At Mass with Jesus on Calvary: Reflections on the Prayers of the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
by Fr. Gene Martens, SJ
For the ordinary Catholic, this book will clarify the teaching of the Catholic Church on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Even more, by means of its in-depth reflections on the prayers of the Mass, it will inspire and help Catholics in their daily lives to experience in an ever more meaningful and more enriching way their belief in the Real Presence, their participation in the celebration of the Mass, and their visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Furthermore, should a Catholic who has given up belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist happen to read this book, it will enable him or her to realize the truth of this most marvelous gift of God to his Church and thus to accept once again its blessing in his or her life.
Paperback: $17.95 | Kindle: $9.99
REVIEWS
Fr. James Swetnam, SJ, a review published June 2020 in Homiletic and Pastoral Review
TESTIMONIALS
“What enrichment to my Catholic faith I have received by reading Fr Martens’ book! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to receive a new depth of understanding in the celebration of the Mass. Thank you, Fr. Martens, for revealing these many complex mysteries to us.” –Mrs. Pamela Paull
“At Mass with Jesus on Calvary is concise and yet surprisingly rich; as reasonable as it is pious; as suffused with Scripture as with the Church’s magisterial teachings. Fr. Gene Martens spreads ray after ray of illuminating light on the hidden Deity of the Eucharist, on the Christ Who invites us to join Him on Calvary that we one day may come to see Him face to face. I highly recommend this book to all who seek greater understanding the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and more intimate union with Christ.” – Kevin Vost, Psy.D., author of books including Memorize the Mass!, Memorize the Latin Mass! and 12 Life Lessons from St. Thomas Aquinas
“For many years, we had the honor of hosting retreats for alumni and friends at Rockhurst High School that were led by Fr. Martens. Each were filled with messages like those in his book about Christ’s gift of the Eucharist. His book brings to life for the reader the beauty and meaning of these celebrations, which are so central to our Catholic faith and Jesuit spirituality. Fr. Martens Christ-like way of presenting these profoundly life-changing themes is a true gift for the faithful who will open his or her heart to the Lord.” – Laurence W. Freeman, Chief Advancement Officer, Rockhurst High School
“Fr. Martens’ book provides detailed connections between scripture, mass prayers, and church documents. We appreciate most his early point: ‘The Eucharist is not just a matter of our personal union with Jesus in Holy Communion. It also obliges and enables us to imitate Jesus in serving others.’” – Mike and Carol Mathews, Married couple, parents, and long-time residents of the Midwest. Mike worked for Celebration Magazine and is active in social service efforts. Carol was liturgist for Holy Spirit Parish and is active in diocesan liturgy work.
“Father Martens’ book At Mass with Jesus on Calvary will be an inspiring companion for all Catholics, especially teachers in parochial schools, PSR and RCIA programs, liturgies and all participants in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Readers will gain deep insights and feel Father’s profound reverence on every page.” – Charlene Nauert, Member of the St. Louis Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission
“Father Martens’ deep personal faith and devotion to the Eucharist is evident as he guides the reader to a deeper understanding of the Real Presence and invites us all to a fuller participation in the Mass through enhancing our awareness and comprehension.” – Patricia M Balke, PhD, author & educator, In God’s Image: Male and Female
“Fr. Martens gives us an insightful reminder into the beliefs of our Catholic faith, the Eucharist and the Mass. His examination is a thought-provoking journey into a better understanding of the Transubstantiation, giving biblical references and theological background for this gift to us. It is an important book for those who want to search further into the doctrine supporting this sacrament, those who are religious educators, or those who are preparing for Lay Ministry in the church.” – Sharon A. Curry, Catechist, and Eucharistic Minister
