PROSPECT HEIGHTS — The National Eucharistic Congress, the first of its kind in many decades, is a year away, but organizers urge Catholics interested in participating to register early. 

The Congress is July 17-21, 2024 in downtown Indianapolis. It is expected to pack Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

The Diocese of Brooklyn has already reserved 250 “passes” for the event, said Father Joseph Gibino, vicar for evangelization and catechesis.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for people to attend the Congress,” Father Gibino said.

To that end, the diocese is also working with the travel agency, Peter’s Way Tours of Melville, Long Island, to create, “a whole package that will include room, transportation, and the event,” Father Gibino said.

“The real push will take place after our diocesan revival on Oct. 7, (at Maimonides Park in Coney Island)” he added. “Peter’s Way is producing a brochure. They will go out to the pastors, for their parishes. Also, bulletin announcements are being prepared to be used by parishes in the United States. So, the publicity will be going out.”

The event is part of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival, created by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2021. It officially began on June 19, 2022, on the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. 

“Our vision is that this is a gathering of the whole Church together,” said Tim Glemkowski, the event’s executive director. “And so we want a delegation from every parish in the United States to come to the Congress, whether it’s one person, or three, or 72. If every parish sent four people to the Congress, we’d sell out.” To register, visit eucharisticcongress.org/register.

Glemkowski, an author and evangelist, said it makes sense to register now because there is a finite number of passes to the Congress. For security reasons, everyone entering Lucas Oil Stadium must have a pass.

“We still have plenty of slots available,” he said. “What we’re really trying to communicate this summer is for parishes to register those delegations early, and come as a group because we could see a scenario where (passes) start to go fast. We’ve sold about 25,000 passes, so we’re off to a good start.” 

Father Gibino said people in the diocese have a few options to reserve passes.

“Choice ‘A’ is signing up through Peter’s Way for the whole thing,” he said. “Or, ‘B,’ if they want to reserve a ticket for the event, they would contact me and I would put aside the ticket (pass) for them. Then they would be responsible for their own transportation and room.

“And ‘C,’ would be if people just wanted to try and register and get a ticket, they could try and do that. But, I can say that our diocese has 250 confirmed tickets for the event.”

A pass entitles the holder to: 

• Admission to all general sessions, catechetical sessions, and breakout sessions.
• A seat at main programming, evening concerts, and entertainment.
• Access to conference resources, such as the National Eucharistic Congress app. 

Passes do not include meals or housing, but people who register independently can vie for discounted hotel room blocks. 

The stadium holds 70,000 seats, but there are several other nearby venues for the Congress in downtown Indianapolis. These spots will be set up within walking distance of the stadium, organizers said. 

People will find places for adoration, worship, prayer, quiet contemplation, recitation of the rosary, and other devotionals from the Catholic faith’s identity. 

Organizers said high school seniors are welcome to attend the Congress with chaperones. Younger high school students can attend with their youth groups or families. Grade school students may attend with parents or legal guardians. 

The standard price is $375 per person, but it drops as low as $299 per person for groups larger than 14.

Families can check the event’s website for special pricing for children. Also, youth groups can get even more savings.

The USCCB called for the three-year revival in response to Pew Research polling that showed only about one-third of U.S. Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

The revival’s first year focused on equipping dioceses to pursue deeper understandings of the Eucharist, and relationships with Christ himself. The Diocese of Brooklyn responded with its first Lenten Pilgrimage.

Year 2 of the revival also began on Corpus Christi Sunday this year, which was June 11. It has been dubbed the Year of Parish Revival. Parishes will take the hand-off from the diocese to encourage personal commitments of their members to the Eucharist. 

The third and final phase will be the Year of Mission, highlighted by the National Eucharistic Congress. 

“It’s more than just another conference,” Glemkowski said. “What the bishops are doing is calling the whole Church to gather together and to show up for Jesus — to encounter Christ and then to be sent out on mission back to their local communities. The seeds of renewal and revival will go back to their local churches.”