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THE EUCHARIST:
SOURCE AND SUMMIT
OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
THE HOLY EUCHARIST COMPLETES CHRISTIAN INITIATION
—CCC, NOS. 1322-1419
AN APOSTLE OF THE EUCHARIST
In 1946, a bright young man named Carlos Manuel Rodriguez enrolled at
the University of Puerto Rico. But despite excellent grades and his love of
learning, he fell ill with ulcerated colitis, which prevented him from complet-
ing his second year. Nevertheless, he continued to study on his own. He
read widely in science, philosophy, arts, and religion. He learned to play the
organ for the sacred music that he was enthusiastically promoting.
Born in 1918 to parents who valued education, he showed signs of
great intelligence early on. When a fire destroyed the family store and
home, his family moved in with Carlos’ maternal grandparents. His grand-
mother, Alejandrina Esteras, imparted her devout faith in the Eucharist
to Carlos. Under her influence, he began his devotion to the liturgy and
decided to commit his life to Jesus Christ.
Though he was unable to finish his university education, he expe-
rienced a call to do whatever he could to help the university students
respond to God’s call to holiness through the liturgy. Carlos became an
unofficial campus minister. He wanted to open up the riches of the Mass
to them, to show them how to participate actively in the Eucharistic cele-
bration. He urged them to build their spirituality from the wealth of God’s
grace given in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Carlos obtained a job as an office worker at the University Agriculture
Experiment station. He spent his salary to promote an appreciation of the