Week Beginning August 27, 2022
Moving
Numerous Eucharistic miracles involve the supernatural ability to teleport. Hosts fly through the air, brightly hover over special people and places, align to form significant shapes, or mysteriously appear at their desired location. In these events, Jesus gives us a sign, returns things to their proper order, and places himself where he should be. “With men, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). The following examples illustrate the Eucharistic power of the Lord.
Douai, France (1254)
During Easter Communion, a consecrated Host accidentally drops to the floor. As the priest bends down for retrieval, it ascends, shines brightly, and lands on the purificator. Shortly thereafter, a Child appears for all to contemplate. The bishop who confirms the miracle sees on the sacred Host the face of Jesus with two drops of blood on his forehead crowned with thorns. The Host is lost for years after the Revolution but is later recovered by a pastor in 1854. It remains available for the faithful to view at the Church of Saint Peter in Douai.
Erding, Germany (1417)
A poor peasant misunderstands his neighbor’s attribution of success to the Blessed Sacrament. Seeking his own prosperity, he steals a consecrated Host on Holy Thursday and hides it in his clothing. Realizing his sin, he turns back to return the Host. He slips and loses sight of the Eucharist. Frightened, he seeks the help of the pastor, who immediately spots the Host emitting a bright light atop a clump of dirt. As the pastor attempts to retrieve the Host, it ascends into the air and disappears. The pastor notifies the bishop, who has a similar experience. A chapel is built on the sacred site, and an abundance of cures and wonders are attributed to this miracle.
Ettiswil, Switzerland (1447)
A member of a satanic sect steals a pyx containing a large consecrated Host. As she escapes the area, the Host becomes too heavy to carry. She discards the Host in the nettles close to the fence of the property, where it breaks into seven sections. Six of the sections assemble to form the petals of a flower and are surrounded by a bright light. A swineherd discovers the miracle when her animals refuse to move from the site. She enlists the help of two men passing by on horses. The local priest and his parishioners soon rush to the spot, where the priest attempts to pick up the central section of the floral shape. To everyone’s amazement, it sticks to the ground. This sign prompts the building of a chapel upon that location, where additional miracles are now attributed. The six remaining fragments are placed in the church for veneration.
Turin, Italy (1453)
After plundering the town, soldiers place their loot into a bag and escape toward Turin by mule. The mule stumbles and falls prostrate, and a bag containing a monstrance spills open. The townspeople marvel at the sight of the monstrance rising over the surrounding houses. The bishop arrives and prays for the Lord to stay with them. When the monstrance falls to the ground, the Blessed Sacrament is freed from the monstrance and shines like the sun. The bishop holds his chalice high, as the sacred Host slowly lands in the chalice. This Host remains incorrupt until the Holy See orders its consumption. The sacred site now holds the dignity of a minor basilica and is associated with further wonders.
Volterra, Italy (1472)
A soldier from Florence steals an ivory ciborium containing consecrated Hosts. As he leaves the church, he is overcome by his hatred for Jesus and slams the ciborium against the side of the church. The Hosts, shining brightly, mysteriously elevate through the air. Frightened, the soldier repents and falls to the ground crying. A large crowd beholds the miracle, and one of the friars in attendance documents it.
Many saints profess receiving Holy Communion from angels and even from Jesus himself. Others report the Eucharist appearing to them miraculously after expressing intense desire when they are physically unable to attend Mass. Several of these instances are supported by clergy who observe a missing Host or fragment of Host at the time of the wonder. In addition to those types of miraculous Communions, various mystical occurrences like the two listed below are witnessed prior to the earthly death of a saintly servant.
