Reflection on the National Eucharistic Congress - July 17-21, 2024

The National Eucharistic Congress, the first of its kind in America in 83 years, officially came to a close on Sunday, July 21, 2024. Shelley Benson, Parish Pastoral Council Chair, shared the following reflection detailing her experience attending all four days of the Congress in Indianapolis, IN.

Dear People of God,

Two weeks ago, I experienced an incredibly profound event along with the 60,000 other pilgrims who descended upon Indianapolis, IN to attend the 10th National Eucharistic Congress (NEC). The last time this Congress was held was in 1941 in Minneapolis–83 years ago! This was the first one to happen in my lifetime, and it may have been the last.
 
The three-year National Eucharistic Revival began in the U.S. on June 19, 2022, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Revival’s mission to renew the Church in this country by rekindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist culminated in the National Eucharistic Congress on July 17-21, 2024. But the revival isn’t over. We NEC attendees, along with all the pilgrims who participated along the way, want to bring the light of Christ back to our parishes, where we hope to renew a reverence for worship through the sacrifice of our Lord in the Mass.

Shelley and Jon Benson at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN (Click to enlarge)

Click to enlarge

As your Parish Pastoral Council Chair, I felt called to lift St. John XXIII Parish up in prayer. I prayed for our own personal and communal commitment towards a deeper relationship with God. I prayed for Fr. Jean-Philippe Lokpo as our shepherd and pastor. I prayed for renewal in our hearts and in the heart of our newly formed parish.
 
In the exhibit hall, I came across a booth offering space to write down our prayers and hang it on a chain. I've included a photo of my plaque.

While I experienced so much over those four days in Indianapolis, there are four takeaways from this pilgrimage that I’d like to share with you.

1) The Depth of the Church
We saw every kind of Catholic: religious men and women, seminarians, families with young children, youth, lay leaders, charismatic Catholics and contemplative Catholics, deacons, priests, and bishops. We heard praise and worship music and Gregorian chant. We were offered liturgies according to the Byzantine Rite and the Syro-Malabar Qurbana Rite; the Latin Mass according to the 1962 Missal; liturgies in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese; and Mass specifically for youth. We saw young, fresh, and joyful faces. We even saw parents bringing their kids (which honestly made me nervous given the crowds)! We saw youth groups, diocese groups, and parish groups. This congress brought together tens of thousands of individuals from all 50 states and 16 other countries who together spoke 43 languages. We saw a Church in love with Jesus, opening its arms to him as a bride opens her arms to receive the love of her bridegroom.
 
2) The Hunger for Inspiration and Catechesis
Every day, there were impact sessions, breakout sessions, and a multitude of talks to choose to attend. The convention halls were full. The speaker lineup was comprised of theologians, bishops, apologists, and experts in Catholic social teaching and today’s cultural issues; the topics were relevant and catechetical. People wanted to know what the Church teaches on so many issues in today’s world. Even if they struggle or critically disagree with some of the doctrines of the Church, they still wanted to learn and understand. It’s hard to live your faith if you don’t know what your faith teaches about living a life of holiness.

3) The Mass
I am sharing this link to the closing mass at the Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, July 21. The recording of the mass is long, but feel free to fast forward through the procession and recession (206 bishops, 1240 priests, 630 deacons, 1230 religious sisters, and 614 seminarians).  I think it’s common to want to experience church in a horizontal dimension, where it’s about the community and seeing Christ in each other. Amen! However, this closing Mass took on a vertical dimension, one where my eyes, my heart, and my soul were drawn upwards in worship and adoration as heaven and earth came together in the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist. Hearing the voices of 60,000 fellow believers responding to “Lift up your hearts” with “We lift them up to the Lord," then witnessing thousands of people kneel in the narrow rows of our stadium seats in humble adoration during the consecration—it was an unforgettable experience that I still feel deep in my core.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

4) Eucharistic Adoration: The Power of Presence
At the revival session every evening, we listened to testimonies and dynamic speakers who inspired and exhorted us to live out our faith in this world.

Then came the Eucharistic Adoration. Picture it with me: Imagine the priest processing in with the monstrance that holds our Living Christ. Imagine a stadium full of people dropping to their knees in adoration and praise, softly singing Tantum Ergo Sacramentum. Imagine 60,000 people kneeling or sitting in silence for at least 20 minutes without a sound. Imagine the silent prayers, the flowing tears, and the cries of those who opened themselves to the presence of Jesus, asking Him to enter their hearts, to heal their souls. Imagine the collective acknowledgement of our baptismal vows as sons and daughters of Christ. These moments held a profound grace.

Click to enlarge

There are Catholics who believe the Church is archaic, puritanical, and resistant to change. At the National Eucharistic Congress, I saw a church alive with hope, vigor, and renewal. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The Church is both human and divine, a Church of saints and sinners. Because it has divine origin, it has not only survived many attacks from within and without, but it has grown and developed remarkably in its 2000 years of existence, and it remains one of the oldest institutions in the world.
 
I will close with this: Bishop Robert Barron shared the idea of “Walk with One.” He said that missionary discipleship is not about you converting the masses; it begins with ONE person, someone you will pray for, love completely, and accompany on their journey. And when the opportunity arises to share your faith and the joy you experience in knowing and loving God, then do so. That will have more of an impact than anything else you do.

I am honored to serve St. John XXIII Parish, and I keep you all in my prayers.

In God’s love,
Shelley
 
Please visit the NEC website to learn more. I didn’t even mention the Eucharistic Procession through downtown Indianapolis or the Eucharistic Pilgrimage to Indianapolis from the four corners of the U.S. There is too much to tell! Visit the NEC YouTube page for more recorded videos of the revival sessions.