Leroy and I were privileged to attend the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana. The last time the National Congress was held was in 1941. In attendance at the 41st International Eucharistic Congress (held in the US) in 1976 were St. Teresa of Calcutta, Pope Saint John Paul II, Venerable Fulton Sheet and Dorothy Day. This year’s event’s purpose was to worship Jesus in the true presence in the Eucharist as one church. Before this year’s event, attendance was estimated at 40,000, but it was closer to 60,000.
We flew in a day early. We walked on our first morning there and found the Church of St. John the Evangelist. We knew this was the site of the perpetual adoration (which had not yet begun), but we didn’t realize we had arrived just in time for the opening Mass. Volunteers, pilgrims, priests, religious and lay people filled the church. I spotted Fr. Josh Johnson (Ask Fr. Josh) walking to the sacristy to prepare for Mass. He was the only Catholic celebrity in attendance that I recognized, and it worked out that he was the one distributing communion for our line.
We met our travel companions at registration and checked into an Airbnb for the duration of the congress. Each morning, we were up early for daily Mass and the beginning of the sessions. Each day, we ended with more speakers and Adoration. It is impossible to describe everything we experienced, but I can tell you some of my favorites.
I love seeing the “Nunny Bunnies” walking in groups with their different habits. There were many young nuns, and they radiated joy. It was contagious.
Each session of Adoration was just a little different. In the first one, Bishop Cozzens spoke directly to Jesus in a simple conversation. (I’d never seen a priest do that before.) The second was a beautiful procession with the biggest monstrance I have ever seen.
The music was extraordinary. We listened to everything from Gregorian Chant to Christian Rock. The lyrics were shown on the screen so everyone could sing along. I love good music of all styles.
Each speaker was inspiring and delivered a thought-provoking message. Even the emcees were uplifting and entertaining. They kept a tight schedule, and there was never a gap in the presentations. It was exceptionally well organized. This event collected some of the most well-known Catholics in media. Some I had heard of, and many were new to me.
The processions (for Mass and the outside Eucharistic procession on Saturday) were awe-inspiring. The sheer number of seminarians, priests, bishops and cardinals lined up was staggering. The procession for the closing Mass took thirty minutes and included over 1,000 priests.
Of course, some presentations struck me more than others. Here is my list (all of them are available to view by clicking the names to be redirected to YouTube).
Msgr. James Shea — My favorite of the conference
The schedule of this event was grueling, but it was worth every minute. Being around 40,000+ people takes a toll on an introvert like me, but witnessing the pilgrims was inspiring. We came home exhausted and still unpacking all that occurred. Considering the saints who came out of the last one, I know we were in the presence of true greatness and future saints.
We won’t have to wait for the next National Eucharistic Congress. The next one is scheduled for 2033.
2 responses to “10th National Eucharistic Congress”
Thanks for this! I am so glad you were able to attend! The bits I saw on social media looked amazing. And thanks for the list of recommended speakers – I will check them out!
I rewatched Msgr. Shay’s talk this morning! So good. Enjoy!