The Feast of Corpus Christi ~ Sunday, June 6th

The feast of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is always celebrated on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday which falls one week after Pentecost Sunday.

What is the feast of Corpus Christi and how is it celebrated?

Corpus Christi means the Body of Christ in Latin and the Church celebrates, in joyous remembrance, the institution of the Holy Eucharist. It is a day that we give special thanksgiving and praise for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. For centuries, the feast was celebrated with a Eucharistic procession, in which the Sacred Host was carried throughout the town, accompanied by hymns and litanies. The faithful would venerate the Body of Christ as the procession passed by. In recent years, this practice has almost disappeared, though some parishes still hold a brief procession around the outside of the parish church.

Following the 12:00 Mass, there will be a formal procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the grounds of St. Francis. All are invited to join in this beautiful form of Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Please note that the usual Mass time will be extended in preparation for the procession and that traffic in the parking lot immediately following Mass will be limited for safety reasons.