Since it launched two years ago, the national Eucharistic Revival has sought to renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The pinnacle event of the revival is the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in Indianapolis in July. Attendees will experience large-scale liturgies, dynamic speakers and opportunities for quiet prayer and faith-sharing.
About 650 people from the Archdiocese of St. Louis are expected to attend the congress, said Jane Guenther, director of the archdiocesan Catholic Renewal Center and coordinator of the Eucharistic Revival in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Those attending include seminarians, clergy and religious and lay Catholics.
The national Eucharistic Revival is a three-year initiative of the U.S. bishops to inspire a deeper love for Jesus in the Eucharist. The first year was focused on renewal at the diocesan level; the second year has been centered on parish revival, with concrete steps to answer the four invitations based on the pillars of the revival: reinvigorate worship, create moments of personal encounter, engage in robust formation and send Catholics forth as missionaries.
The congress is not the end of the Eucharistic Revival, Guenther said. At the end of the event, participants will be sent out on mission to share the gift of the eucharistic Lord, commencing the third and final year of the revival, which lasts through Pentecost of 2025.
To learn more about the National Eucharistic Congress, visit www.eucharisticcongress.org. To learn more about the three-year Eucharistic Revival, visit www.eucharisticrevival.org.
At Mass before the procession on May 19, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone called for the pilgrims in this public act of faith to follow Jesus Christ in His “way of love.”
“If we are public about our faith, displaying it by righteous living,” Archbishop Cordileone said, “then others will perceive in us something different: a better way to live. And this is the most important meaning of the power of faith to change history. The power to change the history of individual lives, bringing them into the saving encounter with Jesus Christ and knowing His love, grace, truth and freedom.”
Pilgrims followed Bishop Daniel E. Flores as he carried the monstrance through the streets of Brownsville, Texas, May 19 from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to Sacred Heart Mission. The procession kicked off the St. Juan Diego Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.Photo Credits: Tom McCarthy | OSV NewsThe Mass and procession started the St. Junipero Serra Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, an eight-week journey with the Eucharist from four directions across the U.S. All routes started May 18-19, Pentecost weekend. The other three routes started in Brownsville, Texas; New Haven, Connecticut; and Lake Itasca, Minnesota.
The pilgrimage is part of the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative launched in 2022 by the U.S. bishops to inspire a deeper love and reverence for Jesus in the Eucharist.
The pilgrimage routes trace what organizers call “a sign of the cross over the nation,” over a combined 6,500 miles across 27 states and 65 dioceses through the countryside, small towns and large cities — often on foot, always with the Eucharist — until they converge in Indianapolis for the July 17-21 National Eucharistic Congress.
After leading about 1,000 pilgrims across the Golden Gate Bridge, Archbishop Cordeleone raised the monstrance and blessed the city with the Eucharist from a vista point across from the city.
He blessed the faithful who had crossed the bridge with him and the perpetual pilgrims who would continue to journey with the Eucharist to Indianapolis.
Marian Route: A call to holiness and an intimate walk in the woods with Jesus
LAKE ITASCA, Minn. — At an unassuming stream 18 feet wide, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens held high a monstrance on the afternoon of May 19 and made the sign of the cross over the people gathered at the headwater of the Mississippi River.
Here at the start of the Mississippi River, the bishop of Crookston, Minnesota, carrying Jesus in the Eucharist, turned onto a trail into the woods of Itasca State Park, followed by pilgrims whose hymns and psalms were punctuated by long periods of meditative silence — and short bursts of rain from the cloudy gray sky.
“Brothers and sisters, the revival has to begin with you and me, and has to begin with our repentance, humbling ourselves, turning from our sin,” Bishop Cozzens told an estimated 2,500 people gathered for the outdoor Mass.
As the pilgrims meandered with the Eucharist through the woods, cyclists and hikers respectfully stopped and waited for the procession to pass. Some, like Tom and Jeanne Young, dropped to their knees.
“You recognize that Jesus is really present, and here He is right with us,” Jeanne Young said.
St. Juan Diego Route: ‘The Spirit moves us to join Christ’
Pilgrims and other faithful gathered under blue skies in the south Texas heat for the launch of the St. Juan Diego Route.
A Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Brownsville marked the start of the pilgrimage route named for St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, the Indigenous Catholic visionary who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe and had a deep devotion to the Eucharist.
About 350-500 people joined the day’s observances, according to a diocesan official.
Jaime Reyna, part of the National Eucharistic Congress’ planning team, said that organizers had not expected “to have hundreds of people walk in the Texas heat, and yet people did, and people were just wanting to keep walking, and keep walking.”
“It was just amazing to see that,” he said.