Blessed Imelda Lambertini (1333)
Born to a noble Catholic family in 1322, young Imelda develops an intense devotion to the Eucharist. Despite her pleas to receive the Eucharist, she is told she must wait until the age of 14 for her First Holy Communion. At nine years old, she asks to live with the Dominican nuns in a neighboring monastery. On the Vigil of the Ascension in 1333, she begs to receive Communion. On this day, the Eucharistic Lord supports her request by suspending a sacred Host above her head, shining radiantly upon her. The priest recognizes this sign, and he ministers First Holy Communion to her. She is left in the church to silently pray in thanksgiving. When the sisters return to accompany her to their community meal, they find only her motionless body and smiling face. With her joy realized, her pure soul ascends to Heaven on that blessed day.
Saint Juliana Falconieri (1341)
Before her death, she requests that a consecrated Host be placed upon her chest. After she recites a prayer, the Host disappears, leaving a violet mark in its place.
As you reflect upon these miracles this week, please consider if you are where you should be. Have you allowed misguided people, worldly distractions, or dark forces to carry you away from God? Or, are you aligned with God, following Jesus, united with the Church? Are you obscured by the darkness, or are you positioned to let the light of Christ radiate from you for all to see? Are you in the proper place to bring Christ to others? How can you imitate the Eucharistic Lord and inspire, motivate, and move others by our Christian example?
Week Beginning August 20, 2022
Providing
The Eucharist provides nourishment for our soul. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: “What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life” (CCC 1392). In some miraculous cases, the Eucharist also provides adequate sustenance for the body. Detailed below are a few recent examples of mystical fasting.
Servant of God Therese Neumann, a Catholic stigmatic from Bavaria, eats nothing but the Eucharist from 1923 until her death in 1962 and drinks no water after 1926. According to her biography, her attempts to consume other foods result in regurgitation. The medical team that observes her condition believes her inedia is unexplainable by modern science; the religious sisters that witness her fasting are also unable to account for her survival through human means. However, the holy Therese explains, “The Savior can do all things. Did He not say that “my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink?”
The Venerable Marthe Robin, a French mystic and stigmatist, fasts from all food and drink except the Eucharist from 1930 until her death in 1981. Although her life is marked by illness and progressive paralysis, she gives witness to the power of Christ’s love over suffering. Throughout her life, she receives more than 100,000 visitors seeking her faithful insight. Some witnesses state that when she is unable to swallow, she nonetheless breathes in the Eucharist.
Servant of God Floripes Dornellas de Jesus, a Brazilian Catholic laywoman, survives approximately 60 years until her death in 1999 with the Eucharist as her only source of food. Enduring extreme pain and paraplegia after a fall in the 1930s, she gradually reduces her diet until her only form of sustenance is the Eucharist. During the early years of her fast, thousands of people flock to her side to witness the phenomenon and pray for miracles. In 1958, the Archbishop of Mariana asks her to lead a more withdrawn life to protect her fragile state.
Antonietta De Vitis, a modern Mystic and Stigmatic, fasts from food and drink for over 50 years prior to her death in 2004. Her only sustenance is the Eucharist, which her physician notes is absorbed by her tongue and not swallowed. She writes of the Lord: “He is my everything, my food, drink, rest, effort, pain, life, love, joy and sweetness.” Her virtues are under examination by the Catholic diocese of Otranto, Italy.
The Eucharist provides healing for our soul by separating us from sin (CCC 1393). On occasion, devotion to the Eucharist also provides miraculous physical healing. Take, for example, the story of Bertrand Leclerc. During Easter of 1461, a woman brings her paralyzed and mute son to a church in La Rochelle, France. Although he indicates he would like to receive Communion, the priest is hesitant, because the muteness prevents the child from making confession. Nonetheless, he ministers Communion to the boy, who is suddenly cured. Records indicate that young Bertrand’s first words following this event are: “Our help is in the name of the Lord.”
These words from Psalm 124:8 remind us to appreciate the majesty and wonder of God’s creation. We are comforted to know that we are not alone, because God is present everywhere, in all things, and at all times. When we undergo trials, our Divine Creator helps us to help ourselves, to help others, and to help build His Kingdom in Heaven. We can rest assured that the Lord will provide for us.
Through the Eucharist, the Lord continues to accompany us and abundantly care for us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist” (CCC 1335).
