INDIANAPOLIS — The National Eucharistic Congress is officially underway, kicking off the five-day celebration of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist in an immense ceremony on July 17 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The first night of the revival, a highly-anticipated event meant to reinforce and remind Catholics of the importance and meaning of the Eucharist, brought tens of thousands of people together for the once-in-a-lifetime national celebration.
For three hours, Catholics from across the country listened to musical performances and talks by the event’s organizers and witnessed a symbolic ceremony of the four pilgrimage routes merging at the altar, illuminated by more than 100 spotlights and carrying a monstrance made just for this event.
The four routes each were given a patron saint to guide them as they walked for eight weeks, and images of each — St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, St. Junipero Serra, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and the Blessed Virgin Mary — were processed through the stadium by the pilgrims, met with rapturous cheering and a standing ovation from the attendees.
Then, in a rarity for the NFL stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts went completely silent. The monstrance was processed through the center of the stadium by Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston Minnesota, the chairman of the board for the congress and leading force behind its formation. Nearly every person knelt in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for a Holy Hour.
“Jesus, I trust in you,” Bishop Cozzens prayed.
Bishop Robert Brennan was accompanied by fellow priests and parishioners from the diocese. They sat in the crowd and joined in prayer with all those around them. The night reminded the bishop of the diocesan revival recently held at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, which began in a very similar way.
“It was so clear how much people love Jesus and how they really do believe that Jesus is in the Blessed Sacrament,” he said.
Parishioners from the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Bensonhurst had traveled to the National Eucharist Congress, most arriving just hours before the opening ceremony. One of those parishioners, Beatriz Garcia, is looking forward to seeing her faith grow and developing a stronger understanding of Jesus so she can connect that to her relationship with her husband.
“Regardless of addictions, regardless of things you’ve done, Jesus is with you, forgiving you, always accepting you, and embracing you,” Garcia, 40, said. “For me, it was a very touching and heartwarming experience to be here.”
Paul Lien, 24, came alongside Garcia from the Basilica of Regina Pacis.
“It’s a pleasure to be here to understand more about the Eucharist and how the Eucharist works in our daily lives,” Lien said.
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., was the evening’s keynote speaker. During his reflection, he prayed for the church as a whole to grow in unity “so that we may become more fruitful in our mission.”
“When we are truly revived by the Eucharist,” he said, “then our encounter with Christ’s real presence in the sacrament opens us to an encounter with him in the rest of our life.”
The revival’s emcees included Father Joshua Johnson, vocations director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge; Montse Alvarado, president of EWTN News; and Sister Miriam James Heidland, a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.
Bishop Brennan said the messages were forward-looking, as the speakers told personal stories and reminded the attendees of the need to find Jesus in all aspects of life.
“The picture isn’t always so clear, but the Lord walks with us and draws the answers out of us. He brings it out, little by little. Sometimes it’s in these struggles that we are dealing with that we encounter Jesus,” Bishop Brennan said.
Photos: OSV News/Bob Roller