St. Catherine of Sienna famously said, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” Perhaps there is no finer way to summarize the 10th National Eucharistic Congress than through St. Catherine’s words, which ring as true today as they ever have.
From July 17-21, over 50,000 people gathered together in prayer and adoration in Indianapolis to both honor the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist and better appreciate how they could be light for the world.
One delegate from the 250 sent to the Eucharistic Congress from the Diocese of Cleveland, Kim Kocuba, reflected, “We were instructed and inspired in revival sessions and powerful breakouts. Of everyone that was present, the Triune God was the most obvious. Jesus was truly present in the Holy Eucharist, and we adored Him.”
Throughout the four days of event, one prominent theme surfaced that was driven home by Bishop Robert Barron, who said: “Your Christianity is not for you. Christianity is not a self-help program, something designed just to make us feel better about ourselves. Your Christianity is for the world.” He continued, saying “The Eucharist is not meant to be a private possession, it’s meant to conform us to Christ who gives His body, blood, soul, and divinity for the world.”
The message for Catholics everywhere is that we are called to communion and mission, to share Christ’s love with the world, from the least to the greatest among us. This was evident throughout each moment of the Congress, as Kocuba notes, “We prayed in song and in silence. There was much to see and do … praise, worship, adoration, and deep reflection. We were affected, and we are forever changed.”