Want a Eucharistic life? Go to confession

TACLOBAN City – A priest recently pointed out the need for the faithful to be in a state of grace before receiving the Holy Eucharist by confessing their sins as often as necessary.

“If you want to live a Eucharistic life you must love confession,” said Fr. Virgilio Manaog, a Marian devotee and head priest of Sacred Heart Parish in Tacloban, during a Holy Mass on Sept. 16.

“In our parish we multiply confessions rather than Masses,” shared the priest, noting the importance of giving Catholics more opportunities to avail of the Sacrament of Penance.

On Mary in the Eucharist

Manaog also stressed the importance of examining not just individual acts but the entire context and reality of an individual.

“Sin is not just what we have done, but sin is also a situation,” said the priest.

Manaog also underscored the Marian nature of the holy Communion.

“When we receive the Communion, we don’t only receive the Holy Trinity, we also receive the Blessed Virgin,” he said.

Manaog explained that since Mary is the biological mother of Jesus, she is part of the body and blood of Christ transformed into bread and wine during Eucharistic consecration at Mass.

Besides going to confession, he likewise encouraged the faithful to pray the rosary daily.

Learning about the faith

“The holy rosary allows us to stay in state of grace, especially if we know what we are saying [when reciting the Holy Rosary] and to whom we are saying it,” he explained.

Following his Mass was a forum on the messages of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal in in 1917.

To mark the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, a monk, who did extensive research on the messages of Our Lady of Fatima, was invited to give a talk on his findings.

Rev. Rafael “Agosto” Suarez, a contemplative of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary and officially stationed at St. Joseph Monastery in Imuk, Laguna), reminded the faithful, especially Marian devotees to learn more deeply about their faith in order not to be deceived by false doctrines.

Retired state auditor and lawyer Fe Simborio, who was a key organizer of the forum, is hopeful that through the message of Fatima the faithful will be able “to improve our prayer life.”

“By this forum we will know and understand the significance of the times we are living in now and know how to chart our lives as we journey towards our end, and what better preparations we can make to improve our lives to be closer to God and assure us of salvation,” shared Simborio. CBCPNews