On March 5, at Saint Thomas Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion witnesses a modern-day multiplication of the loaves. Mysteriously, the Hosts duplicate themselves in the ciborium during Mass. The pastor confirms that the increased quantity of Hosts after serving them to the congregation is otherwise unexplainable. The Vatican is currently reviewing this occurrence as a possible Eucharistic miracle. Of particular note, Blessed Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, is affiliated with this church.
As we contemplate these miracles this week, let us appreciate God’s providential care. Reflect upon how you are sustained and nurtured by the Blessed Sacrament. Consider how you can imitate the Eucharistic Lord by providing for others–especially for those in need.
Week Beginning August 13, 2022
Protecting
Our Gospel reading this Sunday (Matthew 14:22-33) reveals Jesus as the Lord. We learn about his ability and desire to protect his people, to see us through the stormy times, to calm our rough seas, and to deliver us to safety. All we have to do is answer his call and believe.
In a similar way, Eucharistic miracles also demonstrate the Lord’s protective power over his faithful. Private revelations include several instances of the Eucharistic Lord shielding us from harm and guiding us through adversity. A few notable examples include the following wonders.
Rimini, Italy (1227)
A heretic tells Saint Anthony that he will convert to the Catholic faith if after starving his mule for three days, the hungry animal chooses to adore God instead of rushing to eat. When the animal’s fast ends, Saint Anthony instructs it to bow before the Blessed Sacrament prior to eating, to demonstrate that all creatures must humble themselves before the Creator. The mule refuses the food and reverently bends its front legs before the Host. The heretic is led to save his soul through conversion and repentance.
Assisi, Italy (1240)
When the fierce Saracens invade the convent of San Damiano, the cloistered virgins call upon Saint Clare for support. Fearless, she prostrates herself before the Lord and asks for his protection over the sisters in her care and her beloved city of Assisi. Moved by the sight of the Blessed Sacrament and the courage of the sisters, the Saracen soldiers retreat and leave them unharmed.
Canosio, Italy (1630)
On the day following the feast of Corpus Christi, a torrential rainfall floods the river and dislodges massive mountain stones. Fearing destruction of the village, the pastor assembles the townspeople and exhorts them to pray. He vows that they will celebrate an annual feast of the Blessed Sacrament if they are spared. As they process toward the raging flood, the priest blesses the waters. The waters recede, the village is saved, and his vow is kept.
Dronero, Italy (1631)
An accidental fire spreads so rapidly that the townspeople are unable to control the outbreak. A local friar organizes a procession with the Blessed Sacrament and implores the help of the Lord. As soon as they reach the site of the fire, the flames are immediately extinguished.
Turin, Italy (1640)
After an invasion of the French army, soldiers occupy the church and slaughter everyone except the friars. One soldier breaks into the tabernacle with the intent to desecrate the sacred Hosts. A flame blazes out of the ciborium and scorches the soldier, who falls to the floor begging for forgiveness. The church fills with dense smoke. Terrified and astonished, the soldiers cease their vandalism.
Cava dei Tirreni, Italy (1656)
A plague overtakes Naples and spreads to the neighboring villages and countryside. Despite the danger of infection, a priest leads the faithful in a procession of reparation on the feast of the Ascension. When they arrive at the summit of the mountain, the priest blesses his city with the Eucharist. The epidemic miraculously stops, and the people of the city are spared.
Morne-Rouge, Martinique (1902)
While celebrating the Ascension of the Lord, a volcano erupts and destruction ensues. The faithful, strongly devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, rush to confession and ask for their village to be saved. The priest gives a general absolution, ministers Holy Communion, and exposes the Blessed Sacrament. During adoration, the townspeople witness an apparition of Jesus in the Host, revealing his Sacred Heart crowned with thorns. Some adorers even see drops of Precious Blood. That day, the town is spared from the volcano. The faithful face the volcano again a few months later. Despite the devastation, they are grateful for their opportunity to reconcile with God and receive His mercy before facing life-threatening tragedy.
