Welcome to the Catechetical Corner—your hub for exploring the beauty and richness of Catholic teachings! Have you ever wondered: Why do we say “consubstantial” in the Creed? What’s the meaning behind the pink candle during Advent? Why do Catholics believe in Transubstantiation?
This is the place to find answers to questions like these and more. Each week, priests in the Cincinnati Jesuit Parish Family address a new question submitted by parishioners, diving into the “why” behind our prayers, rituals, and beliefs.
Submit Your Question
Have a question about the Catholic faith? No question is too small, big, or simple! Use this form to send us your question, and we may feature it in an upcoming bulletin and here on this webpage.
Explore Answers
The Eucharist comes to us in two forms: the Body and the Blood. The Body and the Blood were separated by death. By placing a particle in the chalice, it represents the reunion of his Body and Blood in the Resurrection. In the chalice is the commingling of the physical elements of Christ Jesus risen and present in our midst. When the priest adds the particle to the chalice he quietly prays the following prayer: “May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.” Learn more.
Some parishes choose to use red wine because it is a clearer symbolic representation of the blood of Christ. The symbolic element of the wine, however, is not to be confused with the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. While the wine retains its external properties, its essence is transformed. What is essential, then, is not the color of the wine, but the reality of Christ that becomes present through it.