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The weekend, it is finally here, the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress. This is a capstone event for the Year of the Eucharist, which was extended from October 2022 to Corpus Christi 2023. This is year one of a three-year eucharistic revival not only in our Diocese but nationally. What exactly does a Eucharistic Revival look like?
I will answer this question by first explaining to you what it is not. I think we look idealistically for signs that have no true grounding in reality and we are this disappointed in a lack of results. For example, a eucharistic revival does not mean there are going to be little pixies flying around and our streets are going to turn to gold. No, get a grandiose image like this out of our heads right now.
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It looks more like what is going on in our interior selves. We have to examine what is happening in the interior silence of our hearts. It looks like good people coming together, praying intentionally together for mass and outside of mass, and sharing eucharistic witness stories to start. Next, through casual conversation surrounding the scriptures and the teaching of our faith we are formed. We have the resources to do this. We have our weekly Bible Study as long as it doesn’t snow and we have Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible and Catechism in a year. Reflecting on sacred scripture and tradition helps us in understanding our faith. This is how we strengthen our parish community. Next, we ask ourselves how to reach out to the lost. We don’t do this before we strengthen our individual parish communities.
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It is a process, as a Pastor and member of the Year of the Eucharist committee, it is a process that I have fallen deeply in love with. Anyone can curse the darkness. It takes the right combination of skill and inspiration, but mostly begging God for grace to go out and light a candle. Will we strive to be that candle?
Peace and Blessings to you and your families,
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OLBS Lenten Series — “Our Catholic Family”
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
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“No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need
constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love,” -Pope Francis
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Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church — 127 Holyoke Road, Westfield, MA 01085
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Stations & Soup
Holy Family Parish will be sponsoring Stations of the Cross and Soup again this year.
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Soups and Stations will begin on Friday, February 24th and go through Friday, March 31st.
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- 6pm stations
- 6:30 soup in the parish hall
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This is a great Lenten practice with some delicious homemade soup on the side!
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Eucharistic Congress
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Watch a promo video for the Eucharist Congress:
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Finish Praying Along with the Novena:
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Watch or listen to Fr. Aufiero
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Catechism in a Year
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