Eucharistic Congress 2024 was awe-inspiring experience
August 5, 2024 at 4:15 p.m.
I’m sure many of us remember the old saying: “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Well, time flies when you are busy too!
It is hard to believe that our official launch of the Eucharistic Revival was the weekend of June 2022, the feast of Corpus Christi. On behalf of Josue Arriola and myself I would like to thank Bishop O’Connell for trusting us with such an important mission and appointing us as co-chairs of the Eucharistic Revival for the Diocese of Trenton. I would like to also acknowledge and thank the Eucharistic Revival committee for their commitment and dedication to its the mission: Milady Gonzalez, Deacon Gerard Luongo, Catherine Werner, Patty Baylog, Jossie Ramos and Lilian Juan. Without them it just would not have happened.
For me, attending the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis was a blessing in so many ways. Seeing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit that was actively at work across America over the past two years was simply amazing. At the official opening ceremony when the pilgrims that had walked from the four corners of America entered Lucas Oil Stadium carrying an image of the saint that journeyed with them was very emotional, heartwarming and spiritually uplifting. To see the joy on the faces of all the young pilgrims that had walked with Jesus during the past 60 days, I can only imagine what stories and experiences they must have stored in their hearts. Trust me, there will be books and documentaries in the months and years ahead enlightening us of what it was like to walk with Jesus across our country.
On a more personal note, the Congress gave me personal time to sit and just be with Jesus. Sometimes as a priest you can get so caught up in the work of the Lord and forget the Lord of the work. It was good to sit and listen, to listen in personal prayer, and to listen to the many wonderful selection of speakers.
One of the most impressionable speakers for me was Sister Olga. Her personal journey to the Catholic faith is a miracle in itself but she didn’t speak about that. Instead, she spoke about the power of the Eucharist. She shared several testimonials, but the one that was so very powerful was about a young mother who gave birth to premature twins. One of the twins died and the other was fighting for her life. Every Sunday, Sister Olga would go to the hospital and bring the Eucharist in a pyx and place it on the pillow beside the baby’s head. On one Sunday the baby reached out her hand and placed it on the pyx containing Christ in the Eucharist. It was as if Christ was saying, “We are in this together.” The baby has now celebrated her first birthday and is doing well. The power of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Eucharistic Congress and the past two years have helped me to realize the love many people have for Christ in the Eucharist. I know when polls show numbers of those who don’t believe, it can be quiet disturbing. But it is also important to note the numbers who truly love Jesus is great, and we should never shy away from our expression of that love and faith especially when the negative message is grabbing the headlines. I think an important lesson for us as a Diocese is to provide a public arena, like what took place in Indianapolis, but on a smaller scale, and call God’s people to come away for awhile and be with Christ in the Eucharist. I personally feel that a Diocesan Eucharistic Congress every two to three years would be a good thing to consider. Right now, nothing has been decided, either locally or at a national level, but is something we can all put to prayer.
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us as we move forward following the Eucharistic Revival and the Eucharist Congress.
Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and episcopal vicar of Burlington County, serves as a co-chair of the Eucharistic Revival for the Diocese of Trenton.
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I’m sure many of us remember the old saying: “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Well, time flies when you are busy too!
It is hard to believe that our official launch of the Eucharistic Revival was the weekend of June 2022, the feast of Corpus Christi. On behalf of Josue Arriola and myself I would like to thank Bishop O’Connell for trusting us with such an important mission and appointing us as co-chairs of the Eucharistic Revival for the Diocese of Trenton. I would like to also acknowledge and thank the Eucharistic Revival committee for their commitment and dedication to its the mission: Milady Gonzalez, Deacon Gerard Luongo, Catherine Werner, Patty Baylog, Jossie Ramos and Lilian Juan. Without them it just would not have happened.
For me, attending the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis was a blessing in so many ways. Seeing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit that was actively at work across America over the past two years was simply amazing. At the official opening ceremony when the pilgrims that had walked from the four corners of America entered Lucas Oil Stadium carrying an image of the saint that journeyed with them was very emotional, heartwarming and spiritually uplifting. To see the joy on the faces of all the young pilgrims that had walked with Jesus during the past 60 days, I can only imagine what stories and experiences they must have stored in their hearts. Trust me, there will be books and documentaries in the months and years ahead enlightening us of what it was like to walk with Jesus across our country.
On a more personal note, the Congress gave me personal time to sit and just be with Jesus. Sometimes as a priest you can get so caught up in the work of the Lord and forget the Lord of the work. It was good to sit and listen, to listen in personal prayer, and to listen to the many wonderful selection of speakers.
One of the most impressionable speakers for me was Sister Olga. Her personal journey to the Catholic faith is a miracle in itself but she didn’t speak about that. Instead, she spoke about the power of the Eucharist. She shared several testimonials, but the one that was so very powerful was about a young mother who gave birth to premature twins. One of the twins died and the other was fighting for her life. Every Sunday, Sister Olga would go to the hospital and bring the Eucharist in a pyx and place it on the pillow beside the baby’s head. On one Sunday the baby reached out her hand and placed it on the pyx containing Christ in the Eucharist. It was as if Christ was saying, “We are in this together.” The baby has now celebrated her first birthday and is doing well. The power of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Eucharistic Congress and the past two years have helped me to realize the love many people have for Christ in the Eucharist. I know when polls show numbers of those who don’t believe, it can be quiet disturbing. But it is also important to note the numbers who truly love Jesus is great, and we should never shy away from our expression of that love and faith especially when the negative message is grabbing the headlines. I think an important lesson for us as a Diocese is to provide a public arena, like what took place in Indianapolis, but on a smaller scale, and call God’s people to come away for awhile and be with Christ in the Eucharist. I personally feel that a Diocesan Eucharistic Congress every two to three years would be a good thing to consider. Right now, nothing has been decided, either locally or at a national level, but is something we can all put to prayer.
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us as we move forward following the Eucharistic Revival and the Eucharist Congress.
Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and episcopal vicar of Burlington County, serves as a co-chair of the Eucharistic Revival for the Diocese of Trenton.