“Fr. Marten’s knowledge and understanding of the Eucharistic presence, the core of the Catholic belief, is an insightful reflection of his personal faith and hope. It affirms the words of the hymn, “without seeing you, we love you, without seeing you, we believe, you are our Savior, we believe in you.” – Sr. Carlene Welker, D.C., Pastoral Associate, Our Lady of the Holy Cross, St. Louis, MO
“Fr. Martens provides an awareness of key words and phrases in the Eucharistic prayers that gives the lay person a new depth of meaning while enriching their understanding of the Mass. This book would be excellent for a small-group study of the Mass.” – Patricia A. Meyer, LLM, Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, FL
“Knowledge and the ability to teach are two separate gifts. Fr. Martens has both and demonstrates it with this book. When he addresses a student’s question on the Real Presence, ‘how do you squeeze a man into that tiny piece of bread?’ – it shows he is in touch with the person in the pew.” – Roger F. Meyer, Scripture Study Facilitator, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Seminole, FL
“Fr. Gene Martens provides a beautiful explication of the sacred gift of the Eucharist. Through his ordinary language and insightful metaphors, he offers a valuable resource that is vibrant and compelling as well as easy to understand–perfect for use in adult formation programs in a parish setting and preparation material for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.” – Angie Doerr, Director of Religious Education Emerita, St. Francis Xavier College Church, St. Louis, Missouri
“The thoughts of Fr. Gene Martens on the Eucharist are in spiritual harmony with St. Paul who describes faithful followers as the body of Christ. All who love the Eucharist as communal celebration with the real presence of Christ will be enriched by this book.” – Vic Hummert, Hospital Jail Chaplain
“In this book, far from struggling, faith and reason celebrate together. It’s one of the miracles of the Eucharist. This is a comforting read, reminding us page after page that the Truth does not change. Expressions might and ought to; Truth does not. Our intellects, like a searchlight that doesn’t reach so far, cannot penetrate the mystery but can indeed throw light on the wonders of the Sacrament. Fr Martens has done all of that and written it in plain language and vivid image.” – Fr Joe Tetlow, SJ
“Evident in this book is the author’s years of success in the classroom. His style is clear and informative, always geared toward the student – of any age. I recommend this book to those who are seeking to deepen their love and devotion to the Eucharist as well as to those in adult formation programs in parish settings. They won’t need a discussion starter.” – Sr. Marianne Postiglione, RSM, Associate Director, Emerita, ITEST
“I highly recommend this book because Father’s spiritual life has allowed him to live his words and reflect to those who know him a better relationship with our God. I am excited to recommend this book and know it will bless many with his knowledge and efforts.” – Carol Atchity, BVM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fr. Gene Martens, SJ, holds Licentiate Degrees in Philosophy and Theology from St. Louis University. He also holds a Certificate of Higher Religious Education from the Institut Pastorale Cathechetique of the Catholic Faculty at the University of Strasbourg, in France.
From 1966 to 1976, Fr. Martens taught religion at Rockhurst Jesuit High School in Kansas City, Missouri. During those years, in the wake of Vatican Council II, he gave numerous religious conferences to parents and helped to present a diocesan training program for religion teachers. He was a member of the editorial team which produced A New Look at Life, published by Paulist Press in 1970, as the eighth-grade program for the English language version of the “Come to the Father” series of religion texts.
Over the years from 1966 until the present, Fr. Martens has preached dozens of retreats to Religious Women, lay women and men, and also a few to high-school students. In addition, he has given many Days of Recollection or Spiritual Conferences to priests and other adults and even a few talks to children. As part of most of these various forms of spiritual education, Fr. Martens included lectures on the nature and meaning of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
OTHER ACADEMIC BOOKS
John’s Gospel: Recovering Authorial Intent by Fr. Peter Grover, OMV
John's Gospel: Recovering Authorial Intent by Fr. Peter Grover, OMV This book introduces an innovative intratextual methodology to interpret the Gospel of John as a cohesive literary work, focusing on the author's intent. Grover argues that the Prologue (John 1:1-18)...