Seton Route: Hearts burning for the Eucharist
On the day of the pilgrimage’s eastern route launch in New Haven, Connecticut, perpetual pilgrim Natalie Garza said her heart was burning.
At a May 18 presentation at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center, she shared her desire to “witness with my body the truth that I have professed with my words many times, that Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist.”
Under a gray sky and occasional cold drizzle, scores of Catholics in New Haven, Connecticut, sang and prayed while processing the Eucharistic, held by Father Roger Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, and chaplain at Columbia University.
Feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
Father Roger Landry carried the monstrance as a Eucharistic procession arrived at the harbor in Bridgeport, Conn., from New Haven, Conn., May 19. The procession was a part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s eastern St. Elizbeth Ann Seton Route.Photo Credits: Paul Haring | OSV News photoThe Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, celebrates the institution of the Eucharist. It is observed this year on June 2.
The Corpus Christi procession is a centuries-old tradition of the Catholic faith to publicly celebrate the Real Presence of Jesus — the Eucharist. The feast of Corpus Christi was established in Liege, Belgium, in 1247. Pope Urban IV extended it to the universal Church almost two decades later, and the Corpus Christi procession followed soon after. Corpus Christi processions continue to be held worldwide.
Parishes throughout the archdiocese will hold eucharistic processions on Corpus Christi weekend. The following is a sampling in the three vicariates of the archdiocese:
NORTHERN VICARIATE
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis; noon Mass on June 2 with Auxiliary Bishop Mark Rivituso, followed by a short procession to two outside altars and ending at the main altar inside the cathedral basilica.
North City Parishes; 10:30 a.m. prayer service on June 1 at St. Josephine Bakhita (Sts. Teresa and Bridget), 2431 N. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis, followed by a procession to St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock” Church, 1118 N. Grand Blvd. Refreshments will be served afterward. Participants are encouraged to park at the Rock Church and walk or shuttle to St. Josephine Bakhita.
North County Parishes;6 p.m. Mass on June 2 at Sacred Heart, 751 N. Jefferson St., followed by a procession at 7 p.m. and ending at the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, 1 Rue St. Francois St. Parking will be available at Sacred Heart Church. A reception with ice cream and bottled water will be held afterward.
Spirit and Truth St. Louis; The young adult group will host a pontifical Mass and eucharistic procession on Thursday, May 30, at Epiphany Parish, 6596 Smiley Ave. in St. Louis. A catered dinner will be served at 5 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m. with Auxiliary Bishop Mark S. Rivituso and the eucharistic procession. A dessert reception will take place afterward. To sign up for the dinner, visit stlreview.com/3UXnBUO.
SOUTHERN VICARIATE
Assumption in south St. Louis County; 6 p.m. Mass on June 2 at the church, 4725 Mattis Road, followed by a eucharistic procession.
St. Joseph in Farmington; 10:30 a.m. Mass on June 2 at the church, 10 N. Long St., followed by a procession through downtown Farmington (under a half mile).
St. Joachim in Old Mines; 10 a.m. Mass on June 2 at the church, 10120 Crest Road, followed by a procession on the church grounds.
Ste. Genevieve in Ste. Genevieve; 8:30 a.m. Mass on June 2 at the church, 49 DuBourg Place, followed by a procession through downtown Ste. Genevieve.
WESTERN VICARIATE
Ascension in Chesterfield; 5:30 p.m. Mass on June 2 at the church, 230 Santa Maria Drive, followed by a procession along Wild Horse Creek Road and ending with an ice cream truck reception at Ascension.
Sts. Joachim and Ann in St. Charles; 6 p.m. procession on June 2 at the church, 4112 McClay Road, followed by an ice cream reception afterward.
St. Ignatius in Concord Hill, Immaculate Conception in Augusta and St. Vincent de Paul in Dutzow;10:30 a.m. Mass on June 2 at St. Ignatius, 19127 Mill Road, followed by a procession on the church grounds. Light refreshments will be served in the Community Center afterward.
Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Francis Borgia in Washington; 6 p.m. procession June 1, beginning at Our Lady of Lourdes, 1014 Madison Ave., and ending at St. Francis Borgia, 310 W. Main St. A shuttle service will be provided back to Our Lady of Lourdes. Those not walking with the procession may meet at St. Francis Borgia for Benediction at 7:30 p.m.
>> Church teaching on the Eucharist
The Catholic Church professes that in the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world… . For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:51-55). The whole Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine — the glorified Christ who rose from the dead after dying for our sins. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.
“By the consecration, the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: His Body and His Blood, with His soul and His divinity” (CCC 1413).
“The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the Eucharist the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession” (CCC 1378).
Source: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops