Utahns relate their experiences at the 10th annual National Eucharistic Congress

Intermountain Catholic

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Bishop Oscar A. Solis (far right) walks with other bishops in the July 20 Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis during the National Eucharistic Congress.

A week ago, I attended the historic National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Ind. with more than 50,000 Roman Catholics reverently and lovingly focused on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience – daily prayer and celebration of the Holy Mass with much reverence, inspiring homilies, procession, benedictions and non-stop adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, powerful and moving personal testimonies from various laity, religious and clergy, inspiring impact sessions, warm fellowship and most of all an environment of faith, love and unity.

The Eucharistic Congress was a vibrant gathering of people from every age and walk of life – children, teenagers, young adults, elderly, men and women, seminarians, religious, clergy and bishops. It was a clear manifestation of the Catholic faith fully alive. Celebrating Mass with fellow pilgrims from our diocese, including 12 Vietnamese teenagers, was special and gratifying. Any doubts about the health of this nation’s Catholicism and the faith of our youth were laid to rest as we gathered to worship God – Jesus Our Lord and Eucharistic King.

If I could use just one word to describe that moving, inspiring and faith-building gathering, it would have to be JOY. From the participants to the many convention center and Lucas Stadium personnel, security officers, right down to the maintenance crews, as well as all the people lined up on the streets during the Eucharistic procession, joy was palpable and felt everywhere. It was rightly so, because God was present in our midst.  Jesus looked at us, blessed us, touched our hearts and renewed our faith in the unfathomable gift of the Eucharist and recaptured our awe and reverence for the great sacrament of love and unity, and the source and summit of our Christian faith.

It was a life-changing and revitalizing moment that brought renewal of faith and devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Everyone left and returned home filled with joy and love fully made aware that it is not a conclusion nor the end but a beginning of a new crusade in carrying out our mission as disciples of Christ. We are called to go, to be a Eucharistic community, and to be Christ-like to others – blessed by his abiding presence, broken and shared out of love for one another. I was truly blessed to be there, thankful, and the renewal made me proud to be a Catholic.