"If it’s a symbol, to hell with it!"

In 1950, prominent author Flannery O'Connor was brought by friends to a dinner with Mary McCarthy and her husband. As the evening drew on, the talk turned to the Eucharist. McCarthy, who had been raised Catholic but had fallen away from the Church, remarked that she thought of the Eucharist as a symbol and "implied that it was a pretty good one." O'Connor famously replied, "If it's a symbol, to hell with it!" Since 2022, the goal of the National Eucharistic Revival has been to restore as vibrant a belief as Flannery O'Connor held in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Bishop Barron's book This Is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival continues to be the perfect accompaniment to the Eucharistic Revival. This short book analyzes the source and summit of the Christian life and provides a clear and compelling case for the Real Presence. GET THE BOOK Almost 1.5 million copies of This Is My Body have already been distributed, but we still need your help to get this book into the hands of as many Catholics as possible.  Our special deal of just $2/book ends soon, so be sure to get your copy before July 31 at wof.org/eucharist.  GET THE BOOK Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, PO Box 97330, Washington, DC 20090-7330, United States Manage Your Email Preferences .