Dipping into the Catechism 271-278

What is the Eucharist?
The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus which He instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until His return in glory. Thus He entrusted to His Church this memorial of His death and Resurrection.
It is a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet, in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
When did Jesus Christ institute the Eucharist?
Jesus instituted the Eucharist on Holy Thursday “the night on which He was betrayed” (1 Corinthians 11:23), as He celebrated the Last Supper with His apostles.
How did He institute the Eucharist?
After He had gathered with His apostles in the Cenacle, Jesus took bread in His hands. He broke it and gave it to them saying, “Take this and eat it, all of you; this is my  Body which will be given up for you”. Then He took the cup of wine in His hands and said, “Take this and drink of this, all of you. This is the cup of my Blood, the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.”
What does the Eucharist represent in the life of the Church?
It is the source and summit of all Christian life. In the Eucharist, the sanctifying action of God in our regard and our worship of Him reach their high point. It contains the whole spiritual good of the Church, Christ Himself, our Pasch (Pasch means Easter and therefore Resurrection). Communion with Divine life and the unity of the People of God are both expressed and effected by the Eucharist. Through the Eucharistic celebration we are united already with the liturgy of heaven and we have a foretaste of eternal life.
What are the names for this sacrament?
The unfathomable richness of this sacrament is expressed in different names which evoke its various aspects. The most common names are: the Eucharist, Holy Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Breaking of the Bread, the Eucharistic Celebration, the Memorial of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord, the Holy Sacrifice, the Holy and Divine Liturgy, the Sacred Mysteries, the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, and Holy Communion.
Where does the Eucharist fit in the Divine plan of salvation?
The Eucharist was foreshadowed in the Old Covenant above all in the annual Passover
meal celebrated every year by the Jews with unleavened bread to commemorate their
hasty, liberating departure from Egypt. Jesus foretold it in His teaching and He
instituted it when He celebrated the Last Supper with His apostles in a Passover meal.
The Church, faithful to the command of her Lord, “Do this in memory of me” (1
Corinthians 11:24), has always celebrated the Eucharist, especially on Sunday, the day
of the Resurrection of Jesus.
How is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist carried out?
The Eucharist unfolds in two great parts which together form one, single act of
worship. The Liturgy of the Word involves proclaiming and listening to the Word of
God. The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes the presentation of the bread and wine, the
prayer or the anaphora containing the words of consecration, and communion.
Who is the minister for the celebration of the Eucharist?
The celebrant of the Eucharist is a validly ordained priest (bishop or priest) who acts
in the Person of Christ the Head and in the Name of the Church