Jesuit head of Asian Catholic news agency criticizes transubstantiation (Catholic Caucus)

Catholic Culture ^ | 05/25/2010 | n/a

[Pyro7480]

Stating that “Catholics can become fanatical about one form of the Body of Christ in the bread of the Eucharist as the REAL presence of Christ,” Father Michael Kelly, the Jesuit CEO of the Asian Catholic news agency UCA News, criticized the doctrine of transubstantiation in a May 24 column.

In his column-- a critique of the new, more accurate liturgical translations that reflect the content and dignity of the original Latin-- Father Kelly writes:

Regrettably, all too frequently, the only Presence focused on is Christ’s presence in the elements of bread and wine. Inadequately described as the change of the “substance” (not the “accidents”) of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, the mystery of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist carries the intellectual baggage of a physics no one accepts. Aristotelian physics makes such nice, however implausible and now unintelligible, distinctions. They are meaningless in the post-Newtonian world of quantum physics, which is the scientific context we live in today.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, teaches:

The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation." (no. 1376)

[Pyro7480]

See Dr. Mirus's commentary on this story at Attacking Transubstantiation

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[bwc2221]

As the graduate of a Jesuit university, I believe it’s time the Pope disbanded the order.

[Notwithstanding]

Just like 0bama: not even hiding his contempt for traditional values.

[blackpacific]

Aristotle’s philosophical distinction between substance and accident is timeless. Meanwhile, modern academia has become unintelligible.

[CdMGuy]

No surprise here. Just one more Jesuit who considers himself to be more intelligent than the Vatican. These egotistical bastards who call themselves Catholic priests have been at this for centuries. It is past time for the Pope to not just suppress this order, as a Pope had done several hundred years ago, it is time to disband them.

[nysuperdoodle]

I agree with him - transubstantiation is a completely illogical and silly dogma that reflects poorly on the world’s most rational faith (Christianity). It is an extra-Biblical tradition and, like most creations of men, only opens the faith up to prove their critics correct on something. Why put any value on superstitions and fantasies?

[notaliberal]

[steve8714]

Thank you for your reasoned critique of a faith about which you know nothing. The beauty of the Church’s mysteries is beyond your little mind. Tell the guys at your Kingdom Hall about this.

[CT-Freeper]

What is it that makes it so illogical and silly?

[nysuperdoodle]

Kingdom Hall??? What does that have to do with anything? FYI, I am NOT a Jehovah’s Witness, if that’s what you’re getting at, and I have three sons in Catholic School, so I may not be as completely ignorant as you think. As to the logic of it, I think it’s a doctrine that makes the entire faith look irrational with the notion that priests are performing a miracle that no one can see, touch, smell, or taste. As to the size of my mind, it’s at least big enough to know that bread stays bread, and that God doesn’t perform miracles on our demand. I still don’t know where you’re going with the Kingdom Hall comment...???

[nysuperdoodle]

And I’m critiquing a DOCTRINE, not a faith.

[kidd]

It is an extra-Biblical tradition...

Except for that Last Supper thingy where Jesus says "This IS My body, etc" and asks us to do this in memory of Him...

[wideawake]

It is an extra-Biblical tradition

"This is my body which is given for you"

Luke 22:19

[mlizzy]

I have three sons in Catholic School, so I may not be as completely ignorant as you think. As to the logic of it, I think it’s a doctrine that makes the entire faith look irrational with the notion that priests are performing a miracle that no one can see, touch, smell, or taste.

Why did you place your kids in the Catholic school system (do they believe in Transubstantiation?), if you don't believe in the source and summit of the faith. --CCC, #1324

[ConorMacNessa]

As another graduate of a Jesuit university, I second the motion.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Pyro7480]

This is a Catholic Caucus thread. Please read the Religion Moderator’s guidelines on his profile.

[kosta50]

I have a question (and this is not criticism): Why are Jesuits, and indeed any Catholic order, or individuals, who teach things contrary to, or critical of the core beliefs of the Church not excommunicated?