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Dipping into the Catechism 279-288

What are the essential and necessary elements for celebrating the Eucharist?
The essential elements are wheat bread and grape wine.
In what way is the Eucharist a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ?
The Eucharist is a memorial in the sense that it makes present and actual the sacrifice
which Christ offered to the Father on the cross, once and for all on behalf of mankind.
The sacrificial character of the Holy Eucharist is clear from the very words of Jesus
when He instituted the sacrament: “This is my Body which is given for you” and
“This cup is the New Covenant in my Blood that will be shed for you” (Luke
22:19-20). The sacrifice of the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one and the
same sacrifice. The priest and the victim are the same; only the manner of offering is
different: in a bloody manner on the cross, in an un-bloody manner in the Eucharist.
In what way does the Church participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice?
In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of
His Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, their suffering, their prayers, their
work, are united to those of Christ. In as much as it is a sacrifice, the Eucharist is
likewise offered for all the faithful, living and dead, in reparation for the sins of all
and to obtain spiritual and temporal benefits from God. The Church in heaven is also
united to the offering of Christ.
How is Christ present in the Eucharist?
Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is
present in a true, real and substantial way, with His Body and His Blood, with His
Soul and His Divinity. In the Eucharist, therefore there is present in a sacramental
way, that is, under the Eucharistic species of bread and wine, Christ whole and entire,
God and Man.
What is the meaning of transubstantiation?
Transubstantiation means the change of the whole substance of bread into the
substance of the Body of Christ and of the whole substance of wine into the substance
of His Blood. This change is brought about in the Eucharistic prayer through the
efficacy of the word of Christ and by the action of the Holy Spirit. However, the
outward characteristics of bread and wine, that is the “Eucharistic species,” remain
unaltered.
Does the breaking of the bread divide Christ?
The breaking of the bread does not divide Christ. He is present whole and entire in
each of the Eucharistic species and in each of their parts.
How long does the Presence of Christ last in the Eucharist?
The Presence of Christ continues in the Eucharist as long as the Eucharistic species
subsist.
What kind of worship is due to the sacrament of the Eucharist?
The worship due to the sacrament of the Eucharist, whether during the celebration of
the Mass or outside it, is the worship of latria, that is the adoration given to God
alone. The Church guards with the greatest care Hosts that have been consecrated.
She brings them to the sick and to other persons who find it impossible to participate
at Mass. She also presents them for the solemn adoration of the faithful and she bears
them in processions. The Church encourages the faithful to make frequent visits to
adore the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle.