A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist

by Anscar Vonier

The first theologian in modern times to discover to our wonder and joy the fully sacramental character of the Mass was, doubtless, that profound and personal thinker, Abbot Vonier." - Fr. W. Barden, O.P. Dom Anscar Vonier, Abbot of Buckfast, was among the greatest sacamental theologians of the English-speaking world, famous for his clarity in explaining the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas for lay readers. His many works in include "The Personality of Christ" and "The Spirit and the Bride." In his greatest, and most influential masterpiece, Abbot Vonier gives a spiritually and intellectually enriching explanation of the Eucharist based on a careful study of "the great sacramental doctrine of the Church" found in the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Council of Trent. Vonier writes, "To conceive the sacrifice of Mass as a sacrament is a simple visualization of a great truth which, if it be once grasped by the mind ... makes all the difference between light and fantasy." The great beauty and intellectual clarity of the Church's theology as explained by Vonier reminds the reader over and over that "In theological matters the spark that illumines always comes from under the hoof of strict reasoning.

Genres: Catholic, Theology, Religion, Faith, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Christian

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 5, 1925

About the author

Abbot Vonier was a Benedictine monk who lived from 1876 to 1938. He was elected Abbot of Buckfast Abbey, England, in 1906, and served in that capacity until his death. During his lifetime Vonier gained fame as the rebuilder of Buckfast, which had been left in ruins following the Reformation, and as the author of some 15 books of popular theology — works which developed “a vast company of admirers who welcomed every new book of his with enthusiasm.”

Reviews

[Brett Salkeld]

This book is essential reading for Catholics who want to better understand the Eucharistic mystery. Abbot Vonier's key insight is that whenever the Eucharist is detached from the sacramental logic that undergirds it, the integrity of Eucharistic faith is lost. A consistently sacramental vision of presence and sacrifice will do much to rid Catholic piety of magical, fideist and voluntarist tendencies. Leaning heavily on Thomas Aquinas, Vonier does an excellent job of providing just such a consistent vision.
The book misses a 5-star rating for me because it is occasionally difficult to understand the author's organizational purposes and some sections (notably the section on the Cross) are less than clearly written, which could lead to confusion. With these caveats, however, I still feel the book to be indispensable.

[Thadeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very challenging and rewarding read. I believe that I benefited a lot from reading it, but it will definitely take a re-read or two to really grasp all that is laid out in the book. The whole thing was edifying, but I think that the most plain language (and what spoke to me) was the section in chapter 21, "The Eucharistic Liturgy," especially from page 249 to the end.

Recommended for anyone who wants to learn deeply about the Eucharist.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book with many great insights into the mystery surrounding the Blessed Sacrament. It is, however, very dense theologically, and thus may not appeal to the large majority of laity. It is a book that needs to be read fairly slowly, both for comprehension and assimilation of ideas before continuing on in the book.

[Fr. Peter Mottola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many Catholics think that the Real Presence is, pretty much, all there is to know about the Eucharist. But Dom Anscar Vonier in this beautiful series of reflections on the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas allows us to rediscover what Catholics once kept in the fore-front of their minds: namely, that the a fuller understanding of the Eucharist includes not only the Real Presence of Christ, but also the fact that the Eucharist is both a sacrament and a sacrifice.
If you're the type of Catholic who loves to proclaim that in the Eucharist Christ is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity ... then you are precicely the person who would benefit from reading this book. In the Eucharist we have something much greater even than this! Reclaiming our theological heritage about the Sacrifice of the Mass will bear tremendous fruit in our spiritual lives.

[Karen]

Deep, good info, hard to read the style of writing though. - 89

[Michael Vidrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was shocked by how much this book was able to teach me about the Eucharist, the Mass, and sacramentality in general. Here, Vonier provides many clarification concerning the Church’s understanding of the Eucharistic sacrifice that fly right in the face of the way that Catholics speak about it all the time, while at the same time doing an excellent job of preserving the mystery-dimension of the Sacrament, pointing the reader to the aspects that must lie beyond the limits of verbal explanation. He succeeded in increasing both my understanding of and love for the Sacrament, while at the same time showing me how much I do not understand it. And all of this, Vonier accomplished in a surprisingly accessible way.

[Father Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, just simply WOW

There is absolutely nothing to dislike about the material in this book. If anyone Catholic or not wants a richer and more comprehensive understanding of the sacramental-sacrifice, this book is the boon for you.

[Emily Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a deeper dive into the theology of the Holy Eucharist, drawing heavily from the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. I highly recommend it. There were many teachings or insights in this book that were new to me, and much to feed meditation and love for the Most Blessed Sacrament.

[Tesfit Gebreamlak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist

[Christine]

Above my head and probably just not for me.