Analysis of the Church’s documents shows a continuity of the Church’s teaching, and at the same time its development. The constant element of the Church’s teaching from the Council of Trent on the issue of the aim of celebrating the Eucharist has been pointing to the sacramental actualization of Christ’s only sacrifice for the lives of the faithful, who include their spiritual offerings into this actualization. Owing to this the Holy Mass is both Christ’s and the Church’s sacrifice. The Eucharist is fulfilled in heavenly liturgy. Since Pius XII’s encyclical Mediator Dei the Church has been putting more stress to the Eucharist’s ecclesiogenic aim. This teaching reaches its peak in John Paul II’s encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. Since Pius XII’s encyclical the Church’s ever greater care has been seen for the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist.