Tumaco, Columbia (1906)
After an undersea earthquake strikes, the small island of Tumaco is threatened by the ensuing tsunami. The village faithful run to the church and beg their pastor to lead a Eucharistic procession. Together, they head to the beach. As a giant wave comes crashing in, the priest raises the monstrance and traces the sign of the cross. The wave begins to recede, the sea level returns to normal, and the people are spared from destruction.
Our Sunday Gospel passage also shows us that when we falter and cry out for help, Jesus extends his hand and leads us back to him. When we hesitate to trust in the saving power of the Lord, he provides these supernatural signs to remind us to take courage in his protective love for us. He tells us not to fear, because his love endures forever. Detailed below is a selection of some of the more popular events that illustrate the divine resilience of the Blessed Sacrament through numerous acts of endurance and self-preservation.
Saint John of the Abbesses, Spain (1251)
A sacred Host is hidden in a statue depicting the deposition of Jesus from the cross. The Host is discovered incorrupt in 1426 when the statue is restored. It continues to be adored by pilgrims. Centuries later, the statues are saved from the destruction of the Spanish Civil War.
Glotowo, Poland (1290)
A priest buries a gold-plated, silver ciborium to protect it from invasion by the Lithuanians. Unknowingly, it contains a consecrated Host. A farmer recovers it when his oxen bow to the ground in adoration of the brightly shining Host. A procession is arranged to return the Host to the church. However, the Host miraculously reappears where it is discovered. A little church is built on that location.
Paris, France (1290)
During Easter, a non-believer obtains a consecrated Host with the intention to destroy it. When he stabs it, the Host bleeds so much that he tosses it into fire in a panic. When the Host miraculously arises from the fire unscathed, he submerges it in boiling water. Again, the Host arises safely, this time hovering in the form of a cross. Not knowing what else to do, the man places the Host in the basin of a pious woman, who returns it to the church.
Breda-Niervaart, Holland (1300)
A soldier steals a consecrated Host during a pillage. Shortly thereafter, a farmer finds the Host perfectly preserved under a lump of dirt. He returns it to the pastor for safekeeping. Despite the passage of time, the Host does not deteriorate.
Stiphout, Holland (1342)
A lightning bolt sets fire to a church. When a man attempts to rescue the Blessed Sacrament, he discovers the entire area destroyed except for the area surrounding the tabernacle. He carries the ciborium containing the consecrated Hosts to safety. They remain preserved over time.
Amsterdam, Holland (1345)
After administering viaticum to a dying man, the priest instructs the family to place whatever contents the man may vomit into a fire. The following morning, the Host is discovered intact in the fireplace surrounded by lights; the dying man is restored to health. Three times the priest returns to the house to recover the Host that miraculously reappears there. The house is later converted to a chapel. In 1452, the chapel is destroyed by fire, but the monstrance containing the Host remains unscathed.
Wawel (Krakow), Poland (1345)
When thieves realize a stolen monstrance is not made of solid gold, they toss it with the sacred Hosts into the muddy marshlands. At nightfall, bright lights shine from the area. Villagers are frightened by the sign, so the bishop calls for three days of fasting and prayer. He then leads a procession toward the lights. There, the monstrance and Hosts are discovered as the miraculous source of the lights.
Alboraya-Almacera, Spain (1348)
A priest en route to visit the sick slips in the waters of a small river. The ciborium is overturned and the sacred Hosts spill out. Fisherman soon discover three fish lifting the preserved Hosts to safety. The fish place the Hosts in a chalice held by the priest. The Hosts are returned to the church in a solemn procession in which the villagers participate.
Brussels, Belgium (1370)
In 1369, a rich merchant who hates the Catholic religion steals some consecrated Hosts. After his unanticipated assassination, his widow passes the Hosts on to her husband’s friends. On Good Friday in 1370, they desecrate the Hosts by stabbing them. Although the Hosts begin to bleed, they stay intact. Frightened, they return the Hosts to a Catholic merchant, who returns the Hosts to the curate.
