4. National Eucharistic Revival

ENCOUNTER THE REALITY OF OUR EUCHARISTIC LORD

Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States by helping us renew our worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

“We are in a year of Eucharistic Revival, a time of careful thinking and consideration about our love of the Eucharist, the summit and center of worship, and the backbone of our mutual charity. Let us remember our heritage, our history... and our well-founded hope: Christ!”

- Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, A Shepherd's Message - June 13, 2023

Our bishops of the United States are calling for a three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They believe that God wants to see a movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission “for the life of the world.”

The National Eucharistic Revival started in 2022 and will continue through 2025, in hopes of restoring and strengthening our faith in Jesus Christ and the Eucharist. Together, we are reflecting on the Blessed Sacrament and the importance it holds in our Catholic faith as the precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, given to us as a gift of love and nourishment. Through the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and with one another as members of His mystical body, the Church.

In 2023, Corpus Christi (the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) took place on Sunday, June 11, which was observed with processions and celebration in many parts of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. This began the “Year of Parish Revival,” strengthening our liturgical life through faithful celebrations of Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. With a focus on deep reflections through scripture reading, prayer, (both in parish workgroups and as individuals), as well as missions, preaching and organic movements built through the Holy Spirit, this second phase will foster Eucharistic devotion at the parish level. The Eucharistic Revival also inspired the 2023-2023 theme for Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese: "This is Jesus."

This all led up to the first National Eucharistic Congress in the United States in almost fifty years, where 60,000 Catholics, including some 500 - 600 from the Archdiocese, gathered in Indianapolis for a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage toward the “source and summit” of our Catholic faith on July 17-21, 2024. From this journey we will follow with a year of going out on mission “for the life of the world.”

Ahead of the Congress, a four national pilgrimages traced paths of faith to Indianapolis. The southern route, dubbed the “Juan Diego Route” began in Brownsville, at the U.S.-Mexico border. It trekked to Houston on May 31 to June 2, and through the southern region of the U.S. before reaching Indianapolis.

Year of Mission

God is MOVING, brothers and sisters! This Eucharistic Revival has borne so much fruit already, and Jesus is only just getting started!

How did we get here? In this video, Bishop Barron tells the story of this movement and expresses his hopes for how this third year will continue to impact the Body of Christ.

Whether you received new grace at the Congress, were blessed to participate in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, deepened your participation in the Mass at your home parish, or found increased faith in the Real Presence of Jesus this year, it’s time to take what you have received and share it.

The Congress kicked off a new phase of the National Eucharistic Revival movement: the Year of Mission. It’s time for this movement to spread outward, going from initiatives in the pews to on-fire Catholics setting their communities ablaze with Eucharistic love!

Remember, you aren’t doing this alone. This summer, our partners at Word on Fire set a goal to pray 10,000 Holy Hours as a Church in support of the Revival. Our brothers and sisters across the world responded generously, far exceeding that number in only a few weeks! The whole Church is walking on mission together, and we are here to support you with resources, inspiration, and encouragement as you embark on this exciting journey.

Walk With One - Everyone Can Evangelize

We are all called to evangelize, and thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are well-equipped for this mission. It may not mean spreading the Gospel in a foreign land or going door-to-door with the Good News—and it may require overcoming some fears—but the Lord is asking each of us to step out of our comfort zone and evangelize one-on-one.

There is someone in your life right now whom Jesus longs to call to himself. He wants to spark a relationship with them and bless them with his sacraments. In this Year of Mission, Catholics across the U.S. are saying “yes” to a special form of heart-to-heart accompaniment called the Walk With One initiative. This is your opportunity to be God’s instrument in the life of another person. Imagine how our families, neighborhoods, and country will be transformed if every active Catholic answers this call!

The Stages of Spiritual Companionship

1. Identify
Don’t just pick someone. Ask God whom he wants you to accompany on their journey home to the Church. He will point you to the person he has in mind and open doors for the conversations that need to happen.

2. Intercede
As soon as the Lord lays someone on your heart, begin to pray for them! Ask God to remove whatever obstacles are making it difficult for this person to draw closer to Christ and his Church. Pray for the grace to be able to accompany them well.

3. Connect
Look for ways to build a deeper relationship with this person. Get together with them for coffee or lunch. Listen deeply for promptings from the Holy Spirit as you get to know your friend’s joys and struggles. Share with them some of your own.

4. Invite
Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When the time is right, invite your friend to take a concrete next step in fostering a personal relationship with Jesus and the Church. This might mean joining you for a small group or Mass on Sunday.

Learn more

Get the Playbook

There is no manual for how to live Eucharistic Mission, because this calling will be unique to the gifts and strengths God has given you. That said, we have created a Year of Mission Playbook to help guide your discernment! Download the playbook (30 page PDF) to explore the four pillars of Eucharistic Mission and discover the personal invitations at the heart of each.

 

Start Here

The best way to kickstart your own journey of Eucharistic Revival is with the Spark Series—nine days of prayer, reflection, and spiritual challenges. Join thousands of fellow Catholics in opening your heart to the renewal God desires!

We are asking you to be a part of this historic event. Participate within your parish, deepen your hearts in prayer through Adoration, find spiritual growth in your community. Invite your friends and neighbors. This revival is meant to foster a spirit of unity, love, and compassion extending out past our parishes and families and into our daily lives. In rejoicing in the gift of the Eucharist and celebrating our Catholic heritage, may it strengthen you as you live out your faith in this world.

  • Contact your parish to found out how the your local Catholic community is drawing closer to Christ in the Eucharistic Revival.

 

From the Texas Catholic Herald

Reflections by TCH columnists

Resources

If you are a Parish Point Person, click here to access your resources and trainings. Not a Parish Point Person? Learn more about this vital role in the Revival.

Explore Eucharistic Teaching
Learn what the Church teaches about this precious gift and why it is pivotal to your spiritual journey. Browse a free library of videos on the Eucharist for information and inspiration! | Sign up here

Learn How to Embrace the Gift of the Eucharist
Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chair of the Eucharistic Revival organization, presents the incredible reality of the Real Presence by unpacking the "Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church” as published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and invites you to respond to this radical gift. Discover practical ways you can spread a love for the Eucharist in your community! | Watch here

What is the Eucharist?
Browse this helpful page for answers to common questions about eucharistic teaching, biblical sources for the Eucharist, free podcast episodes, and a deep dive into the Eucharistic Prayer at the heart of our liturgy. | Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions such as "What is the National Eucharistic Revival?" and "Why is now such a critical time in the Church in the United States to have a Eucharistic Revival?" and other queries. | Learn more

For more information on local efforts to celebrate the Eucharistic Revival, contact Adam Brill, director of the Office of Worship.

 

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Inviting All to Become One In Christ