Foundations of Our Catholic Faith and The Hedge of the Vine: Selected Works of Frits Albers, Volume 3, Ed. by Frank Calneggia
The Foundations of Our Catholic Faith and The Hedge of the Vine: The Selected Works of Frits Albers, Vol. 3 by Frits Albers, edited by Frank Calneggia Selected for publication in this third volume of the works of Frits Albers are the following: The Foundations of Our...
The Face of Jesus, the Martyr and the Reciprocity of Abiding Love by J. Marianne Siegmund
The Face of Jesus, the Martyr and the Reciprocity of Abiding Love: Anthropological Considerations in Spiritual Theology Based Upon the Pontifical Writings of Pope Saint John Paul the Great by J. Marianne Siegmund This book explores the theological and spiritual...
D. H. Lawrence, Traditionalist: The Development of the Theme of the Sacred and the Profane by John Michael Klink
D.H. Lawrence, Traditionalist: The Development of the Theme of the Sacred and the Profane by John Michael Klink In this book, John Michael Klink shows how Lawrence redirects the modern reader to an awareness of the ancient distinction between that which yields life...
Crucified Love: Littleness, Spousal Love, and Fiat as the Instruments Jesus used in Enduring the Cross and the Means of a Soul Uniting with Him in Crucified Love by Dr. Mary Kloska
Crucified Love: Littleness, Spousal Love, and Fiat as the Instruments Jesus used in Enduring the Cross and the Means of a Soul Uniting with Him in Crucified Love by Dr. Mary Elizabeth Anne Kloska, Fiat+ In Crucified Love: Littleness, Spousal Love, and Fiat as...
Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders by Theresa Farnan, Susan Selner-Wright, and Robert L. Fastiggi
Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders Editors -- Theresa Farnan, Susan Selner-Wright, and Robert L. Fastiggi This book has been designed to assist Catholics doing pastoral work and ministering to...
Redeeming Sex: The Battle for the Body by Eduardo Echeverria
Redeeming Sex: The Battle for the Body by Eduardo J. Echeverria The project of redeeming sex involves the battle for the body, one that is fought on many fronts in this book: the need for a philosophical and theological anthropology on the nature of the human person,...
Lived Experience and the Search for Truth: Revisiting Catholic Sexual Morality
Lived Experience and the Search for Truth: Revisiting Catholic Sexual Morality Editors -- Deborah Savage and Robert L. Fastiggi This book is an initial attempt to arrive inductively at the truths embedded in the moral teaching of the Church through the lived...
Summa Apologetica: Catholic Apologetics and Moral Questions by Joseph Freymann
Summa Apologetica: Catholic Apologetics and Moral Questions by Joseph Freymann Summa Apologetica is for adults and mature teens. It is specifically designed for a year-long course in Catholic Apologetics at the late high-school or early-college level. The book...
Jesus Christ, Scandal of Particularity: Vatican II, a Catholic Theology of Religions, Justification, and Truth by Eduardo J. Echeverria
Jesus Christ, Scandal of Particularity: Vatican II, a Catholic Theology of Religions, Justification, and Truth by Eduardo J. Echeverria In this book, in view of the light of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, and hence the scandal of particularity, the author...
Two Towers and a Minaret: Migration from a Catholic Perspective by Fr. Piotr Mazurkiewicz
Two Towers and a Minaret: Migration from a Catholic Perspective by Fr. Piotr Mazurkiewicz with a preface by John M. Klink and a foreword by Jane F. Adolphe Mass migration is a serious challenge in both America and Europe. Hence the question of the ethical limits of...
Rigidez: Fidelidade ou Heterodoxia? por Pedro Gabriel
Rigidez: Fidelidade ou Heterodoxia? por Pedro Gabriel "Porque é que o Papa Francisco está sempre a criticar os católicos fiéis?" é uma pergunta frequentemente repetida sempre que o Santo Padre faz uma das suas habituais invectivas contra a rigidez religiosa. De facto,...
