The National Eucharistic Congress (NEC) was created to provide a forum for the discussion of issues and conceptions that are vital to the Church and Society. The NEC, among other things, established standards for church leadership that are equally applicable to secular institutions and government. It has also taken a stand for social justice, Bridges said.
The three-year Eucharistic Revival effort will conclude with a gathering in Indianapolis in 2024.
In an effort to rekindle devotion to the Eucharist, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has voted in favor. A new organization called # 17 is launching a threeyear revival initiative, culminating in a national Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in 2024.
My sense, from speaking with you, is that the Holy Spirit is bringing us together to fulfill a great need for the Church. Bishop-designate Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, one of the architects of the multifaceted campaign, said, on Wednesday during the USCCB’s fall assembly in Baltimore.
The resurrection initiative will include the development and implementation of new instructional materials, training for diocesan and parish leaders, the launch of a dedicated revival website, and the deployment of a specialized team of 50 priests who will travel to the country to preach about the Eucharist.
On June 19, the campaign will officially launch. Bishops are encouraged to hold Eucharistic processions on that day, according to Bishop-designate Cozzens. Blessed Carlo Acutis, the young Italian Catholic who used his computer skills to share online content about Eucharistic miracles, will serve as the revival’s first year patron.
Perhaps the most important component of the revival is the planned National Eucharistic Congress planned for July 17-21, 2024, in Indianapolis, Archbishop-designate Cozzens announced. In an interview with CNA, he said he understood that the congress would be the first of its kind in the United States in nearly half a century. During a presentation to the bishops, the Archbishop stated that the last huge U.S. Eucharistic congress was held in Philadelphia in 197 Previously, he said, such national Eucharistic events occurred only once a decade.
The bishops voted 201 to 17 in support of the renovation campaign, with five abstentions. The voting was anonymous and done electronically.
“I anticipate that it will bear the magnificent fruits that all my brother bishops are praying for and expecting during this current time, including assisting in the restoration of the Holy Mass and a return to Mass,”. He said before the vote.
“I believe we’re on the verge of obtaining something truly valuable and beneficial for the Church in the United States.” Archbishop Coaker stated in a statement that was sent to the bishops and distributed through the archdiocese.
“May the renewal begin, brothers,” Bishop-designate Cozzens said after the vote.
Bishop-designate Keefer J. Cozzens serves as the committee chair for the USCCB’s Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis. In response to the CNA interview, he mentioned that the initiative is comprehensive and designed to encourage a greater love and devotion to the Eucharist.
“Our goal is to lead people to a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist so that their lives may be altered,” he said.
“And the explanation why it was three years was because we desired to affect the Church at every possible level,” with different initiatives tailored for the parishes, dioceses and the country as a whole, he said.
“We want depth. We don’t want to simply have a few nice events celebrating the Sacrament’s value.
“The bishops are requesting a deep and lasting focus on the Eucharist. And my hope is that
The Restoration Plan includes the following:
A “How-to” manual was distributed to diocesan leaders in December.
The launch of a dedicated website, EucharisticRevival.org, anticipated in January, providing a wealth of catechetical resources in both English and Spanish, including the recently approved document on the Eucharist and the Bishops approved Nov 17. Gregozza stated that his website was being funded through FORMED, an online provider of Catholic faith-formation resources, amounting to an in-kind gift in the amount of $1 million.
A panel of scholars has published a new book on Catholic beliefs about the Eucharist by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University. Bishop-designate Cozzens provided commentary on and summarized the findings from the book. The new study stems from worries among U.S. Catholic leaders about the validity of a widely cited Pew Research Center survey from 2019 that found that only one-third of U.S. Catholics identify as female. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
The Knights of Columbus are partnering with the USCCCB to provide dioceses with a “tool kit” for holding Corpus Christi processions after receiving a grant from the Knights of Columbus.
During the discussion about the revival initiative Wednesday, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said that while he supported the idea of holding a Eucharistic Congress, he questions the estimated $28-million cost associated with holding the event, which Bishop-designate Cozzens said he hopes can draw between 80,000 and 100,000 people to Indianapolis.
“I think this is a wonderful proposal. I’m a little concerned, though, and I’ve mentioned this to you once before, the $28-million price tag on this gathering, I think, might appear to be a bit scandalous, if you think about all of the things that the Church needs and asks money for.”
“I’m talking about a lot of individuals; that’s the real difficulty.” Cozzens, the bishop of the Dutch Reformed Episcopal Church in California, stated the following.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed Archbishop Coakley’s remarks on the Eucharistic Revival initiative to another bishop.