Last week most of the OSV News team was at the National Eucharistic Congress: The general consensus I’ve heard from them is that it was a powerful, life-changing event and the Holy Spirit is at work. But if you’re like me and stayed home, how do you know what happened?
If you’re short on time, here’s an overview of the entire week to start with.
Below is a roundup of our coverage of the week in chronological order — we still have a few more pieces in the works that share even more of how God is moving the hearts, minds and hands of Catholics and what’s next for this Year of Mission.
And if you haven’t already heard: next year there will be another Eucharistic pilgrimage crossing the United States, and another Eucharistic congress is being planned to happen in less than 10 years time. We’ll be sure to report on that when the time comes.
Other news we’ve covered since the start of the National Eucharistic Congress includes the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, his choice of JD Vance as his VP running mate, President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and his Oval Office address to the nation; prominent U.S. figures asking the pope not to further restrict the Latin Mass; accusations of abuse against the iconic French priest Abbé Pierre; Hurricane Beryl affecting the church in Grenada; the Knights of Columbus covering up mosaics in the St. John Paul II National Shrine created by artist Father Marko Rupnik, who is accused of abuse of several people; NFP Week; and more. Be sure to keep an eye on our social media (@OSVNews) for even more stories.
Megan Marley
Digital Editor
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The streets outside Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis were abuzz with excitement July 17 as Catholics of all ages and walks of life gathered for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, the first such congress in 83 years.
REVIVAL: Absolute silence filled Lucas Oil Stadium as tens of thousands of people dropped to their knees to adore Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament as the long-anticipated National Eucharistic Congress officially got underway on the evening of July 17 in Indianapolis.
DAILY RECAP: Hundreds of priests, around 100 bishops and several cardinals concelebrated the morning Mass in Lucas Oil Stadium July 18 – a liturgy that kicked off the first full day of the National Eucharistic Congress.
Después de la Misa con el cardenal de Boston, Seán P. O’Malley, que fue concelebrada por varios obispos y muchos sacerdotes, cientos de católicos latinos participaron en el Encuentro — una de las sesiones de impacto del Congreso, la cual fue ofrecida en español.
REVIVAL: While Father Mike Schmitz and Mother Mary Olga of the Sacred Heart moved participants with their inspiring keynote exhortations — the last word was given to the Eucharistic Lord.
The college campus ministry chaplain from the Diocese of Duluth, Minn., is internationally renowned for his “Bible in a Year” and “Catechism in a Year” podcasts, provided through Catholic publisher Ascension, that have topped the podcasting charts in recent years.
“Ten ingredients” make for a “recipe of Eucharistic revival,” including greater focus on preparing for and participating in Mass, as well as integrating prayer and evangelization into daily life, said Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco during the July 18 celebration of a votive Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal.
Charleen Katra, executive director of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, shared her thoughts in a presentation titled “The Eucharist: Ensuring Access for All,” focused specifically on sacramental preparation and reception of the Eucharist.
Sacred art is not only “a piece of us and our culture,” but also “something we pray with; it’s in our homes,” said Hunter Dickens, a seminarian of the Diocese of Owensboro, who designed an art display for the July 17-21 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis and created the Catholic Artists Directory.
At the Mass for youth at the National Eucharistic Congress July 19, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke to young people about the importance of acknowledging sins and repenting for them.
DAILY RECAP: The third day of the national congress, held July 17-21 in Indianapolis, had as its theme “Into Gethsemane” — and it saw wide encouragement for congress-goers to experience healing in the Eucharist and then to bring Jesus’ healing to others.
REVIVAL: “Tonight, I am begging you on behalf of Jesus Christ: Healing begins with repentance,” Sister Josephine said, urging everyone to repent “in joy and confidence.”
En la tercera noche de avivamiento del Congreso Eucarístico en Indianápolis, Paula Umaña caminó despacio en el escenario y, antes de dar su testimonio, levantó una pelota de tenis e hizo repetir al público una frase que aprendió de su madre y de su abuela: “Corre hacia Jesús”.
Umaña fue una galardona tenista, que ocupó el primer puesto en el ranking de su país y de Centroamérica y el 280º del mundo. Las cosas tomaron un giro diferente tras dar a luz a su quinto hijo cuando ella enfermó de un trastorno del sistema nervioso que la dejó tetrapléjica en cama.
Bob Willoughby has the kind of smile and sense of humor that draws people in easily — which is evident when he laughed and said that he didn’t want his photo taken but that “you can find my picture on the wall of the post office.” Yet his face changed from mirth and mischief to reverence and a touch of awe when he was asked about the impact of the Eucharist in his life.
“I think artwork can crystallize a moment, and that’s what I think the two pieces that I have outside (the church) truly have done in terms of the National Eucharistic Congress — one with the idea of the pilgrim, and the other with the spirituality that happens in the Eucharist,” said Catholic sculptor Timothy Schmalz.
DAILY RECAP: At Lucas Oil Stadium, Day 4 of the National Eucharistic Congress, began with a liturgy — and a story — from the church that St. Thomas the Apostle planted in India.
PROCESSION: Tens of thousands of Catholics walked through the streets of downtown Indianapolis July 20 for what Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens said “might be the largest Eucharistic procession in the country in decades.”
REVIVAL: From the first moments of the final nighttime revival session at Lucas Oil Stadium July 20, an electricity coursed through the air with an intensity surpassing all the prior events of the National Eucharistic Congress.
Speaking on “The Eucharist in a Time of Polarization” at the National Eucharistic Congress July 20, Paulist Father Ricky Manolo provided practical suggestions like that one amid his assessment of the country’s political divisions and how to navigate this landscape with love and respect for one another.
Pope Francis’ special envoy to the congress, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a native of the Philippines and pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches, gave an exclusive interview to OSV News.
Thousands of pilgrims at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress experienced the “Eastern flavor” of Catholic liturgy, as they were exhorted to draw strength from the body and blood of Christ to become missionary disciples, bringing the Gospel to a world in need.
DAILY RECAP: The five days of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis could not have ended in a more fitting way — with the celebration of the Eucharist with more than 50,000 people gathered.
A Eucharistic pilgrimage from Indianapolis to Los Angeles is being planned for spring 2025, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, announced July 21 at the end of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress’ closing Mass. Congress organizers had also been considering holding an 11th National Eucharistic Congress in 2033, the “Year of Redemption,” 2,000 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, but they’re now discerning organizing an event sooner.
YEAR OF MISSION: “What you received as a gift, you must give as a gift,” said Bishop Cozzens. “This year we’ve invited you to ‘walk’ with one person. What would happen if each of you thought of one person you know who’s currently away from the faith; and you decided to pray for them and befriend them and then invite them to take one step closer to Jesus and his church?
Even before the July 21 announcement that National Eucharistic Congress organizers are considering holding another congress in just a few years, 9-year-old Thomas Gangestad had prayed for it.
Shaughn and Claire Phillips did not register to attend the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-20 in Indianapolis. There simply wasn’t enough time as they planned for their June 22 wedding. Yet here they were, signed up for the entirety of the congress — donning the yellow shirts of volunteers.
COLUMN: “Lord, we wanted to give you the first words of our National Eucharistic Congress,” Bishop Cozzens prayed. And it paid off, big time. Because when Christ is at the center, grace abounds.
OVERVIEW OF THE WEEK: As five days of the National Eucharistic Congress concluded with one final revival and a beautiful solemn Mass in Lucas Oil Stadium — Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, board chairman of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., stood in Lucas Oil Stadium. “I have a question for you,” he told the crowd. “This is the 10th National Eucharistic Congress — do you think we should do an 11th one?”
