Hartford archdiocese sees possible Eucharistic miracle

Hosts multiplied at March 5 Mass, says extraordinary minister of communion

Published: March 29, 2023

By Gina Christian
OSV News

Gini George on Pixabay

A ciborium full of hosts is shown in a photo illustration. The Archdiocese of Hartford is investigating a possible Eucharistic miracle where Communion hosts seemingly multiplied during a March 5 Sunday Mass.

Gini George on Pixabay

The Archdiocese of Hartford is investigating a possible Eucharistic miracle at one of its parishes, where Communion hosts seemingly multiplied during a March 5 Sunday Mass.

Father Joseph Crowley, pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Thomaston, Conn., said in a YouTube livestream of his March 12 homily that an unnamed extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at the previous week's liturgy had begun to run out of Communion hosts — only to find that "all of a sudden there (were) more hosts in the ciborium." The St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish comprises three church locations — St. Thomas, Immaculate Conception and St. Casimir — and the alleged multiplication of Communion hosts took place at St. Thomas.

The minister continued to distribute the hosts to some "100, 150 people in the congregation," after which "there was the same amount, if not more hosts" in the ciborium, said Father Crowley, who had celebrated the March 5 liturgy. "What happened is Our Lord multiplied himself. … I have no doubt. I know what I gave the person. I know what (was) returned (to the tabernacle). It was just very obvious and plain to me as to what happened."

Father Crowley said in his March 12 homily he wanted to tell parishioners "from the horse's mouth as to exactly what happened," and "stick to the facts" to avoid confusion.

In a livestream video of his post-Communion remarks at the March 5 liturgy at St. Thomas, a visibly struck Father Crowley said the experience was "very powerful, very awesome, very real, very shocking."

David Elliott, associate director of communications for the Archdiocese of Hartford, told OSV News that the archdiocesan judicial vicar, Father George S. Mukuka, "has been looking into the possibility of a Eucharistic miracle" at the parish.

Following the investigation, the judicial vicar will prepare a report for Hartford Archbishop Leonard P. Blair, "who will make a determination from there" regarding the event's supernatural nature, said Elliott.

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