that disregards life. ...
  
  It will take a change of the hearts and minds of not only of people in realizing the gravity of abortion but also a change of the hearts and minds of legislatures. In the meantime we continue to educate people in the faith. That education, regardless of the law, can be our best tool to preventing abortions."
  
  Read entire article.

Shaw: Bad demographic news gets secular attention, at last

By Russell Shaw

The disruptive results for individuals and society spawned by the revolution in attitudes and behavior regarding sex, marriage, family and childbearing that erupted a half-century ago have become too obvious to ignore. These things were predictable – in fact, some people actually predicted them from the start – but by now their impact has grown so painfully apparent that even secular voices are being raised in alarm.

The problems are increasingly visible in the United States. They include an aging population with fewer young workers to support the elderly, along with a disturbingly high incidence of disabilities among children born to parents who put off having them until their 30s and 40s and then, in many instances, resorted to drugs or reproductive technologies to achieve pregnancy.

Between 2007 and 2010, the U.S. birthrate dropped 8 percent, to the lowest level since 1920, when reliable data first became available. The lifetime average of 1.9 children per woman is below the replacement rate of 2.1 – the number of children needed to keep population level. Granted, some of this is due to the recession but some reflects longer-term trends.

Religious sources, some of them anyway, began warning about such things a long time ago. In his 1968 encyclical condemning contraception, Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI spoke of "insurmountable limits" to what people can rightly do to and with their bodies, and of the personal and social imperatives requiring that those limits be ignored. The Pope was ignored when he wasn't laughed at. But he was right.

Rise of the singles

Now, in their own way, secular sources have begun to make points very much like those made by Paul VI and a few others. As fresh evidence, consider recent articles in two very different opinion journals – the neoconservative Weekly Standard and the liberal New Republic. Both are required reading for people who want to know the dismal demographic future that, barring a miracle, lies just ahead.

In his article, "Demographic Tidal Wave," in the Standard, Jonathan V. Last focuses on the crisis in marriage. To put it simply, large numbers of Americans just aren't getting married any more.

Up until 1970, Last writes, the percentage who were married at some point in their lives never fell much below 93 percent. But now 67 percent of men and 57 percent of women in the prime childbearing years between 20 and 34 have never been married, and more than half of voting age Americans are single.

Older parenthood

Over in the New Republic, Judith Shulevitz, the magazine's science editor and an older mother herself, notes in her article, "How Older Parenthood Will Upend American Society," that the average age of first-time mothers rose from 21.5 in 1970 to 25.4 in 2010.

As the age of mothers has risen, birth defects also have increased among the children of older women who postponed pregnancy and then turned to technology to catch up. (Lest you wonder: The incidence of birth defects also is higher among children of older men.) Shulevitz suggests doctors get busy spreading the word "that tinkering with reproductive material at the very earliest stages of a fetus's growth may have molecular effects we're only beginning to understand."

Jonathan Last sees two large explanations for what has happened in recent decades: "the waning of religion in American life" and the shattering of the "iron triangle" that previously linked sex, marriage and childbearing. No doubt that is so. As Pope Paul VI said back in 1968, "The honest practice of regulation of birth demands … that husband and wife acquire and possess solid convictions concerning the true values of life and of the family." That was necessary then, and it's just as necessary today.

Russell Shaw is an OSV contributing editor.

Cardinal Wuerl and the new evangelization: a preview of his new book

"This is a new moment in the life of the Church, a new Pentecost. It's our turn now, to share the great gift we have been given, the gift of our Catholic faith, and renew the face of the earth," said Cardinal Donald Wuerl.

Last October, 250 bishops from all over the world were called to Rome by Pope Benedict XVI to discuss it, define it, and determine what it really means to Catholics today. In an exclusive firsthand summary of the three-week Synod, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to be relator-general of the synod, provides a succinct, specific and tactical roadmap for where Catholics and parishes and dioceses go from here in his upcoming book, "New Evangelization: Passing on the Catholic Faith Today."

The following is an excerpt from the preface of the book:

As I took my aisle seat on the plane, the woman in the window seat turned and introduced herself and seeing my Roman collar said, "Have you been born again?" "Yes," I responded and she immediately asked, "When?"  

I said, "In baptism. And I have been trying to grow into that new life ever since." "Oh," she said, "You’re Catholic," which led her to another question and the beginning of a conversation that lasted the entire flight. She noted as Catholics we are "big on this Church thing." She recognized this was a major difference between us. Then, she showed me her small prayer book that had in it a number of quotations from the New Testament reminding us that we have received new life in Christ and asked, "Tell me about this Church thing that is so important to you."

We began with Matthew’s Gospel and Peter’s confession about Jesus that led to Jesus’ announcement "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" (Mt 16:18). 

As the conversation unfolded and she raised a number of significant questions, we talked about Jesus establishing his new Body, the Church, how we are all invited into the family of God, how the Apostles continue today in the person of bishops to lead the Church and how the work of Saint Peter is carried on today by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.

As we landed and were taxiing up to the gate, the man in the aisle seat directly across from me leaned over and said, "Father, I couldn't help but hear this conversation. I'm Catholic and I didn't know all of that."

Throughout the book, Cardinal Wuerl shares his own personal faith experiences like this one, giving insight into the new evangelization. He also provides personal and group reflection questions at the end of every chapter, helping you learn about the new evangelization. Topics include:

• What's the point? The three most important priorities of the new evangelization
• What am I up against? The three 'isms' that get in the way of sharing and growing the Faith
• What do I do? How to galvanize people around one simple truth of the Gospel message
• Where it all began: the four theological foundations of the new evangelization
• Learning from the best: the four characteristics of great evangelizers

Cardinal Wuerl's "New Evangelization" will be released on Jan. 16. You can find more information here.

