This study retrieves the long-abandoned thought of an early twentieth-century Jesuit theologian, Maurice de la Taille (I872-t933), reassessing his theory of eucharistic sacrifice in light of his theology of grace and contemplation. His major work, the three volume Mysterium Fidei (L921), provides an integrated account of sacrifice, one which responsively embraces the multiple and often controversial aspects of the topic of sacrifice. De la Taille rejects a supercessionist treatment of Hebrew ritual sacrifice; he incorporates a sophisticated theory of sacrifice as sign and gift; and he allows the fullness of theological tradition-scripture, the Fathers (East and West), Thomistic thought, conciliar and papal teaching, and the witness of liturgical prayer and mystical theology to inform his theory of Christian sacrifice. In surprising ways, de la Taille's magisterial work on eucharistic sacrifice forestalls the post-Vatican II liberal anxieties about sacrifice. He decidedly challenges the formidable heritage of sixteenth and seventeenth century immolation-focused eucharistic theology by providing a patristically-rich theology of sacrifice, one that stands rooted in a spirituality of prayer and ascetic practice which cannot be segregated from the ecclesial oblation of Christ's sacrifice. With his focus on the affect and desire of the offerer of sacrifice, de la Taille anticipates the 'subjective turn' that emerged in mid-twentieth century eucharistic theology, and in a way that revitalizes the critical role of ecclesial ritual sacrifice in the transformation of that desire. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2008. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.