Apparently the US Conference of Catholic Bureaucrats Bishops is finally going to address the problem of declining belief in the Real Presence.

Now, if your just the average Joe or Jane in the pew you might say, “Bravo! It’s about time.” Then you might ask, how exactly are the successors to the apostles going to solve this problem of disbelief and even sacrilege?

Is the USCCB going to (finally) proclaim that those public Catholics who by their very own words and deeds excommunicate themselves from the Church, are to be denied the Eucharist? (This would of course be immensely merciful, demonstrating a true concern for the salvation of souls).

Possibly these bishops will finally end the 50 year failed experiment of distributing Holy Communion in the Hand, and return to to venerable tradition of the Roman Rite to only receive the Eucharist on the tongue.

While they’re at it, I’m sure our sagacious shepherds will rush to have altar rails restored so that the faithful can once again kneel to receive Our Lord at that most sublime moment of the Mass.

Well, if you believed that the USCCB was finally going to do something to address this crisis of their own making, you were wrong. Very wrong.

No, after all the uproar and headlines, after all the very public catfights and papal hints, we have the bureaucrats bishops response.

A paper.

Yes, another position paper.

This one is apparently called, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church”… which sounds official enough, if not a bit dry.

In true USCCB fashion, however, in lieu of doing something that might actually increase belief in the Real Presence, immediately address the ongoing sacrilege and profanation of the Eucharist, or tackle head-on the scandalous acts of the so-called Catholic politburo, they instead do this:

“In addition to approving the document, titled “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” the bishops approved a strategic plan for a three-year eucharist revival campaign… (the) initiative is to include the development of new teaching materials, training for diocesan and parish leaders, the launch of a dedicated revival website, and the deployment of a special team of 50 priests who will travel the country to preach about the Eucharist.”

Websites and pamphlets. Wow, isn’t that inspiring?

Oh, and training. Well, that ensures more money for the folks who kick out cool looking training material for the volunteer catechists who are (apparently) supposed to accomplish what the bishops have been completely incapable of doing for decades.

And a team of 50 priests to preach on the Eucharist…? Well sure, I guess, but isn’t that supposed to be happening already? From every ambo in every parish every Sunday?

Imagine not recognizing that how we practice our faith, tangible liturgical practices-such as our manner of receiving communion-isn’t even considered one of the possible solutions?

Even worse, imagine that our bishops might recognize this to be a factor but might be so cowardly, indifferent, or both that they refuse to go there.

Deny the Eucharist to public, unrepentant, sinners? No, no, no. How about a new website instead! Surely Biden and Francis approve of this impotent response.

It’s good to see that in this time of constant change we can always count on the USCCB to be an ineffectual embarrassment.

Bishops not bureaucrats. Is that too much to ask for? Apparently it is.