MAINTAIN THE CENTRALITY OF THE EUCHARIST

VATICAN CITY, OCT 3, 2005 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Angelo Scola, patriarch of Venice, Italy, presented the work program for the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, of which he is the relator general.

  Also participating in the press conference were Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Imus, Philippines, and Archbishop Pierre-Antoine Paulo O.M.I., coadjutor of Port-de-Paix, Haiti.

  After illustrating the main points contained in the address he delivered this morning at the First General Congregation, Cardinal Scola explained that his hope for this Synod is, first of all, "to recover the primacy of the rite of celebration of the Eucharist," the foundation of the Church. "We cannot," he said, "reduce the Eucharist to an act of community piety. 'Rite' is the most comprehensive word to describe how the Trinity, in Christ Jesus, comes out to meet my own individuality. The Eucharist is not a right or a possession, it is a gift."

  The patriarch of Venice also briefly outlined some of the central themes contained in the Synod's "Instrumentum laboris," explaining that the subject arousing most interest is that of "maintaining the centrality of the Eucharist in all its plenitude," although other important themes include a more profound study of the relationship between the Eucharist and the priesthood, the question of "viri probati" (the priestly ordination of married men), and the relationship between the Eucharist and celibacy.

  Next to speak was Archbishop Pierre-Antoine Paulo O.M.I., who reaffirmed that "the Eucharist is the Church and the Church is the Eucharist," expressing the hope that the Synod would favor ecumenism. "We ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of unity," he said.

  Finally, Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle explained the situation in his country, Philippines, where "we cannot speak of a lack of priests, because there are numerous vocations and the seminaries are full." However, Catholic communities are so many and so large that there are still not enough priests for everyone to be able to enjoy a "full" Sunday Eucharist.
OP/EUCHARISTIC SYNOD/SCOLA                        VIS 20051003 (350)