God's gift for the life of the world

Your opportunity for a unique Eucharistic experience

For many adult Catholics, just mentioning Corpus Christi Sunday conjures up memories of their parish priest processing outdoors with the Blessed Sacrament in an ornate monstrance, followed closely by altar boys and clouds of incense.

The tradition has faded in most parished. Many prelates, however, are putting a greater emphasis not only on the Corpus Christi procession but also on the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Quebec City’s Cardinal Marc Ouellet sees it as a way to transform the culture.

Later this month, the city will host the 49th International Eucharistic Congress. More than 10,000 delegates from around the world have already registered for the June 15-22 celebration.

The congress “will help us to face secularization from the heart of the faith, which is Christ present in the Eucharist,” he told Legatus Magazine in 2006. “We need to rebuild our culture, to reshape our relationship around this mystery and to recover the meaning of Sunday Mass and family life around the practice of our faith.

“It will be a great source of unity for our Church, so the preparation, the celebration and the follow-up to the congress will be a source of unity and of social commitment in the struggle to help the poor, immigrants and refugees,” he said.

Organizers also see devotion to the Eucharist as an antidote to secularism. They hope the congress will rekindle devotion to the Blessed Sacrament among the event’s participants — and that devotion will spread like wildfire to Catholics around the world.

Officials also hope their efforts will ensure that Eucharistic processions aren’t relegated to the past. Cardinal Jozef Tomko, the retired president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, will lead an outdoor procession with the Blessed Sacrament during the congress’ closing ceremonies. The Holy Father has appointed the cardinal as his representative to the congress.

Unique opportunity

Legatus members have a rare opportunity to have VIP seating at the congress. With Pope Benedict XVI’s consent, Legatus donated more than $1 million over two years to underwrite the congress as a part of its annual donation to the Holy See. The money will help people from underdeveloped nations attend and fund some of the event’s logistics.

As the congress’ largest private sponsor (other than the Canadian government), Legatus is offering its members the chance to attend a VIP reception with the world’s cardinals. Legates who register for the congress through Legatus will also have front-row access during the final days of the congress — and the opportunity to draw closer to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

“All the activities are centered on the Eucharist,” said Laura Sacha, Legatus conference director. “We’ll have morning prayers, catechesis, Mass and then workshops in the afternoon. There will be 24-hour Eucharistic adoration. There will be enormous spiritual benefits by immersing oneself in the Eucharist in different ways.”

Attending the congress will also deepen members’ focus on the Legatus mission, according to executive director John Hunt.

“This will be a great celebration — and educational experience,” he said. “It’s a golden opportunity to learn more about the true meaning of the Eucharist and to honor the Legatus mission of studying, living and spreading the faith.”

Sacha concurs.

“It’s an opportunity to gather together with the universal Church as a group of pilgrims and celebrate that Jesus is alive and present in the Eucharist,” she said.

Papal participation

The first congress was held in France in 1881 to gather clergy and laity to adore Christ and evangelize through his real presence in the Holy Eucharist. Since the beginning, congresses have sought to give participants a better understanding of the real presence and to promote adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

“At that time, there was a movement in France for Eucharistic adoration,” said Sr. Doris Lamontagne, assistant general secretary of the congress. “Each year after that, people began to organize Eucharistic congresses in a different city in Europe. From the beginning, these congresses had papal approval.”

The Second World War brought turmoil to Europe and a halt to congresses from 1938-1952. However, after the Second Vatican Council, there was renewed interest in emphasizing the Holy Eucharist.

“The expression statio orbis emerged,” Sr. Lamontagne explained. “It means that the universal Church gathers together to celebrate, not just the adoration of the Eucharist, but also the Mass, which is the summit of our faith.”

Pope Benedict XVI will give the homily live via satellite on June 22 at the congress’ closing Mass on the historic Plains of Abraham, the site of a decisive battle in 1759 between British and French troops that led to the fall of Quebec. Organizers expect up to 50,000 people at the Mass during which the Pope’s homily will be transmitted in real time to giant screens.

Among the 10,000 already registered are more than 50 cardinals, 200 bishops, 1,000 priests and 1,000 nuns. More than 2,000 volunteers will work to ensure the week’s events run smoothly.

The congress also coincides with Quebec City’s 400th anniversary. French Catholics founded the city, and the faith flourished in the province of Quebec until the 1960s. Organizers are confident the congress will help bring the faithful back to Christ.

“Our city was built on the Catholic faith of many witnesses,” said Sr. Lamontagne. “Their spirit is still alive and that charity is still alive. People are thirsting for spirituality. People are open and asking: Why am I alive? What is the meaning of my life?”

After the congress wraps up, the Church’s challenge will be to further engage the culture for Christ, Cardinal Ouellet wrote in a recent pastoral letter. “The challenge is above all to convert ourselves to Jesus Christ, to enter into his spirit and evangelize the culture … within a secularized society which needs to find her roots … so that together we can participate in the transformation of the world according to the Gospel.”

Legatus Magazine editor Patrick Novecosky contributed to this article. Sabrina Arena Ferrisi is a staff writer for Legatus Magazine.