The National Eucharistic Congress was a 5-day event held at the Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indianapolis Convention Center and surrounding churches, July 17-21. The Congress was the culmination of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival, which began on the Feast of Corpus Christi in June of 2022 and will conclude on Pentecost in the Jubilee year 2025. Its impact, however, will continue far beyond. It is a revival of faith, formation, love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist through Encounter, and going out on mission. The days were filled with several Masses, 24-hour Adoration in the large, crowded Church of St. John the Evangelist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation with long serpentine lines (despite 75 priests hearing confessions), lectures, and other faith formation activities, topped off with a spectacular Eucharistic Procession with tens of thousands of pilgrims through the streets of downtown Indianapolis!
“The National Eucharistic Congress was the Church unified, joyful and confident.” – Fr. Eric Nielsen, LC
The first year of the Revival began at the diocesan level, inviting diocesan staff, bishops, and priests to a renewed personal encounter with the transforming power and mercy of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The second year was focused on the grassroots effort at the parish level, launching the Eucharistic Pilgrimage from four points of the United States, traveling a combined 6000+ miles to Indianapolis. The focus of the third year, which we are in currently, is to launch the US into a Year of Mission to share Christ’s love with others. This aligns beautifully with the Regnum Christi charism, which is contemplative and evangelizing, focusing on integral formation and effective apostolic action, i.e., bringing people into relationship with Christ, forming apostles and sending them out.
“The morning daily Masses were amazing with 50,000 people receiving our Blessed Lord. The Impact and Revival presentations were also a highlight, given by some of the most learned and respected Catholic religious and lay leaders and scholars of today.”– Karen Pritchard
Our Regnum Christi spiritual family gives praise, glory and thanks to the Lord for the gift of these beautiful days where we were able to spend time with Him and join 50,000 other faithful Catholics who were also excited to bear witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This was truly a foretaste of Heaven on Earth!
Our RC family kicked off the National Eucharistic Congress with an outdoor Travelers Mass and lunch at Our Lady of Apostles Family Center in Greenfield, IN. We were warmly welcomed by our hosts, John and Rosie Kube and the Indianapolis RC Family. It was a wonderful RC family reunion with our Legionaries of Christ priests, seminarians from Cheshire, candidates from the RC Sacred Heart Apostolic School, consecrated women, lay RC men and women, and the Lumen Institute. Fr. Matthew Summe, LC’s homily encouraged us to go out on mission with zeal and fervor, witnessing to our love of Christ to revive the Church.
“I was astounded by the silence of 50,000 pilgrims in Lucas Oil Stadium in awe of being in the presence of The King.” – Angeli Scott
The first night’s opening session of the Congress closed with the exhortation, “Jesus show me who you are.” Over the course of 5 days, we had ample time and opportunities to join our fellow pilgrims in Adoration and reception of the Sacraments allowing us to fall in love (or more deeply in love) with Him. It was a blessing to witness to our faith in the Eucharistic Lord during Adoration and the Eucharistic Procession in Lucas Oil Stadium and by just showing up for this unique event. The energy was as palpable as if one were at an earsplitting rock concert, but instead, we experienced the incredible silence of 50,000 faithful pilgrims in awe in the presence of The King. It was inspiring and uniting for all to be among the myriad orders of the joyful ordained and religious who have dedicated their lives to the Lord and the non-religious pilgrims, especially the youth, with their zeal for the Lord.
Regnum Christi, the Legionnaires of Christ, Divine Mercy University, Catholic World Mission, and The Lumen Institute all had a presence at the Congress. Fr. Andrew Dalton, LC gave a wonderful talk, “The Shroud of Turin as a Mirror of the Gospel” to standing room only crowds on each of three days. Fr. Vihn Pham, LC spoke about “Mary, the Living Tabernacle”, to the young adult section, which was also attended by many moms. Catholic World Mission showcased their Monstrance Program, delivering Monstrances to Catholic communities around the world. The Lumen Institute sponsored a musical showcase of Bernadette de Lourdes, which will tour in the US in 2025 and 2026. The presentation of this evangelization initiative received a standing ovation.
“Worshipping our Lord in the stadium along with 50,000 people kneeling in adoration of Him was so powerful, but it did not compare to the overwhelming love I could feel pouring and flowing out from Him for each one of us.” – Michelle Kalian
We thank the Lord for calling us to be with Him at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis during this historic week. We are grateful to the who’s who of leaders in the Catholic forum, gifted speakers who witnessed to their faith and inspired us. We are also grateful to the organizers of the Congress. The last US National Eucharistic Congress took place in 1941, before WWII. An International Eucharistic Congress was held in the US in 1976. The next National Eucharistic Congress is planned for 2033. We can begin to pray for this event!
Jesus’ words “Abide in me, with me” led me through the Congress and to constant Eucharistic prayer and conversion of heart (repentance). And to actions of unity in word and deed. One Body. – Veronica Diaz
To live a truly Eucharistic Life, Adoration needs not only to be an hour with Jesus, but the graces must spill out into our daily lives. We are called to relate to others as we do with Christ in the Eucharist. We are to be transformed by God’s power that comes to us in the Eucharist. We are to love as Jesus loves, and true love begins with repentance. The Congress left us with confidence of a renewed faith and that Encounter with Christ in the Eucharist is a uniting element in our everyday lives with family, friends, our community and even those with whom we disagree. We pray that this gathering has given Catholics the courage to witness to their faith publicly without fear of persecution.
I was in awe surrounded by thousands of priests and other religious. These dedicated sons and daughters of Christ gave me so much hope for the future of the Church! – Melissa Gordon
A powerful quote from the Congress was by Sister Josephine Garrett, who said, “This is not the finish line, but the starting line—get ready to walk together out of this place as the body of Christ.” Jesus called us to be missionary disciples and that is what we must go forth and do—go out on Mission. Thy Kingdom come! The love of Christ impels us!
