Strengthen Us Through the Eucharist

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, and as Youth Apostles we place the Eucharist at the center of all our spiritual, apostolic, communal, and personal endeavors and plans. It stands at the heart of our community. It is the lifeblood that sustains and inspires our work with young people, and is our source of unity and strength that binds us together as brothers.

Centering Us

“As a community, we center our life around the altar of the Lord because we ‘realize that the celebration of the Eucharist is the true center of the whole Christian life both for the universal Church and for the local congregation of that Church’ (Eucharisticum Mysterium #6)” - General Statutes #14

The Eucharist is the tangible presence of Jesus Christ Himself. In the United States right now, a National Eucharistic Revival is happening to help Catholics foster a greater devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. This devotion has been at the core of Youth Apostles ever since our founding in 1979. In the Mass, we gather as a community to partake in Jesus’ body and blood, strengthening our unity as brothers in Christ. This communal celebration at the Lord’s table sets the tone for our relationships with one another and with the young people we are privileged to serve. We emphasize it because if it is the center of the church’s life, then it must be the center of our life as Youth Apostles as well - both communally and individually.

The Eucharist helps mold us into a family as brothers, strengthening each of us in our particular vocations, and empowers us to bring Christ Himself to young people.

Molding Us as Brothers

When we approach the Eucharist, we are reminded of Christ's selfless love, which becomes a model for how we should treat one another. We say in our Youth Apostles prayer “fill our community with your love.” This love can only be realized if we receive love himself, Jesus Christ. The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist reminds us that Christ resides in each of us, and this knowledge moves us to love and serve one another unconditionally.

As Youth Apostles, we each live a particular vocation and calling in the families, parishes, and local community houses we serve. The peak of every brother’s day is in the Eucharist since it unites us most fully to Christ and by extension to each of us. It’s the reason every brother makes a promise to attend daily Mass as often as possible. When we partake of the bread from heaven, our communal prayers, discussions, and shared meals are all infused with the love of Christ. The Eucharist continually nourishes us, allowing us to build stronger bonds and support one another as brothers in community.

Empowering Us to Reach Youth

Our relationships in community are significantly shaped by the Eucharist and it is also the driving force behind our apostolic mission. The Eucharist equips us with the love of Christ, empowering us to go out and serve the youth in our communities with His unwavering love.

Bringing Christ’s Love to the Youth

As Youth Apostles, the Eucharist compels us to reach out and be vessels of Christ's love to the young people we are so privileged to serve. When we partake in the Eucharist, we become witnesses to Christ's love, and this love is the cornerstone of our apostolic work. It's a love that drives us to be totally present and authentic in our interactions with the youth. We are driven by the desire to bring Christ's love to the young hearts we encounter, just as Christ does with each of us. 

In our apostolic mission, we echo the prayer, "To give, Lord, until we have no more to offer." We strive to be examples to all we touch, offering the youth not just our knowledge but our hearts filled with the love and grace we've received through the Eucharist. The Eucharist, which is the center of our lives, empowers us to extend Christ's love beyond the walls of the church and into the lives of those we serve.

The Eucharist is the beating heart that sustains and inspires us as Youth Apostles. It guides our internal relationships as brothers in faith and empowers us to bring Christ Himself to the young people we serve. Jesus is our center, our strength, and our source of love, driving us to serve the youth with His radical love.