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First I want to point out that, contrary to the charges of some, Catholics do not believe that we earn salvation from acts that we perform, it is a pure grace. While salvation is a gift earned by the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross it results in the union with God through an act of love.

And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him: Master, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
(Matt. 22:35-40)

This act of love is the total submission of the intellect and will to God. Because of Original Sin however we are born with a defective nature, our intellect clouded and and will weakened. God teaches us through revelation, which for the Catholic includes both the Bible and Sacred Tradition which are the products of the Teaching Authority of the Church. Without this divinely established Teaching Authority protected by the Holy Spirit we would still remain in ignorance and uncertainty as the various debates here concerning the true meaning of Scripture demonstrate.

But this assent of the intellect is not enough to be a complete act of love, there must also be the submission of the will to God. To strengthen our will the Holy Spirit comes to us with the gift of grace, allowing us to conform our will to God. Indeed this grace is the actual indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our soul.

It is the Catholic belief that the primary (not the only) means of this is through the seven Sacraments. These are outward and visible signs instituted by Christ to be the channels of his grace. Of these the most important is the Holy Eucharist. This is the sacrament of the Body of Blood of Jesus Christ that he instituted at the Last Supper when he took bread and wine and said "this is my Body" and "this is my Blood." As Catholics we take these words literally, that as God Jesus turned the elements of the bread and wine into his actual Body and Blood, with only the appearance of the bread and wine remaining. And when we commanded "Do this for a commemoration of me" he empowered the priest to repeat this action so that every time Mass is said the bread and wine presented at the altar becomes the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which we are invited to receive in Holy Communion. This is the center of Catholic worship and this is what is not available to you as a non-Catholic.

"And when we commanded "Do this for a commemoration of me" he empowered the priest to repeat this action so that every time Mass is said the bread and wine presented at the altar becomes the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which we are invited to receive in Holy Communion. This is the center of Catholic worship and this is what is not available to you as a non-Catholic."

A question for you. You note that Christ "empowered the priest to repeat this action". I have remarked before on other threads that the epiklesis has virtually disappeared from the Latin Rite Liturgy. Is this because it is believed that the consecration takes place by virtue of the priest's powers received at Ordination? In Orthodoxy the priest prays at the consecration:

"Priest (in a low voice):
Once again we offer to You this spiritual worship without the shedding of blood, and we ask, pray, and entreat You: send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here presented.

And make this bread the precious Body of Your Christ.

(He blesses the holy Bread.)

Deacon (in a low voice):
Amen.

Priest (in a low voice):
And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Your Christ.

(He blesses the holy Cup.)

Deacon (in a low voice):
Amen.

Priest (in a low voice):
Changing them by Your Holy Spirit.

(He blesses them both.)

Deacon (in a low voice):
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Priest (in a low voice):
So that they may be to those who partake of them for vigilance of soul, forgiveness of sins, communion of Your Holy Spirit, fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven, confidence before You, and not in judgment or condemnation. Again, we offer this spiritual worship for those who repose in the faith, forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics, and for every righteous spirit made perfect in faith."

Plainly in the Divine Liturgy the priest prays that the Holy Spirit effect the change.

Am I seeing a difference which in fact does not exist?