Controversy erupts in Brazil after Bishop José Ionilton says the Eucharist was instituted to be received, not worshipped, prompting theological pushback.
Newsroom (13/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a homily that has stirred both reflection and controversy across the Brazilian Catholic community, Bishop José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira, SDV, of the Prelature of Marajó, reignited theological debate on the nature of the Eucharist during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, held at Menino Deus Parish in Soure, Pará.
“The Eucharist was instituted for us to eat and drink, for us to receive communion, to participate, and not to worship,” Bishop Ionilton declared from the pulpit, emphasizing the command of Christ at the Last Supper: “Take and eat. Take and drink.” He added pointedly, “He did not say, ‘Take and worship me.’”
Bishop Ionilton extended his comments by criticizing modern expressions of devotion that, in his view, have distanced the Eucharist from its original purpose. “Jesus didn’t say, ‘Put me in the monstrance and keep touching me when I’m passing among you.’ No. ‘Take and eat. Take and drink,’” he said, referencing the flourishing practices of Eucharistic adoration both in-person and online.
A Clash Over Meaning and Practice
Citing an article titled “They Stole the Eucharist” — whose author he did not identify — Bishop Ionilton said that “they transformed the Eucharist into a symbol distant from us, so that we only worship Jesus in the Eucharist.” He argued that through this shift, “they stole the Eucharist because they took away the full meaning of eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus, simply to worship.”
Still, in accordance with Holy Week liturgy, the bishop concluded Mass by exposing the Blessed Sacrament and transferring it to the place of repose for the night vigil — a gesture that seemed to contrast with the emphatic critique earlier in his sermon.
“Unworthy” Reception and Misinterpretation
Bishop Ionilton also addressed feelings of unworthiness among the faithful regarding receiving communion. “We don’t need to be afraid of the Eucharist,” he said. “Many times we get very scared.” He criticized those who abstain out of fear, linking such attitudes to a misreading of Saint Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 about receiving “unworthily.”
According to the bishop, the apostle’s words have often been misused to instill fear rather than promote love. “We partake of the Eucharist unworthily when we do not love and do not serve,” Ionilton said. “Then we need confession, forgiveness, reconciliation with God, the Church, and our brothers and sisters.”
He revisited the same idea weeks earlier at the Chrism Mass in Bagre, Pará, expressing frustration with liturgical language that implies only the “prepared” may receive communion. “Who is prepared to receive Jesus?” he asked. “I myself don’t think I am.”
That same liturgy, streamed online, went viral after he quietly corrected a kneeling communicant: “You can receive communion standing up, you see? Who teaches these things?” Although the remark was unheard in church, the microphone captured it for social media, sparking widespread commentary before the video was removed.
Division Among the Faithful
Within the prelature, the bishop’s remarks have generated confusion and unease. A local Catholic, speaking anonymously to ACI Digital, said the sermon “seemed to relativize traditional practices of the faith, such as Eucharistic adoration, preparation to receive Jesus, and other devotions.”
“There is a feeling,” he continued, “that sometimes the pulpit has been used for socio-political approaches rather than evangelizing ones, creating discomfort among those used to hearing the Gospel and doctrine explained more clearly.”
Another parishioner alleged that Bishop Ionilton “no longer wants Eucharistic processions or adoration” and restricts guest preachers at retreats, favoring discussions “about caring for nature and the environment.” A letter expressing concern about preserving the unity of faith and Church tradition was reportedly sent to Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro.
Contacted by ACI Digital, Bishop Ionilton said he would consult the Apostolic Nuncio and the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) before responding publicly.
A Theological Counterpoint
The controversy prompted a theological response from Bishop Antonio Carlos Rossi Keller of Frederico Westphalen, who published a Facebook reflection titled “Eucharistic Worship in the Catholic Church: In and Outside of Holy Mass — A Theological and Pastoral Reflection.”
Although Keller did not mention Ionilton by name, his text directly addressed the claim that “the Eucharist was instituted to be eaten, not worshipped.” Keller wrote, “Eating and worshiping are not contradictory, but complementary. The Eucharist was instituted as spiritual food, yes, but also to be worshiped — because under its sacramental species, the same God made man, whom the angels adore in heaven, is truly present.”
Keller pointed to the Council of Trent, which teaches that Christ in the Eucharist must be adored with “the external worship of latria,” and that denying this is grounds for excommunication. He grounded his reflection in official Church documents — including the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Second Vatican Council’s Sacrosanctum Concilium, and the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum — all affirming the centrality of both communion and adoration.
“The Catholic Church has always offered — and continues to offer — to the sacrament of the Eucharist the worship of adoration, not only during Mass but also outside of it,” Keller wrote, citing Catechism 1378. He urged the faithful not to be swayed by “contradictory opinions,” but to “firmly maintain the faith of the Church as taught by the Catechism, the Council of Trent, and the Second Vatican Council.”
Ongoing Conversation
The debate between the two bishops encapsulates a longstanding theological tension: is the Eucharist primarily a meal to be shared or a mystery to be adored? The official teaching of the Church suggests both. But as Bishop Ionilton’s words echo across Brazil, the faithful of Marajó and beyond find themselves wrestling with how to hold those truths together — in prayer, in reverence, and in communion.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Digital
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