AUGUST 5, 2019
Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ
Transubstantiation – the idea that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Communion become the body and blood of Jesus Christ – is central to the Catholic faith. Indeed, the Catholic Church teaches that “the Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’”
But a new Pew Research Center survey finds that most self-described Catholics don’t believe this core teaching. In fact, nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) say they personally believe that during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine used in Communion “are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.” Just one-third of U.S. Catholics (31%) say they believe that “during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.” In addition to asking Catholics what
In addition to asking Catholics what they believe about the Eucharist, the new survey also included a question that tested whether Catholics know what the church teaches on the subject. Most Catholics who believe that the bread and wine are symbolic do not know that the church holds that transubstantiation occurs. Overall, 43% of Catholics believe that the bread and wine are symbolic and also that this reflects the position of the church. Still, one-in-five Catholics (22%) reject the idea of transubstantiation, even though they know about the church’s teaching.
The vast majority of those who believe that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ – 28% of all Catholics – do know that this is what the church teaches. A small share of Catholics (3%) profess to believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist despite not knowing the church’s teaching on transubstantiation.
About six-in-ten (63%) of the most observant Catholics — those who attend Mass at least once a week — accept the church’s teaching about transubstantiation. Still, even among this most observant group of Catholics, roughly one-third (37%) don’t believe that the Communion bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ (including 23% who don’t know the church’s teaching and 14% who know the church’s teaching but don’t believe it). And among Catholics who do not attend Mass weekly, large majorities say they believe the bread and wine are symbolic and do not actually become the body and blood of Jesus.
The survey also finds that belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is most common among older Catholics, though majorities in every age group (including 61% of those age 60 and over) believe that the bread and wine are symbols, not the actual body and blood of Christ.
Note: See full topline results and methodology. Topics:Catholics and CatholicismChristians and ChristianityReligious AffiliationReligious Beliefs and PracticesSHARE THIS LINK:
Gregory A. Smithis an associate director of research at Pew Research Center.POSTSBIOTWITTEREMAIL
ABYSSUS ABYSSUM INVOCAT / DEEP CALLS TO DEEP 
Long before this Pew report ever came out, it always seemed to me that many “Catholics” don’t know what occurs at Mass.
And with so much nonsense spewed from the pulpit in many of today’s homilies, it is a winner people go at all.
I think it’s a Chinnor cultural habit for some and kind of like an insurance policy for others who attend. But I’m no seer, so don’t really know anyone’s motives. And besides, it’s not really any of my business.
But today’s sermon (at a Minor Basilica Cathedral) praised Luther and Wesley for knowing they were in no need of changing any behaviour and being so “right with God” that they were sure they’d go directly to heaven by simply living as they already did on a day to day basis.
Could a priest, preaching from the pulpit, that these men already lived in full accord with God’s Will, be helpful in any way, towards fostering Faith in The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist?
The sermon was in reference to today’s Gospel about not knowing when the master will return….so to always be prepared.
After praising Luther and Wesley, the priest “tacked on” Saint Francis as another example of someone who wouldn’t change a thing if he were to meet God that very day….and Saint Francis may very well not have needed to do anymore than to “continue to hoe his garden” before meeting His Saviour.
But to compare the lives of these men? And from the pulpit of a Catholic Church in a homily on Sunday?!
When Luther and Wesley are accorded, even by implication, the same degree of sanctity as Saint Francis of Assisi (by an associate pastor of the Cathedral parish in a major city in Ontario, Canada) then why is anyone the least bit surprised at the Pew report?
I’ve noticed for years that I never see ANYONE genuflect before the Tabernacle; some do a quick “curtsy” movement towards the altar.
But The Tabernacle, wherein Our Lord resides, doesn’t even get a nod of anyone’s head.
If there has not been a near complete Modernust/Masonic/humanist/NWO (whatever you want to call it) takeover of Catholicism in the N.O. Roman rite, then I have no explanation for priests no longer preaching basic Catholic doctrine….you know…the thing that makes Catholicism CATHOLIC!
This priest giving the homily is the same “father” that made the last time I went tivconfession make me feel like a neurotic, super scrupulous Pharisee; when I was simply seeking sime counsel in regard to some complicated and conflicting issues in my life.
Unless I can find a real Catholic priest, I doubt I’ll be returning to The Sacrament of Penance, unless I KNOW I’m in a state of grave sin.
Except for an exceptional Grace after Communion today, this Sunday was another, even greater eye-opener regarding the Protestantization of The Catholic Church. I always thank God for the “ex opere operato” functioning of The Blessed Sacrament.
I apologize for this rambling post.