I can appreciate the analogy, but I think it's not that strong. No doctor would recommend that 500 calorie mark as a bare necessity, as it would quickly produce disease, and then death, eventually.
And, jo, to my way of thinking, it doesn't 'go without saying that a once-a-year reminder won't do' because it does "do", in fact. That's one of the requirements that begets or doesn't beget being in communion with the Church. As I said, it just seems to be at odds with the idea that the Eucharist is the 'summit' of the life of Christian worship.
I recognize that this isn't something to be policed or that can be policed, but in order to inculcate the people of God with a high and strong attachment to the splendid gift Christ left us in the Sacrament, and to impress upon them the efficacy of the Sacrament as explained by Christ, that once a year requirement undercuts ALL of that, IMO.
The Church is not recommending any such thing. They are saying that this is a bare minimum to maintain contact with the Savior through the Sacraments. It is insufficient to maintain our call to holiness. But on the other hand, do you think that those who only go once a year are going to lovingly "accept" your new standards of Catholic precepts? Those who are only going once a year are on life support. But forcing them to come more often will probably not make a difference. It really is a Catch-22, because the Church DOES want people to come more often, but they are not about to crush people into coming. The Church SHOULD challenge people to live up to their baptismal priesthood, not be crushed by more strict laws.
And, jo, to my way of thinking, it doesn't 'go without saying that a once-a-year reminder won't do' because it does "do", in fact. That's one of the requirements that begets or doesn't beget being in communion with the Church. As I said, it just seems to be at odds with the idea that the Eucharist is the 'summit' of the life of Christian worship.
AG, the Church has released NUMEROUS documents that say just what you are saying. Pope John Paul II had declared the year to be a Eucharistic year in the year he died, and writing an encyclical on its importance. Unfortunately, the people who are on life-support, sacrament-wise, aren't reading these encyclicals or hearing the voice of the Church on the importance of the sacraments.
Look at it this way. We Catholics are one big family, joined by Communion. Look at these intermittent partakers as those who don't show up for every family reunion. We still love these family members who don't show up all the time, we don't kick them out, and we don't tell them "show up to our family reunions, or hit the road, you are no longer part of our family". Is that the type of Church you think would show God's forgiveness to the rest of the world?
[the] once a year requirement undercuts ALL of that [importance of sacraments], IMO.
I understand and empathize with you. I, too, would love to see people partake more often, to attend Confession more often. I have found that at parishes that are conservative (like mine), those that participate in Perpetual Adoration, where the priest is NOT afraid to preach the difficult sermons - the ones that we NEED to hear - the Sacraments are more heavily attended. Confessions, I have noticed, have become busier at our church since we got our new conservative pastor last year. I have come to the conclusion that those liberals who preach relativism are undercutting themselves in the long run. Oh, they make people feel good - but they forget the axiom of St Paul:
If I were trying to win man's approval, I surely would not be serving Christ (Gal 1:10)
It is a difficult thing, AG. Know this. There was a time when people RARELY went to Communion - they didn't feel worthy. The Church THEN came up with the "minimum" rule to get people to come PERIOD. Will shortening this "minimum" make a difference at this point? Those who are truly interested in living out the Gospel are already coming more often. Those who are not are still part of the family - but you can't force love, now, can you?
Regards