Altar Against Altar: An Analysis of Catholic Traditionalism by Andrew Mioni
Altar Against Altar: An Analysis of Catholic Traditionalism By Andrew Mioni When does the crisis in the Church end? May priests universally minister without any canonical mission? Can one Eucharist be offered against another in legitimate Catholic worship? Using the...
Rigidity: Faithfulness or Heterodoxy by Pedro Gabriel
Rigidity: Faithfulness or Heterodoxy? by Pedro Gabriel “Why is Pope Francis always criticizing faithful Catholics?” is an oft-repeated question whenever the Holy Father makes one of his usual invectives against religious rigidity. Francis has indeed made such...
Vatican II, Defense of the Novus Ordo Missae, Five Smooth Stones (1 Sam. 17:40) – On Modern Trends and How to Deal with Them: The Selected Works of Frits Albers, Vol. 2 by Frits Albers
Vatican II, Defense of the Novus Ordo Missae, Five Smooth Stones (1 Sam. 17:40) – On Modern Trends and How to Deal with Them: The Selected Works of Frits Albers, Vol. 2 by Frits Albers, edited with a Foreword by Frank Calneggia Selected for publication in this second...
Contemporary Sacred Art: Conversations on Art & Faith
Contemporary Sacred Art: Conversations on Art & Faith by Dr. Michela Beatrice Ferri In translation now from the Italian. Buy it in the original language here: What is the so-called “Contemporary Sacred Art”? In her book, Michela Beatrice Ferri inquires about the...
It’s Everybody’s World: We either Live Together or Die Together by Robin Arthur
It's Everybody's World: We either Live Together or Die Together by Robin Arthur This book invites global communities to seek the peaceful advancement of humanity that globalisation can bring about and open the gates to a common future, casting away the other troubles...
Elements of Christianity: The Beauty of the Christian Faith
Elements of Christianity: The Beauty of the Christian Faith by Tonino Vicari This book attempts to make accessible to the average reader the basic elements of Church teaching concerning morality, natural law, and supernatural truths that have been passed down through...
The Nostalgia for a New Christendom by Mario Ramos-Reyes
The Nostalgia for a New Christendom by Mario Ramos-Reyes Mario Ramos-Reyes explains the political schizophrenia of mid-20th century Latin America and the healing process that sought to fill the void between Enlightenment liberalism and the Catholic tradition. The cure...
Politics, Law & Religion in Times of COVID, ed. by Jane F. Adolphe, Fulvio Di Blasi, Robert L. Fastiggi
Politics, Law & Religion in Times of COVID Editors, Jane F. Adolphe, Fulvio Di Blasi, and Robert L. Fastiggi After two years of anti-COVID-19 policies, an international group of Catholic scholars and lawyers gathered in Rome under the auspices of the International...
The Gender Revolution: A Global Agenda by Marguerite A. Peeters
The Gender Revolution: A Global Agenda (A Tool for Discernment) by Marguerite A. Peeters, Ph.D., with a Foreword by Robert Cardinal Sarah Wherever one lives in the world and whatever one’s age and occupation, it has today become difficult to escape the influence of...
Consuming Love by Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV
Consuming Love: Discovering Christ the Bridegroom in Holy Communion by Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV The Eucharist is the “sacrament of love.” Jesus Christ is the true Bridegroom of our hearts, and it is he whom we receive in holy Communion. Even if you have received our...
Heresia Disfarçada de Tradição por Pedro Gabriel
Heresia Disfarçada de Tradição por Pedro Gabriel Uma afirmação muito difundida nos círculos católicos atuais é que se pode ignorar os ensinamentos do Papa Francisco ou do Concílio Vaticano II se eles ensinarem algo que parece ir contra a tradição. Será que isso é...
Unpacking Palamism: A Catholic Critique
Unpacking Palamism: A Catholic Critique by James Likoudis with essays selected and edited by Andrew Likoudis Unpacking Palamism: A Catholic Critique, penned by esteemed scholar Dr. James Likoudis, meticulously scrutinizes the doctrines of Palamism, a theological...
