Models of the Eucharist

In this provocative book that will surely be subject of much discussion, Kevin Irwin reflects on the jewel in the crown of Catholicism--"the celebration of the Eucharist. He articulates what we believe from what we say and do when we celebrate the Mass and puts forth a theology of the Eucharist derived from the liturgy--"lex orandi, lex credendi. The author explores and explains what happens when Mass is celebrated and what our central act of worship means in terms of Catholic belief and living the Christian life. His work is meant to be theological, pastoral and current. In essence it is concerned with issues about the Eucharist that face us today, some forty years after the truly historical and unprecedented revisions that took place in our liturgy after the Second Vatican Council. Some of these concerns are the result of unforeseen developments about the Eucharist resulting from other factors, for example the decline in numbers of clergy leading in some places to Sunday celebrations without the Mass. Other concerns arise from a lack of proper catechesis about the Mass, e.g., doctrine of the real presence and eucharistic sacrifice, and a keen desire to understand why and how the Eucharist is at the center of Catholic life.