Eucharistic Crusade

Rev. Vianney Vandendaele

The Eucharistic Crusade is a Church organisation for children. Its primary purpose is to encourage children to pray for their own sanctification and for the needs of the Catholic Church. It is, therefore, both a work of piety and an apostolate. As its name suggests, the Crusade evokes a spirit of combat; firstly, against personal vice and then against the reign of Satan in order to snatch souls from Hell that they may be at the service of Jesus Christ. The necessary supernatural strength for this fight is drawn from the regular, or even daily, frequentation of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

The Origin of the Eucharistic Crusade

This Crusade of children is not a new institution; its spirit is to be found in the decree Quam Singulari of St. Pius X (8 August 1910), who allowed young children to approach the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist after they had reached the age of reason. It was officially founded in 1917 by a French priest called Fr. Bessières with the permission of Pope Benedict XV.

During the First World War, Fr. Bessières encouraged children from a French girls’ school to support the soldiers on the frontline by promising prayers and Holy Communions offered up for victory and the restoration of Christianity inside their country; and they recorded their little treasure by noting their efforts made every day.

Rebirth of the Eucharistic Crusade

Deploring the abandonment of the Eucharistic Crusade since the Second Vatican Council, and convinced that this movement had an important role to play for the good of the Church, the priests and seminarians at Ecône decided to re-establish the Eucharistic Crusade in the 1980s. The movement, intended for the innocent, is an antidote to the corrupt morals of society today; the supernatural power of innocent children being the antithesis to the pride and self-sufficiency of modern man.

Hostia Magazine

The magazine of the Crusade is called Hostia, meaning “Host” or “Victim”, because the strength of the Crusaders comes from devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Through stories, instructions and games, Hostia magazine helps to realise the motto and the ideals of the Eucharistic Crusade:

PRAY, RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, MAKE SACRIFICES AND BE AN APOSTLE.

In this little monthly magazine, the Crusader finds plenty of advice and encouragement to be a good and brave soldier of Christ.

For further information about Eucharistic Crusade and to sign-up, please consult the Eucharistic Crusade webpage or contact the chaplain for Great Britain at [email protected].

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