The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism
The Lord of the Rings and Catholicism: Exploring the Christian Roots of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by Madeleine Dobrowski This book explores the Catholic themes that can be found in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is written for all lovers of Tolkien, Catholic or...
Disputed Catholic Landmarks: From Disinformation to Information
Disputed Catholic Landmarks: From Disinformation to Information by Gerard Verschuuren Everyone's life has landmarks: when you were born, when you graduated from school, when you got your first job, when you got married, and so many more. There must be many landmarks...
Human Nature: Moral Norm
Human Nature: Moral Norm by Francis Etheredge There is a 'difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle: it is a difference which is much wider and deeper than is usually thought, one which involves in the...
The Divine Mosaic: Piecing Together Catholic and Orthodox Unity
The Divine Mosaic: Piecing Together Catholic and Orthodox Unity by James Likoudis This book collects essays, speeches, and presentations given over the course of James Likoudis' seven decades as a Catholic. As a convert from Eastern Orthodoxy, he has devoted the...
Heresy Disguised as Tradition
Heresy Disguised as Tradition by Pedro Gabriel A widespread assertion in Catholic circles today is that one can disregard the teachings of Pope Francis or the Second Vatican Council if they teach something that seems to go against tradition. Is this the case? In this...
Scholars of the Sacred: Dominican Theologians in Late Medieval Byzantium
Scholars of the Sacred: Dominican Theologians in Late Medieval Byzantium by James Likoudis This in-depth study of the Catholic–Orthodox reunion efforts during the tumultuous 11th–15th centuries reveals the vital role played by the Dominican Order in shaping the...
Beloved Lover: The Priesthood in the Song of Songs by Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV
Beloved Lover: The Priesthood in the Song of Songs by Fr. Gregory Cleveland, OMV In the context of the mystical love poetry of the Song of Songs, Beloved Lover explores how the priest is the living image of Jesus Christ, the Spouse of the Church. The priest is called...
True Catholic Doctrinal Development: The Modal Distinction of Francisco Suárez and its Christological-Theological Consequences
True Catholic Doctrinal Development: The Modal Distinction of Francisco Suárez and its Christological-Theological Consequences by Dr. Rafael Xavier Gonzalez In this book, Dr. Rafael Gonzalez discusses Suárez' modal distinction, which seems to satisfy both medieval...
The Social Encyclicals and Saint Thomas Aquinas
The Social Encyclicals and Saint Thomas Aquinas by Dr. Donald G. Boland The social encyclicals of the Catholic Church provide an opportunity to treat human behavior from a practical moral philosophical point of view grounded in Aristotle as interpreted by Saint Thomas...
The Globalization of the Western Cultural Revolution: Key Concepts, Operational Mechanisms by Marguerite A. Peeters
The Globalization of the Western Cultural Revolution: Key Concepts, Operational Mechanisms by Marguerite A. Peeters, Ph.D. A new ethic, secularist in its radical aspects, has spread like wildfire all over the world since the end of the cold war. This ethic is the...
Conscience and Power: The Contest for Civilization in the West
Conscience and Power: The Contest for Civilization in the West by Dr. Richard Bishirjian Conscience and Power examines how civilization in "the West" arose after the fall of the Roman Empire and has grappled ever after with a desire of citizens of nations of Western...
Clerical Sexual Misconduct, Vol. 2: A Foundational Conversation
Clerical Sexual Misconduct, Vol 2: A Foundational Conversation Editors -- Jane F. Adolphe and Robert L. Fastiggi The abuse, harassment, or devaluation of women, in any form by Catholic priests and bishops, raises concerns about: whether clerics have a healthy...
The Necessity of Knowledge for Love and its Application
The Necessity of Knowledge for Love and Its Application by Fr. Paul Ezinando In this work, Fr. Paul Ezinando not only demonstrates that knowledge is a necessity for love, but he also shows that proper knowledge promotes love. Following the argument of St. Augustine,...
