Roman Catholic Answer
.It isn't really a process, it is more a miracle, and it is called transubstantiation when God changes the entire substance of bread and wine and replaces them with the substance of Our Blessed Lord. After the consecration, what appears to be Bread and Wine are now referred to as the Eucharist.
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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994
1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ the Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.
Note: perhaps this might be easier to understand. Saint Thomas Aquinas described everything that exists as having two parts, the substance, and the accidents. For instance, water has the substance of water, but its accidents vary depending on its state: ice, liquid water, steam. Likewise, wood has different accidents if it is burned (ashes) or used to build something, etc. In all of these examples, the substance (wood) remains the same, while the accidents (wet, hard, soft, brown, clear, etc.) change. The word "transubstantiation" refers to this same set of substance and accidents, but in this case, the reverse is true, the accidents of the bread (the color, texture, taste, etc.) remain the same while the substance changes from bread to Jesus Christ through a miracle of God.
AnswerThe idea that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist is called the Real Presence. "Transubstantiation" is a specifically Catholic explanation of HOW Christ is present under the appearance of bread and wine.
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It is during the offering up in the Catholic Mass by the priest that the bread and wine are consecrated with the repeated words of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper,"This is My Body;This is My Blood" thereby making Jesus Christ present on the altar Body,Blood Soul and Divinity in the consecrated hosts and the Chalice filled with now consecrated wine which is the Blood of Christ. The "reserved Eucharist" you speak of is the consecrated species from other Masses offered by the priest. The Church always has extra consecrated host (not wine) in the Tabernacle saved for the sick and in the event there are more in attendance at the specific Mass then the priest has consecrated. Because the species in the tabernacle is already the Body and Blood of Christ and in respect to what already" is" and what is "about to be" consecrated, the Eucharist (Blessed Sacrament) is covered and held in a secure place called the Tabernacle.
Inside the tabernacle in a Catholic church, consecrated hosts, also known as the Eucharist, are stored. The Eucharist is believed to be the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Catholic faith.
transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
A monstrance is a receptacle used for holding a Consecrated Host (as Catholics be believe that when the bread [hosts] and wine are Consecrated during Mass they truly become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ) for Adoration by the faithful.
The tabernacle is important in a Catholic church because it is where the consecrated Eucharist, believed to be the body and blood of Jesus Christ, is kept. It serves as a focal point for prayer, worship, and adoration for Catholics.
The central part of Mass is the Eucharistic Prayer, during which the bread and wine are consecrated and become the Body and Blood of Christ. This prayer includes the Sanctus, the consecration, and the mystery of faith, highlighting the significance of the sacrament. It is a moment of thanksgiving and communion, emphasizing the core of Catholic worship and the belief in Christ's real presence in the Eucharist.
Holy Communion. It is partaking in the body and blood of Christ to confirm your belief in Jesus as your Holy savior.
The tabernacle in the Catholic Church is a sacred place where the consecrated Eucharist is kept. It symbolizes the presence of Jesus Christ in the form of the Blessed Sacrament, which is central to the faith and worship of Catholics. The tabernacle serves as a focal point for prayer, adoration, and reverence for the Eucharist, which is believed to be the body and blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation is a belief held by the Catholic Church. Catholics believe that during the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. This belief is celebrated during the Mass by Catholics around the world.
blood of christ, body of christ, bible
In the Mass after the host of bread has been consecrated and has become the Body of Christ, it is elevated, it is held up by the priest so that all can see it and adore it, this is also done with the Blood of Christ. The elevation of the Body can be seen in this video at 0:40, the elevation of the Blood at 1:40 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jTHE1-IFbpA