Denver, Colo., May 23, 2018 / 21:49 pm
The wealth of the Catholic Church's teachings and traditions can be challenging for many to understand, which is why the Augustine Institute has released a new video series focused on the Eucharist.
"Catholicism is so vast and deep, learning it can be overwhelming," Dr. Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, in an interview with CNA.
"But if there is one thing that we can teach Catholics, one thing that holds all our faith together and makes it stick for folks, that is understanding God's presence in the Eucharist," Gray continued, adding that "no other teaching can be so uplifting and tangible for people's spirituality than this mystery, which is why the Church calls it the sum and summit of our faith."
The Augustine Institute is a Denver-based graduate school and organization which aims to serve the Church through academic and parish programs in light of St. John Paul II's call to the New Evangelization.
The video series, titled "Presence," is available for purchase and was released by the Augustine Institute as part of their sacramental video series. It follows the succession of their previous video programs on marriage, baptism, and reconciliation.
"The next in line was the Eucharist," Gray said.
"We did not want to start with the Eucharist because we knew it was the most important, so in a sense the other sacramental programs prepared us to approach this treatment of the Eucharist so that we could give it our best treatment," Gray continued.
The series explores the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist through its institution at the Last Supper and its role in the Catholic faith. It is available in two editions – one for personal use and one for group use in parishes.
The personal edition includes three episodes and an explanation of the Mass for children. The parish edition is aimed at sacramental preparation and catechesis and also includes an apologetics section. The series also comes with leader kits and guides, as well as a personal participant guide.
Gray explained that each episode begins with a true story "that is both compelling and dramatic." His personal favorite of the series are the beginning segments of episodes two and three, "which shows the incredible story of an amazing protestant minister and Jewish woman who encounter the beauty and mystery of the Eucharist."
Gray went on to say that he hopes viewers will deepen their understanding of the Eucharist through the video series and be reawakened to the beauty of its mystery.
"The Mass and Eucharist is central to Christian life, but too often we assume that everyone understands this mystery when they don't," Gray noted.
"This series aims to help open eyes to understand the depth of mystery found in God's amazing presence, but also rekindle a fire for those of us who believe but need to be reawakened to the tremendous gift we have in the Eucharist," he continued.
"If Catholics understand this one thing, they will not leave the Church."