La Cattiva Condotta Sessuale del Clero: Un’Analisi Interdisciplinare
La Cattiva Condotta Sessuale del Clero: Un'Analisi Interdisciplinare A cura di Jane F. Adolphe e Ronald J. RychlakTraduzione italiana di Marco Toti La Cattiva Condotta Sessuale del Clero, Un’Analisi Interdisciplinare è un libro importante curato da Jane F. Adolphe e...
Unfolding a Post-Roe World
Unfolding a Post-Roe World by Francis Etheredge Unfolding a Post-Roe World is the second edition of what had formerly been entitled The ABCQ of Conceiving Conception. It explores what is involved in grasping the beginning of each of us – but we need the truth to open...
Los principios del cambio
Los principios del cambio: La reforma carmelita de Teresa de Ávila y las ideas de la gestión del cambio Kristina R. Olsen Este libro se basa en los principios de gestión del cambio organizacional para examinar la reforma de la Orden Carmelita de Teresa de Ávila en el...
The Wonder of the Eucharist
The Wonder of the Eucharist: More Voices from the Twentieth Century by Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. This book examines some of the major literary voices from the past century who deepened our understanding of the Eucharist by embedding it in their short stories, novels,...
A History of Western Civilization from the Three Earliest Civilizations to the Completion of the Reconquista by Fr. Charles Bak, MSA
A History of Western Civilization from the Three Earliest Civilizations to the Completion of the Reconquista: Western Civilization, Part 1 by Fr. Charles Bak, MSA This book tells a good story, actually the best story--the real story! So much of history involves...
Global Healing: Poverty, Migration and Refugees, Race and Religion, War, Morality by Robin Arthur
Global Healing: Poverty, Migration and Refugees, Race and Religion, War, Morality by Robin Arthur This book seeks to examine five challenges that our changing world will increasingly confront in the aftermath of Covid-19, namely poverty, migration and refugees, race...
Paradoxes of Faith and Reason
Paradoxes of Faith and Reason by Dr. Shalina Stilley Paradox it is at the very heart of the Gospel message. The Trinity, the Incarnation, the Cross and Resurrection, and the problem of evil are but a few examples of paradoxes of faith and reason. How can God be three...
Rise and Fall of the American Empire
A new book from En Route Books and media critically analyzes how the Republic fashioned by the Framers of the Constitution in 1787 has been transformed into a deep Administrative State ruled by non-elected experts.Rise and Fall of the American Empire by Dr. Richard...
Reaching for the Resurrection: A Pastoral Bioethics
Reaching for the Resurrection: A Pastoral Bioethics Loneliness, Aloneness, Euthanasia, Meaning, Anorexia, Brain Death, Conversion, and the Death and Resurrection of Christ by Francis Etheredge Francis Etheredge returns to the subject of bioethics with essays on...
Principles of Change by Kristina R. Olsen
Principles of Change: Teresa of Avila’s Carmelite Reform and Insights from Change Management Kristina R. Olsen This book draws from organizational change management principles to examine Teresa of Avila’s 16th-century reform of the Carmelite Order. During the last...
Exploring the Belief in the Real Presence
Exploring the Belief in the Real Presence (Second Edition) by Dr. David J. Keys When an evangelical minister asked him why one would believe that Jesus is present -- body, blood, soul, and divinity -- in communion, Dr. Keys began an intensive study into the ancient...
The Biblical Qur’an: A Christian Investigation
The Biblical Qur'an: A Christian Investigation by Michael Healy, Jr. Can Christians interpret the Qur’an Christocentricly, as we have always done with the Old Testament? How would such a reading of the Qur’an modify our understanding of Christian and Muslim history?...
History of Peter
History of Peter by Roger Skrenes Peter is spoken of 195 times in the New Testament, twice as many times as all the other Apostles combined. Today, when Peter is discussed, however, what is most often emphasized is the erratic or sinful side of his personality. Jesus...