Ready for a pep-talk from legendary football Coach Lou Holtz?

Now I know that the Super Bowl traditionally presents the cream of the crop when it comes to commercials, but this one is worth watching. It has been aired throughout college football bowl week, and it will be shown tonight during the BCS National Championship (Notre Dame vs. Alabama).

Coach Lou Holtz, who led Notre Dame to the National Title in 1988, stars in the spot. He delivers a pep-talk to viewers, encouraging them to keep their eyes on the goal of life: heaven. The commercial is part of an "evangomercial" effort by Catholics Come Home, a non-profit media apostolate dedicated to producing and airing Catholic evangelism television ads on local, national and international television networks. Catholics Come Home estimates the ad is reaching 70 million households during the college bowl season.

While some people are skeptical of advertising the faith in such a way, this has potential to be a powerful way to reach people, especially when so many Catholics are not attending Mass regularly, much less fully engaging in their Catholic faith. As Pope John Paul II noted in his apostolic letter, the Rapid Development:

Communication permeates the essential dimensions of the Church which is called to announce to all the joyful message of salvation. For this reason, the Church takes advantage of the opportunities offered by the communications media as pathways providentially given by God to intensify communion and to render more penetrating the proclamation of His word. ...  

We give thanks to God for the presence of these powerful media which, if used by believers with the genius of faith and in docility to the light of the Holy Spirit, can facilitate the communication of the Gospel and render the bonds of communion among ecclesial communities more effective. (No. 6)

I will be very interested to see how successful this effort is. I applaud their efforts and wish them every success. To learn more about the ministry, visit www.catholicscomehome.org.

Go Irish!

Craving a more spiritual connection with food

Editor's note: OSV Daily Take is happy to be a stop on Mary DeTurris Poust's "Cravings" blog tour.

UPDATE: Congratulations to our reader, Lisa, for winning the free copy of "Cravings." Thank you all for participating.

By Sarah Hayes

If you are like me (and millions of Americans), you have made at least a vague resolution to eat healthier in 2013. Perhaps you also want to deepen the connection between your physical and spiritual lives.

A new book — author and blogger Mary DeTurris Poust’s “Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God” (Ave Maria, $13.95) — can help you (and me) with those goals in a uniquely Catholic way. Poust, who has a regular "Foodie Friday" feature on her Not Strictly Spiritual blog, shares her personal journey with food — and those of other Catholics — to help readers understand how they can take a more balanced approach to eating. That includes reveling in a well-prepared feast with friends and family, as well as practicing the discipline of fasting, not to drop a few pounds but as a "simple act [that] can open us up in ways we never imagined."

As someone who has read many of the books that have come out in recent years about Americans and our relationship with food — from Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” to Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” to Mark Bittman’s “Food Matters” — I particularly like how “Cravings” approaches eating from a Eucharistic vantage point. As Poust writes, “We eat of Communion so that we may live. We bless our spiritual food, say, 'Amen,' and silently reflect on the significance of what we have just consumed not only into our bodies but into our hearts. It is possible to give our everyday meals a similar sense of the sacred, thereby transforming food from something that fills us up into something that truly nourishes.” 

One particularly insightful chapter looks at how monastics approach food in their communities, and how their meals — cooked with care using simple, local ingredients and shared in a common setting — can inspire the eating habits of other Catholics. Poust interviews Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette, author of several cookbooks, about how we all can gain a healthier appreciation of food:

In the Gospel, we read that Jesus, the Son of Man, came eating and drinking. He did have an appreciation for food and moderate drink, to the point that, as Dorothy Day said in one of her quotes, he leaves his Body and Blood under the auspices of food and drink, so it's sacramental. There's such a basis in our theology for food and drink in light of what Christ himself lived and taught. You can expand from there. And we get good principles from St. Benedict as well: Balance in all things. You keep a certain sense of moderation.

 Want to see for yourself what the book is all about? OSV Daily Take is giving away a copy of “Cravings.” Leave a comment below to be eligible to win. On Jan. 11, we will select the winner.

"Cravings" is not Poust's only recent work to explore the connection between mind, body and spirit. In OSV Newsweekly's Jan. 6 In Focus, she helps readers strengthen their mental, spiritual and physical health for a better new year. In the In Focus, she explains what motivated her to write “Cravings”:

 So often we turn to food — for consolation, as reward or sometimes out of boredom — in an effort to fill ourselves up, but what we’re really hungry for is something much deeper, a relationship with God, a better understanding of our true self, a spirituality that permeates all we do and makes us new.  

Thinking we can achieve all that by eating more slowly might seem a little far-fetched, but it really is all connected.  

Even one small practice can bring about major change.  

When you begin to approach your meals from a place of prayer, a place of awareness of God’s presence in the moment, food begins to lose its hold.  

Over time you come to see that eating can actually be a pathway to spiritual wholeness rather than a one-way ticket to the nearest Weight Watchers meeting. 

Read the rest of her essay HERE. Watch her interview on CNN HERE.

For more information on the "Cravings" blog tour, click HERE. 

During the blog tour, which runs through Jan. 20, readers can enter a drawing to win a $100 Williams-Sonoma gift card. Find information HERE.