On Saturday, April 20, 2024, the Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated a Eucharistic Revival in preparation for the Eucharistic Congress that will be held in Indianapolis this summer.

It was an opportunity for the people of the diocese to connect with one another as the Church, as we celebrated the Eucharist, the body of Christ.

It was also an opportunity for each of us to encounter Christ, to connect with our Lord and savior. This connection clearly took place when Bishop Robert Brennan processed into Louis Armstrong Stadium with the monstrance.

There is no way to use words to describe the electricity flowing through the hearts of all those gathered in this Eucharistic presence. We were clearly connected to the Lord and to each other: individuals and community all at once.

A second memorable moment in the day was Bishop Brennan’s homily. He invited us to explore our encounter with Christ. He reminded us that the world is truly encapsulated in our diocese. He expressed this sentiment while he preached in front of an image of the Holy Family hovering over a globe. How appropriate to be invited to explore our relationship with

Christ, the world, and culture in front of this powerful image.

The cultures of our diocese were well represented: a Chinese lion dance greeted pilgrims on their arrival, a drum corps from St. Michael’s parish prepared us to greet the Eucharist, the choir was composed of musicians from our diverse parishes, and the readings were proclaimed in Chinese, Spanish, and English. The world was in our midst.

Immediately following the bishop’s homily, the faithful, literally from around the world, offered prayers for the Church. As a part of the presentation rite, the Sociedad Garifuna representing the Honduran community danced to the altar to present baskets, the fruits of our labors. Truly the whole world was gathered.

However important our connection and exploration is, it was our response that was striking. Our realization that Christ is our hope and joy made this liturgy so exceptional. We watched 6,500 of our brothers and sisters come to the side of our Eucharistic Lord.

This positive response to Jesus is so much more than a single moment in time. There were generations of faithful processing to Jesus; these generations will continue to encounter and approach Christ for years to come. This response to the