When the American bishops produced their multi-year plan for a National Eucharistic Revival in 2022, there was only one passing reference to the concept of the Paschal Mystery in their founding statement. I was dumbfounded. Only one! I’ve been wondering ever since why they would abandon the language and concept of Paschal Mystery, and I think I’ve finally figured it out. They must have concluded that it wouldn’t serve their purpose, which was a return to the Eucharistic piety that predated the Second Vatican Council.
If the bishops think that the concept of the Paschal Mystery doesn’t fit neatly into the Eucharistic piety that predated the Council, they are right. It is something more brilliant, wonderfully so when seen against the background that preceded it. What a shame that they chose not to talk about it. But it’s not going away. As part of the legacy of the Council, it remains with us, no matter what.
