National Eucharistic Congress begins in the US: We did it for you, Lord

After years of planning, the National Eucharistic Congress officially began on Wednesday afternoon with the triumphant culmination of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimagesthe solemn entry of the Eucharist into a golden monstrance blessed by the Pope, and speeches by prominent Catholic leaders that set the tone for this historic five-day event.

The conference, which has drawn tens of thousands of people to Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis, is the first such event to be held in the United States since World War II. Fruit of the multi-year project of Eucharistic Revival of the country’s Catholic bishops, the congress aims to strengthen Catholics in their faith and love for the Eucharist—the body and blood of Jesus—in preparation for a special year of nationwide mission.

Running from July 17 to noon Sunday, the conference promises numerous opportunities for Eucharistic adoration and Mass, as well as exhibits, vendors, music, talks and special sessions geared toward Catholics of all walks of life.

On July 17, the first to arrive were the Perpetual Pilgrims, four groups of young people who carried the Eucharist on a collective journey of 10,460 kilometers through cities, mountains and plains, finally converging on Tuesday at the Catholic Church of Saint John the Evangelist. in downtown Indianapolis. Each group of pilgrims approached the stage to resounding applause, placing an image corresponding to the patron saint of each route.

Then it was time for the real star of the show to appear.

The crowd fell silent as the Eucharist, contained in a large monstrance specially blessed by Pope Francis in 2023, was carried in procession by the Bishop of Crookston, Minnesota, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who led the Eucharistic Revival initiative.

For a time, the massive stadium was filled only with the sounds of praise and worship music as attendees contemplated and worshiped Christ.

The exact number of attendees for Wednesday, July 17, has not been published, but organizers indicated shortly before the start of the conference that more than 50,000 people were registered. They also noted that almost 20 languages ​​are spoken among those attending, and 1,000 priests and 200 bishops and cardinals are expected.

“We want every Catholic to realize that you are alive in the Eucharist and find your love. We declare you king of the universe and king of our hearts,” prayed Monsignor Cozzens before the monstrance, before performing the blessing.

After worship, the three conference presenters took the stage. Montse Alvaradopresident and chief operating officer of EWTN News—the parent company of ACI Prensa—assured those present, especially the young people, of whom there are thousands, that there are no “coincidences” when it comes to God’s providence.

“Each of you has something you are asking God for, something you have come here for. That prayer will be answered in some way before Our Lord in the Eucharist,” Alvarado said.

Father Josh Johnson, vocations director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told attendees that the more time they spend with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration, the more able they will be to imitate him as the first disciples did.

“Jesus Christ is here. And we have been invited here to this place to have an encounter with Him, an encounter with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament,” Johnson said.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Pope Francis’ Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, took the stage and noted that his presence “(expresses) the Pope’s spiritual closeness to you” and called the Eucharist an “immense gift for unity.”

The cardinal indicated that his prayer for the Eucharistic Congress is that “as a Church we grow in our unity, so that we are more fruitful in our mission.”

“What does it mean to have a Eucharistic Revival?… When we are truly revitalized by the Eucharist, then our encounter with the real presence of Christ in the sacrament opens us to an encounter with Him in the rest of our lives. This means seeing it wherever we go,” the nuncio explained.

“Worship spills over into our daily lives… we do not remain the same as we were,” he added.

The enthusiastic attendees

Lines stretched around the block Wednesday afternoon as attendees from different locations waited to enter the Indiana Convention Center.

Dom Mann and his wife, Cassidy, from Ohio, in their early twenties, are spending their one-year anniversary in Congress. They told EWTN News’ CNA that they have grown together in their Catholic faith during their relationship and marriage, and came to Congress looking to “experience Jesus on a whole new level.”

“Our first time as Eucharistic ministers was at our wedding. So to be able to have that and spend our first year in Congress is just very beautiful and impactful,” Dom said.

Jaella Mac Au, 20 years old, was one of the Perpetual Pilgrimages who traveled the Western Route of San Junípero Serra, the longest of the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimages. She told CNA that her experience as a pilgrim helped her understand that Jesus “is not just in a church,” but that he desires to be taken into the world for all to see.

“It has been so beautiful to see the diverse heart of the Church and see just a little of the unity that the Lord desires for us,” Mac Au commented.

“The Church is alive, and it is wonderful to see the diversity of hearts, charisms and spiritualities that came to these events. And it’s an honor to see all the young families come and then all the older generations too…the revival is happening, and it’s beautiful,” she detailed.

The Sister Faustina and Sister. Anastasia Marie, Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Los Angeles, arrived with a delegation of 22 sisters to the congress.

“The Eucharist is the center of our spirituality. Everything we do comes from a relationship with our Lord, and we spend much of our day in prayer, and then we go out to serve in the apostolate,” stated Sr. Faustina.

And he added: “We meet Our Lord in the Eucharist and we also go out to meet Him with His people. And all of that comes from meeting Him in the Eucharist.”

Tim Glemkowski, executive director of the National Eucharistic Congress, told CNA that he hopes each and every person attending the event will encounter Jesus personally and be sent on a mission to share the love of Christ with the world.

“They’ve put about two and a half years of planning into this moment, and it’s incredible to see it come together even bigger than we expected in so many ways. Everything is possible because God is doing something in his Church right now. So we need to be attentive to that and open to what He is trying to do today,” Glemkowski said.

What comes next

The Congress opening liturgies—offered in multiple languages ​​and various Catholic rites—began at 8:30 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday, followed by morning “Impact Sessions” from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Las Impact Sessions They consist of talks and workshops “organized with various topics and intended audiences,” from which attendees can choose. The organizers of the congress have explained that the sessions are designed for different Catholics, to better meet their needs. (The conference website includes detailed information about each session in its “Program” page).

Carlo Acutis’ Eucharistic Miracles exhibit and the National Shroud Exhibition of Turin, featuring a replica of the incredible 14-foot linen shroud, will also be open daily to attendees from noon to 6:30 p.m. the Indiana Convention Center.

Each night of the Congress will culminate in a massive “Revival Session” beginning at 7:00 p.m., featuring keynote talks and praise and worship until 10:00 p.m.

Jeffrey Bruno and Zelda Caldwell contributed to this story. Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.