Reader John Laurence writes from Texas (of a recent headline story from our archives on the Eucharist):

“A disturbing part of this article (to me) is about that priest that wrote to you. Unless I am mistaken (please correct me if so), I would think that as an ordained priest, he, above others, would have been obligated to confront the ‘man who took Communion, had no idea what to do with it, and just walked away’ (quote from article). How can an ordained priest, who has been given the power and authority to consecrate the Eucharist, merely ‘observe’ such a thing?

“I am no priest, but I have served as an extraordinary minister many times — and over the years there have been times when I would literally follow an individual who had obviously been given the Eucharist mistakenly and either retrieve it or insist that they consume it–and not leave them until (and unless) they did!”

As for the seeming “lack of faith” in the newly consecrated Eucharist that I described above, I did mention it to one of the priests in this diocese when I had an opportunity. I didn’t do so in a derogatory manner but with kindness and respect. He immediately saw what I was talking about. He wondered where he learned that as well. When the bishop of this diocese says mass, he NEVER looks away from the Eucharist right in front of him – from the very moment that it is consecrated. Obviously, he IS very conscious of the newly consecrated hosts…oddly enough. Should he “confront” his priests on their lack of faith? NO!!! I’ll explain why in a moment…

Many people do not realize that ordained priests do not have to have faith to consecrate the Hosts. Nor do priests even have to ‘be’ in the state of Grace in order for the Consecration to be valid. It is no wonder that many priests treat the Eucharist with very little respect. They don’t do this intentionally nor knowingly, but rather from a certain ‘lack’ of faith whether they realize it or not.

“Should priests be ‘confronted’ about this? Absolutely not! They need our love, prayers, and gratitude more than anything else. The greatest ‘priest’ story I ever heard is the one that is told about Saint Francis of Assisi when he was approaching the end of his life. Saint Francis never felt ‘worthy’ enough to become a priest, but he was an ordained deacon. Sometime after losing his eyesight, some of the brothers complained to Saint Francis that there was a priest who was living with a woman in an adulterous relationship. Being unable to see, he asked that he be taken to him. When the priest came to the door, Saint Francis reached out to grasp his hands, kissed them, and said: ‘These are the hands that bring me Jesus’…!” The point is that priests need our love and prayers and gratitude more than anybody else! Without priests, there would be no Eucharist.”

[resources: Secrets of the Eucharist]