The first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years set forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Lucas Oil Stadium this coming July 17th -21st 2024.
The Bishops and their Eucharistic Team launched a Eucharistic Revival over the past few years in anticipation of this long awaited National Eucharistic Congress.
This revival, still in progress, celebrates Our Lord Jesus Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist, and encourages local parishes to foster spiritual events and experiences which rejoice in His true presence. These may include eucharistic pilgrimages, eucharistic processions, and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. With the help of the Holy Spirit local parishes are reviving the love for the Eucharist and the Mass by providing opportunities for these devotions, as well as opportunities for personal prayer.
The National Eucharistic Congress is most certainly the height of this above-mentioned Eucharistic Revival, and what a promising Congress it is said to be.
The Bishops have outlined four pillars for congress attendees. They are to reinvigorate worship, create moments of personal encounter, engage in robust formation, and send Catholics forth as missionaries.
The website for the National Eucharistic Congress, https://www.eucharisticcongress.org is filled with event information, sponsorship and volunteer resources, personal and parish wide prayer ideas and opportunities, dynamic podcast messages from world renowned Catholic speakers, and personal witness testimonies.
When asked, “Why do we need a Eucharistic Revival?” the bishops simply state, “Because the Church needs healing and the world needs Jesus.”
Amen to that I say!
Back in June of 2022, the Archdiocese of Boston hosted a diocesan Eucharistic Congress in Lowell, MA of which I attended in a group with my husband and many parishioners, friends, and clergy from my parish and neighboring parishes.
Being a regular adorer of Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament for many years at a local parish level I was in awe being in the company of Our Lord and over 3 thousand congress goers from the Archdiocese of Boston who came together to worship and praise Jesus.
The culmination of this event included a Eucharistic Procession outdoors through the streets of Lowell, MA and this stands out to me as a transformative experience and encounter with Jesus in a new way.
Hearing and singing a gentle hum of the hymn, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom,” as I walked in the procession following Jesus present in the sacred vessel, the monstrance, being transported through the streets of that community and with that many people planted a seed in me to now seek experiences with a larger community of faithful adorers as part of my prayer life and journey heavenward.
Not too long after that day, Father Scott, my pastor, prepared an announcement to alert our parishes of the upcoming Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
Eventually, after additional invitations and information from Father Scott, I prayed about it, talked it over with my family, and I am so thrilled to say I am attending the National Eucharistic Congress!
Called to go are also 7 fellow parishioners from the parishes of St. Mary and St. Anthony and we are so very blessed that our parish priest, Father Hien, will be attending with us!
Might I add there is an expectation of over 80 thousand pilgrims throughout the weeklong event!
I am keeping an open mind and heart as to what Our Lord has in store for me coming out of this experience.
My hope is that with the help of the Holy Spirit, and with the graces I pray will come from this movement, I will afterwards be ever more earnest in seeking time with Our Lord in adoration.
I pray for opportunities to show and share with others why I am a faithful adorer of Jesus and how I desire to receive the sacraments and be nourished by His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.
It is also my hope that this blog, although only a brief insight into how the Holy Spirit has led me to go to this upcoming historic Eucharistic event in our nation, has awakened in you a deep curiosity about this special moment in time.
May this hymn created to be the theme song for the Congress in July plant seeds of newness of love for Jesus in the Eucharist in all who listen, whether in personal private prayer or in communion with others.
Here is the link to the hymn, We Do Believe O Lord.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG1vLX3XzUM
Tina DelGuidice