Pregnancy is a beautiful time, during which there is both a physical and emotional bond formed between mother and baby. Nutrients are transferred from the mother’s blood to the baby’s blood during pregnancy, and so pregnant mothers are often encouraged to eat certain foods and discouraged from eating other foods due to the affect that they can have on the baby’s health and development.

A listener named Eva recently called in to Father Simon Says™ wondering whether, just as other foods affect the unborn baby, a mother receiving the Eucharist can have a spiritual affect as well. She converted to Catholicism while pregnant and said that she greatly desired the Eucharist, in part because she hoped that it would have an affect on her unborn baby.

Eva asked if there is any teaching or tradition in the Church about the Eucharist transmitting to the baby. Fr. Simon responded:

“We become what we eat. So there you go. It’s a beautiful thought, but I don’t know of any strong tradition. … I suspect that the idea is that we become what we eat. So we become the Body of Christ by consuming the Body of Christ. And the child is made from the substance of his mother, so I would say, why not? I have a feeling that the faith and piety of the mother will certainly affect the children. God bless you, that’s wonderful.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

Father Simon Says airs weekdays at 2:00 p.m. Eastern/11:00 a.m. Pacific on Relevant Radio® and the Relevant Radio App.