Father Jeff Fasching

Understanding the Place of the Eucharist in Catholicism

IntroductionFather (FR.) Jeffery “Jeff” Fasching provides faith

services like the traditional Latin Mass at one of the largest Hispanic parishes in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Among the most important of Father Jeff Fasching’s duties as a Catholic priest is to offer the Eucharist to parishioners.

The term “Eucharist” comes from the Greek for “thanksgiving” and describes one of the essential sacraments of the Catholic faith. When faith leaders like Rev. Fasching perform the Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, the faithful drink of holy wine and holy bread that has been transformed into the literal blood and flesh of Christ.

Eucharist in CatholicismThe act is considered both nourishment in

taking in the substance of Christ and a sacrifice in that Christ died to absolve humanity of its sins.

The Eucharist is rooted biblically in the Gospels, wherein Christ informs his followers that those who eat of His flesh and blood will enter into holy union with Him. This union is worthy of great celebration, which is why “thanksgiving” is such an apropos way to describe the sacrament.