By Mary Stadnyk|News Editor

Anormally well traveled road in Yardville was transformed into a quiet, peaceful path of prayer and pilgrimage as several hundred faithful from Mercer County and beyond gathered to commemorate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi the evening of May 30.

Organized by Father Brian Woodrow, diocesan liaison to the Mass in the Extraordinary Form, the solemnity observance, which celebrates the real presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, began with a Solemn High Mass in St. Vincent de Paul Church, Yardville.

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Centering his homily on the gift of the Eucharist, Father Jeffrey Lee, episcopal vicar of Mercer County and pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, and St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, said, “we are the body and Blood of Christ present in the world, and it is our mission to faithfully and reverently celebrate these gifts.”

When receiving the Eucharist, “we fully participate in the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection,” said Father Lee. “And when we process forward to receive the Lord, we must do so with our minds and attention fixed on this sacred encounter.”

Following the Mass, the faithful publicly displayed their reverence and love of Christ in the Eucharist by joining in an outdoor procession behind a monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. The procession, which lasted well over an hour, traveled around the parish grounds, stopping at four temporary altars that were created and designed with flowers and candles where Father Woodrow blessed the faithful with the monstrance.

Leading the procession were members of the St. Vincent de Paul Council, Knights of Columbus, and members of the Maidens of the Miraculous Medal, which is comprised of a group of girls who provide prayerful support to the priests celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass. The maidens assembled an “infiorata,” which is a carpet made of flower petals. As Father Woodrow emerged from the church carrying the Blessed Sacrament at the start of the procession, he walked on the carpet of flowers. Also joining in the procession was the Verdi Pros Band of Norristown, Pa., which provided musical accompaniment as the faithful joined in the singing of familiar hymns such as “I Am The Bread of Life” and “Holy God We Praise Thy Name.”

Continuing on its journey, the procession moved down the road to the Mercer County Catholic Youth Organization Day Camp, whose campus is adjacent to St. Vincent de Paul Parish, and then to the three houses that comprise Visitation Home where Father Woodrow raised the monstrance and blessed the sites. Visitation Home is a Catholic residential facility that provides care to developmentally disabled adults.

“I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 29 years and I don’t think we’ve seen anything like (the procession) on this road,” said Ella Kelly, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, as she walked along and spotted neighbors who were looking on from their front porches and windows.

“I’m really pleased to see the large number of people who are participating in this procession and showing their love for the Lord,” she said.