Wilsnack, Germany (1383)
After a terrible fire, three incorrupt bleeding Hosts are discovered in the rubble. Shortly thereafter, miracles associated with the bleeding Hosts are reported, and the site becomes a popular destination for pilgrims.
Poznan, Poland (1399)
When thieves attempt to desecrate stolen Hosts with pointed instruments, blood drips from the Hosts, but they remain intact. Some of the blood splashes into the eyes of a blind girl, whose sight is suddenly restored. Anxious to rid themselves of the bleeding Hosts, the thieves throw them into a swamp. There, a young shepherd discovers the luminous Hosts floating in the air. He reports his findings to the authorities, who place him in jail. He escapes and again attempts to persuade the authorities, who finally visit the now popular site. Only after fervent prayers by a local priest do the Hosts descend into the pyx the priest is holding. The Hosts are returned to the church, a church is erected where the miracle occurs, and a shrine is built where the Hosts are desecrated. Even the table stained by blood from the Hosts remains preserved.
Weiten-Raxendorf, Austria (1411)
A thief steals a consecrated Host, hides it in one of his gloves, and takes off on horseback. The horse suddenly halts and refuses to move. Without notice, the horse then gallops away. The sacred Host falls to the ground unnoticed. A few days later, a woman finds the Host encircled by a bright light. Although the Host cracks in two pieces during the fall, it repairs itself by mending the halves together with bleeding flesh.
Herentals, Belgium (1412)
A thief steals a chalice and a ciborium containing five consecrated Hosts. As he makes his escape, he feels a force weighing him down. His attempts to toss the Hosts into a river are mysteriously thwarted. Instead, he successfully hides the hosts in a rabbit burrow. After confessing the location, a large crowd hurries to the sacred place. There they find the Hosts, illuminated by a bright light and arranged in the shape of a cross. Despite exposure to the elements–including rain–for over a week, the Hosts remain intact.
Avignon, France (1433)
After days of heavy rain, the rivers rise and flood the city. Fearing for the Blessed Sacrament which is left exposed for adoration, the friars row to the church. When they arrive, they discover a perfectly dry path to the altar. On either side, the waters flow over four feet high. The event is reminiscent of the parting of the Red Sea during the time of Moses. The Eucharist is spared from the flood, and several hundred people flock to the church to witness the miracle.
Meerssen, Holland (1465)
In 1222, living blood drips from a consecrated Host and is preserved as a relic. Centuries later, a farmer rescues the blood-stained Host from a fire. Despite massive destruction, the relic remains unharmed.
Marseille en Beauvais, France (1533)
After thieves steal a silver ciborium containing consecrated Hosts, they discard them under a large rock on the side of the road. During a snowstorm, a man sees the rock, which oddly is not covered by snow. He lifts the rock and discovers the Hosts, which remain perfectly preserved. They are returned safely to the church. The devoted then flock to the area where the Hosts are hidden, and many miracles are associated with that sacred space.
Ponferrada, Spain (1533)
A once faithful man succumbs to greed and steals a wooden tabernacle containing a silver ciborium filled with sacred hosts. When he tries to toss the tabernacle, it becomes immensely heavy. He manages to dispose the Hosts in a blackberry patch. Eyewitnesses observe flashes of light and doves near the site of the Hosts. The stolen items are found and returned to the church with a solemn procession. The thief admits his guilt, and a chapel is erected on the site of the miracle.
Morrovalle, Italy (1560)
A raging fire breaks out at a church during the Octave of Easter. In the aftermath, a pyx with consecrated Hosts is found unharmed in the rubble, despite the surrounding area being destroyed by the flames.
