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Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence: What we can do as a parish and as an individual to better restore belief in and evangelize Christ’s Eucharistic Presence

by Richard May

The greatest crisis in the Church today is the desacralization of our Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass … contributing to loss in belief in the Real Presence. Drawing from the fruits of the USCCB three-year revival as a starting point, and recent survey data, Rich digs deeper evaluating our posture for reception of Communion, catechesis, decorum, modesty of dress, liturgical music and some simple improvements our parishes can implement. It is not enough to believe, we must act like we believe, because actions speak louder than words!

A full-size teachers manual 8 1/2 half by 11 paperback edition: $19.99 | Kindle: $9.99

Teachers receive a 20% discount on bulk orders of a dozen or more!

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TESTIMONIALS

“Rich May offers here a well-formed plan to restore belief in the true and real presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist. It combines Scriptural and doctrinal teaching with practices and piety necessary to manifest our belief. And here is a great strength of this book since it challenges us to restore many pious and liturgical practices that were sadly discarded over the last fifty years in most of our parishes. So here is a plan both doctrinal and practical! A must read for all parish leaders and every Catholic.” — Msgr. Charles Pope, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

“In this book, Rich May offers many fine points and draws upon important sources. He provides some concrete suggestions for addressing the tragic decline of belief in the Eucharist as the true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Even those who might not agree with all his suggestions will appreciate Rich’s zeal for increased reverence towards the Holy Eucharist. This book is written with a passionate love for the sacrifice of the Mass and the precious gift of Holy Communion.” — Robert Fastiggi, PhD, Professor of Dogmatic Theology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit

“I found no doctrinal error in the book. It represents a faithful, traditional, and well-documented call for greater reverence, better catechesis, and liturgical renewal, fully within the bounds of Catholic orthodoxy. It offers faithful, orthodox, and pastorally grounded reflections consistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church, in my humble opinion. Thank you very much for doing this! So much needed in our times!!” – Catholic Priest

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian faith and life. It is central to our identity as Catholics, because it is the greatest treasure we have. The Eucharist is heaven on earth! This is why it is so alarming to see a continual decline and loss in the belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist by many who profess to be Catholics. Rich May presents not only a practical way in which we can address this crisis of faith, but also profound and sound theology to help us better understand why it is we do what we do, why gestures and external attitudes also play a pivotal role in professing to the world our belief that Jesus is truly and really present in the Most Holy Eucharist. The profession of our faith in the Real Presence matters more than ever, especially in a world that is so wounded by moral relativism and seeks the light and fullness of Truth, which we can only find in Jesus Christ and His Church. I highly recommend reading this book and implementing its action points.” – Catholic Priest

“Not every change is good. The change that brings about loss of faith is definitely not helpful. This book points out some innovations going on within some local churches that draw members away from the faith. The book succinctly calls for a return to the practices that first gave the church its identity and distinctive taste. I strongly recommend it to be widely read, taught and applied.” – Catholic Priest

“As a Catholic school principal, I find Rich May’s work invaluable for addressing the decline in Eucharistic belief, providing practical recommendations that will help cultivate a profound appreciation for the true presence and the rich traditions vital for the Church’s future.” – Catholic School Principal

“In his book Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence, Rich May hits at the heart of the reason for the decline of reverence and belief in the True Presence happening in our churches today. Every pastor needs to read this book!” –  Retired catechist and teen mentor

“Rich May’s book on Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence is not to be missed by any Catholic who has the opportunity to read it!  I thought I was pretty well informed, but in my reading I came away with so much knowledge of how we got to where we are (on belief in The Real Presence).  I feel that this material will return the laity to a true love for Jesus in the Eucharist, which, in turn, will lead to greater attendance at Mass and more vocations to the priesthood.” –  Former ACTS Core Team 

“Rich May’s book is a rich resource in Eucharistic belief and practice that will help parishes understand the need for deeper faith in, and greater reverence for, Christ in the Holy Eucharist and the practical means of bringing those about.” –  Former Parish Faith Formation Director

“I started receiving the Eucharist on my tongue a year ago.  This book on a Post Eucharistic Revival reinforced the wisdom of traditional reception of His Real Presence.  Reading about the early Church teachings and practices opened up once again the mystery I felt as a young child just beginning to receive God in my own body.  I am so grateful for this book.” –  Retired Teacher

“Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book with a thorough treatment of the topic from both historical and spiritual perspectives. It is a compelling argument for change.” –  Long time OCIA Catechist

“Rich May has written a powerful book on a subject critical to all Catholics; the Eucharist. It is an easy read which makes the complicated theology understandable and a very practical explanation of why it is so important to get the Eucharist right.” –  Former: Chairman of the Board Christian Renewal Center, Chapter Director, ACTS Missions

“As a youth director, I find that Rich May’s Addressing Loss of Belief in the Real Presence is an extremely helpful tool. Teens seriously lack a proper understanding of the Eucharist, but this is not entirely their fault. The parishes they are growing up in, for whatever reason, water the Faith down so as to try to “meet them where they’re at.” This approach has been a disaster. In this book, Rich May does what not too many Catholics are willing to do and calls out the elephant in the room. Addressing the topics of music, dress and reception of the Blessed Sacrament, Rich provides a sound and orthodox analysis — and he does so while remaining faithful to the Magisterium of the Church. Teens do not reject the Church’s teaching about the Eucharist solely because of insufficient catechesis; rather, they reject it because adults treat the Eucharist as if it is just a symbol. If every parent in a diocese read this book, a true Eucharistic revival would happen quickly.” – Parish Youth Director

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rich May, an Air Force pilot, VET, and a retired aerospace engineer, has a BA in Theology (University of St. Thomas, Houston) and an MA in Theology (Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio). He has 38 years experience teaching catechesis. Often on Catholic radio, he hosted a live weekly show on Radio Maria. He has appeared several times on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) most recently featuring his work Addressing Moral Confusion, a parent-teacher-student workbook that addresses the cultural relativism our youth face. He speaks locally and nationally (Full Bio: www.havetruth.org).

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