One belief of the Catholic Church that is often confusing for many is the teaching that Jesus is truly present under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist.
The theological name for this is “transubstantiation,” which the Catechism explains: “By the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood” (CCC 1376).
This means that while the appearance of bread and wine remain, the substance is changed (through the power of God) completely to the body and blood of Christ.
However, some mistakenly hold that the Eucharist is only a "symbol" of Jesus' presence.
St. Paul VI forcefully rejected this idea and wrote about it in his encyclical, Mysterium fidei, written during the Second Vatican Council.
He went on to reinforce this belief, making it crystal clear that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol.
St. Paul VI went so far as to warn parish priests to speak boldly about this truth of the Catholic faith.
Above all, Pope Paul VI had a firm belief in the Eucharist and wanted the whole Church to fully understand this great gift to humanity.
