Eucharistic Revival a success at parish level, Fr. Gray says

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SALT LAKE CITY — As the parish phase of the three-year Eucharistic Revival called for by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is wrapping up, officials in the Diocese of Salt Lake City have been heartened by the broad response of the faithful in Utah.

Among the efforts at the diocesan level, pastors shared 15 reflections about the Eucharist from the pulpit with their congregations from June 2022 to June 2023. Those messages were also published in this newspaper.

“In that catechetical stage, when we had the reflections being read in the churches and published in the paper, many people really appreciated it, and very much grew by it,” said Father Christopher Gray, the diocese’s point person for the Eucharistic Revival and pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City. “That was a giant course.”

Across Utah, parishioners participated in various other efforts at the diocesan stage. For example, Catholics from several different parishes submitted entries to the diocesan essay contest, which ended in November.

During the parish stage of the revival, which is ongoing, parishes across the state have undertaken different activities suitable to their needs. They sponsored retreats focused on the Eucharist, held classes, shared books and videos and hosted presentations and exhibits.  Some have used resources provided on the National Eucharistic revival website; others offered Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or holy hours.

Most Utah parishes participated in the effort, Fr. Gray said. “I am very happy with the response of the parishes to the call for the revival, and to offer programming and opportunities to grow in personal and spiritual understanding of the Eucharist.”

“This has been a concerted effort and I’m very grateful for everyone’s cooperation in making such a wonderful revival at both the diocese and state and also in the parishes,” he added. “In parishes the increased opportunities for Adoration, the increased awareness of the Eucharist, the ongoing revival efforts have been very fruitful.”

Although three-year Eucharistic Revival effort is winding down, there is anticipation of the final event, the National Eucharistic Congress, which will be July 17-21 in Indianapolis, Ind. Fr. Gray will lead a group of 40 parishioners from Utah, who will travel to Indianapolis separately and meet up at the Congress.

Also, as part of the revival, 24 young adults from throughout the United States will journey on foot along four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes leading to the National Eucharistic Congress. The “perpetual pilgrims” will begin their treks from San Francisco; New Haven, Conn.; Brownsville, Texas; and Lake Itasca, Minn. They will start May 24. On May 31, a group of these pilgrims will be welcomed to Utah by Bishop Oscar A. Solis at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Hyde Park. On June 2 the pilgrims will celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi with parishioners there before heading to St. Mary of the Assumption Parish. The following day they will meet with Catholics in the Uintah Basin before traveling to Colorado.