Alcoy, Spain (1568)
Desperate for money, a man steals sacred objects and discovers three consecrated Hosts in a silver box. He immediately consumes the Hosts and hides the box on his property. The parish priest informs the townspeople to pray after the theft. After praying in front of a statue of Jesus, a pious widow sees the statue point to the thief’s house. Simultaneously, the pastor is moved to rummage through that man’s property. The silver box is recovered with three Hosts miraculously intact. The thief confesses and repents.
Florence, Italy (1595)
On Good Friday, a candle falls to the ground and starts a fire in a church. The people rush to extinguish the fire and save the Blessed Sacrament and the chalice. Despite their efforts, six fragments of consecrated Host fall upon the smoldering carpet. Unharmed by the fire, they join together. Decades later, the miraculous Host is examined and determined to remain incorrupt.
Alcala, Spain (1597)
A penitent thief returns sacred Hosts to his confessor in tears. The priest opts not to consume the Hosts for fear of poisoning. Instead, they are placed in a silver box. The Hosts exhibit no signs of decomposition. They are placed side-by-side with non-consecrated hosts for comparison. The consecrated Hosts remain preserved, while the other hosts deteriorate. A variety of further tests determine the Hosts to be miraculously preserved.
Faverney, France (1608)
The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration on the evening before Pentecost. Overnight, a fire flares up and destroys the altar and sacred furnishings. When the smoke clears the following morning, the monstrance and the Eucharist are suspended in the air, completely unharmed. People hurry to witness this miracle. The friars immediately prepare to celebrate Mass. During Mass, the monstrance descends on the newly constructed altar.
Siena, Italy (1730)
During a vigil for the feast of the Assumption, thieves steal a golden ciborium containing hundreds of consecrated Hosts. Two days later, the Hosts are discovered in an offering box at a neighboring church, entangled in cobwebs and dirt. Detailed study indicates that they are the same type and the same count of Hosts as the stolen Hosts. The Hosts are returned and left to deteriorate. Centuries later, the Hosts remain fresh and emit the scent of unleavened bread. Several investigations into this miracle conclude the Hosts continue to exhibit the characteristics of freshly baked bread without a hint of decay. However, they fail to provide an explanation regarding why the Hosts–which are prepared without scientific precautions and stored under ordinary conditions–are incorrupt. Other tests comparatively store unconsecrated hosts alongside the recovered Hosts. Unlike the miraculous Hosts, the unconsecrated hosts wither and reduce to particles.
Patierno (Naples), Italy (1772)
Sacred Hosts are recovered a month after they are stolen. Mysterious lights and a dove highlight the location of the Hosts, which are found unharmed under a pile of manure. Several experts declare the preservation of the Hosts to be miraculous.
Onil, Spain (1824)
A pyx containing the Blessed Sacrament is stolen by a former altar boy. A woman recovers the pyx and Host a few weeks later near his home town. She returns it to the church. After 119 years, the authenticity of the miracle is confirmed. Nearly two centuries after the incident, the Host remains incorrupt.
Silla, Spain (1907)
On the feast of the Annunciation, the pastor discovers that a silver ciborium containing sacred Hosts is missing. Two days later, the Hosts are found in a small garden hidden under a stone. The Hosts are returned to the church in a solemn procession. Decades later, the Hosts remain incorrupt.
San Mauro la Bruca, Italy (1969)
After thieves steal sacred objects from the church, they discard the consecrated Hosts. The following day, a child discovers them in the intersection of the road and returns them unharmed to the church. After 25 years of detailed analysis, the Hosts are determined to be preserved miraculously.
This week, consider how you can imitate the protective qualities of the Eucharistic Lord. How can you cooperate with the power of Christ to safeguard yourself from evil, preserve your soul for eternity, and avoid the hellfire of Satan? How can you use your God-given gifts to defend and care for others, especially those who are most vulnerable or experiencing hardships?
Let us also reflect upon our level of reliance on the Lord’s protection. When you are drowning in rough seas during your darkest hours, do you turn toward Christ? Do you abandon the safety of your boat so that Jesus can guide you to walk on water? Is your faith strong enough to let go and let God?
