Mirae Caritatis §19

¹⁹ To conclude, we gladly acknowledge that it has been a cause of no small joyto us that during these last years a renewal of love and devotion towards theSacrament of the Eucharist has, as it seems, begun to show itself in the heartsof the faithful; a fact which encourages us to hope for better times and a morefavourable state of affairs. Many and varied, as we said at the commencement,are the expedients which an inventive piety has devised; and worthy of specialmention are the confraternities instituted either with the object of carryingout the Eucharistic ritual with greater splendour, or for the perpetualadoration of the venerable Sacrament by day and night, or for the purpose ofmaking reparation for the blasphemies and insults of which it is the object. Butneither We nor you, Venerable Brethren, can allow ourselves to rest satisfiedwith what has hitherto been done; for there remain many things which must befurther developed or begun anew, to the end that this most divine of gifts thisgreatest of mysteries, may be better understood and more worthily honoured andrevered, even by those who already take their part in the religious services ofthe Church. Wherefore, works of this kind which have been already set on footmust be ever more zealously promoted; old undertakings must be revived whereverperchance they may have fallen into decay; for instance, Confraternities of theholy Eucharist, intercessory prayers before the blessed Sacrament exposed forthe veneration of the faithful, solemn processions, devout visits to God'stabernacle, and other holy and salutary practices of some kind; nothing must beomitted which a prudent piety may suggest as suitable. But the chief aim ofour efforts must be that the frequent reception of the Eucharist may beeverywhere revived among Catholic peoples. For this is the lesson which istaught us by the example, already referred to, of the primitive Church, by thedecrees of Councils, by the authority of the Fathers and of the holy men in allages. For the soul, like the body, needs frequent nourishment; and the holyEucharist provides that food which is best adapted to the support of its life.Accordingly all hostile prejudices, those vain fears to which so many yield, andtheir specious excuses from abstaining from the Eucharist, must be resolutelyput aside; for there is question here of a gift than which none other can bemore serviceable to the faithful people, either for the redeeming of time fromthe tyranny of anxious cares concerning perishable things, or for the renewal ofthe Christian spirit and perseverance therein. To this end the exhortations andexample of all those who occupy a prominent position will powerfully contribute,but most especially the resourceful and diligent zeal of the clergy. Forpriests, to whom Christ our Redeemer entrusted the office of consecrating anddispensing the mystery of His Body and Blood, can assuredly make no betterreturn for the honour which has been conferred upon them, than by promoting withall their might the glory of his Eucharist, and by inviting and drawing thehearts of men to the health-giving springs of this great Sacrament and Sacrifice,seconding hereby the longings of His most Sacred Heart.