Educating the Youth to Live the Mass

Experts from the Manual of the

Eucharistic Crusade of the Apostleship of Prayer

Published in 1962 by the Central Office of the Eucharistic Crusade, Rome

 

NORMS FOR DIRECTING THE EUCHARISTIC CRUSADE
OF THE APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER

II: MEANS TO BE USED:

5. Filial Respect to the Supreme Pontiff:*

Even more in this time of crisis of the Church, we must, finally, see to it that the children, closely united as they are to Christ, are also imbued with filial respect and true obedience to His Vicar on earth.  To this end they should remember to pray for the good intentions of the Holy Father, for which they make their daily offering. In this way they will quickly, according to their age, come to know the needs of the Church, and so learn to think and to pray with the whole Church.  They should be taught, in the same way, to show particular respect for their own priests, and, according to their desires, contribute to the work of the Catholic activities in their area.

6. The Watchwords of the Eucharistic Crusade:

This program of 'the Eucharistic Crusade in summed up in the watchwords: "Pray - Receive Communion - Sacrifice - Save Souls." For, made one with Christ through baptism, a man has been called a Christian so as to make of his life a sacrifice "which is offered in Christ and with Christ in honour of God the Father and for the salvation of souls" (Letter of Pius XII, Pastoralis curae, October 28, 1951). By the daily offering, which, because of its relationship to the Sacrifice of Christ, may - in much the same way as we speak of a Spiritual Communion ­be called a "Spiritual Mass," the entire life of the children is transformed into a sacrifice of adoration, thanksgiving, propitiation and petition, so that their whole lives are turned into prayer and sacrifice. When the children who are active members of the Eucharistic Crusade - live with the Eucharistic Christ, Who continually renews His sacrifice for the world on our altars, when they frequently, even daily, nourish themselves with that Heavenly Bread which strengthens and invigorates the soul with supernatural power, when they daily penetrate more and more deeply into the mystery of the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, they become imbued with that spirit of love and sacrifice which moves them, even at some cost to themselves, to engage in the apostolate.

*Note:  I had to change some of the wording of section 5, to reflect the present day situation of the Church.                                                                                       Fr. Boulet