Fr. Henry had a burning love and enthusiasm for the Eucharist. Living with him for two years in Valencia (2014–2016) was enough to witness his intense love for the true presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist. I would like to share two examples in which he showed his great love and awe for Jesus in the Eucharist.
“What is this?!”
On at least three or four occasions, Fr. Henry began his homily by saying, “Alright, everyone, pay attention to what I am about to do.” Then he would walk to the credence table to pick up an unconsecrated host so that everyone could see it. Holding the host in his hand, he would walk down the aisle and ask the catechism children, “What is this?” Most would answer, “The Body of Christ.” The priest would respond firmly, “No!” He would then turn to another child: “What is this?.” The child would shrug. Fr. Henry, slightly frustrated, would say, “Come on, kids! What is this?” Finally, one child would answer, “Bread.”
Then Fr. Henry, joyful and relieved, would exclaim, “Yes! Yes! It is bread! Now… it is bread, but at the moment of the Consecration, when I say: ‘Take and eat; this is My Body, which will be given up for you,’ and I lift it up — it is transformed into Jesus!”
Fr. Henry wanted to make it clear that the greatest miracle happens on the altar. After the Consecration, he would never treat the Sacred Host as he had during the homily. When the moment arrived, he would prepare the people to enter into the Mystery, saying: “Now is the moment when this piece of bread will be transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.”
And as he elevated the Eucharist — gazing upon Jesus for a few seconds, then lowering Him with such reverence and delicacy — you knew that something truly transcendent had taken place. This was no longer a piece of bread.
Defending the Eucharist
During the distribution of Holy Communion, we have the custom of altar servers using patens to protect the Sacred Host — or any small particles — from falling to the ground.
I remember one occasion when Fr. Henry was purifying the sacred vessels, and when the Communion hymn ended, he joyfully said into the microphone:
“Look — our altar server Walter defended Our Lord from falling to the ground. He caught not one, but three particles of the Sacred Host. Well done, Walter!”
Fr. Henry was deeply moved by the humility of Jesus, who makes Himself so small and vulnerable in even the tiniest fragments of the Host. It is humbling to admit that Our Lord entrusts Himself to His priests and sometimes suffers irreverent treatment.
With Fr. Henry, it was the opposite. You could see that he treated Our Lord with tenderness, deep faith, and love.
