“The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life. “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it.””(Catechism of the Catholic Church #1324)

As Catholics, we believe in the Real Presence of Christ within the Eucharist. That is, we believe that Jesus Christ is really, truly present in his body, blood, soul, and divinity in the consecrated host and wine. The Eucharist is a “re-presentation” of the same sacrifice Christ made on the cross at Calvary, thus the Eucharist is a sacrifice as well as a sacrament.
 

Jesus said: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh… So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him'” (John 6:51, 53-55).

Fruits of Holy Communion

• Intimate union with Christ

• Preserves, increases and renews the life of grace received when we were baptized. 

• Separates us from sin. 

• Strengthens our charity which is weakened by everyday life experiences. 

• Wipes away venial sins

• Christ revives our loves and he enables us to break our disordered attachments to created things and in turn root ourselves deeper in our love of him. 

• Preserves us from future mortal sins. 

• Unites us more closely to the Body of Christ, the Church 

• Helps us to recognize Christ in our poor brothers and sisters.