For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord
until he comes. -- 1 Cor 11:26
The Year of the Eucharist
What is the Year of the Eucharist?
From time to time the Vatican designates a particular year for the Church to devote herself especially to celebrating some important aspect of the Catholic faith. Following in this tradition, Pope John Paul II announced a Year of the Eucharist on the feast of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) in June 2004.
The year begins with the World Eucharistic Congress, October 10–17, 2004, in Guadalajara, Mexico. It ends with the ordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops held in the Vatican October 2–29, 2005. The theme of the synod is “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.”
In this extended celebration, all Catholics are called to honor God’s gift of the Eucharist, to receive it more faithfully, and to reflect more deeply on its meaning in their lives and in the life of the Church.
-- from How to Celebrate the Year of the Eucharist (pamphlet) by Paul Thigpen.