As the lights dimmed and spotlights illuminated the golden monstrance being carried into Lucas Oil Stadium, Deacon Bob Hamilton was struck by silence.
Not just his own speechlessness, but that of the 60,000 people gathered on the first day of the National Eucharistic Congress.
“Imagine, there are 60,000 people in Adoration, and the only thing you can hear is the air conditioning – in a football stadium!” said Deacon Hamilton, of Holy Eucharist Parish, Cherry Hill, as he reflected on the Congress that took place July 17-21 in Indianapolis.
Deacon Hamilton was among the two dozen clergy, religious and parishioners from South Jersey to make their way to the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years, spending five days in prayer and breakout sessions, hearing keynote speakers and notable musicians, and more.
“We prayed for the Diocese while we were there. We were intentional in lifting up all of our people in prayer and believing that the tremendous graces we received, our Diocese will receive as well,” fellow Cherry Hill parishioner Evelyn Cuttino said.
Dr. E. Juliet Njoku of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Shrine, Lindenwold, said that no matter what words she used, they wouldn’t do the experience justice. “What we felt in that stadium and over the past five days, I can’t put into words – and that’s the Holy Spirit! Try to describe how the Spirit moves in you, and you will always fall short.”
She was, however, certain of one thing: “I cannot be quiet anymore. I have to share the joy of the Eucharist.”
“This gathering will mean nothing if we don’t go out and share the fire of Christ in us. There is so much we can do, and we can start with joy,” added Dr. Njoku, youth coordinator, Igbo Catholic Apostolic, Barrington, a member of the diocesan Black Catholic Ministry Commission and regional coordinator for the National Association of African Catholics.
Kristin King of Holy Eucharist Parish, agreed. “One of the things the speakers talked about was that you don’t want to be the same person when you get home as you were before you got here. I absolutely want to do that.”
She continued, “Actionable. That was the culmination of the theme, I think. How we came from all ends of the United States, and now we’re being sent out.”
She reflected on the words of Bishop Andrew Cozzens, the Eucharistic Revival’s leader, and the Congress’ “Walk with One” initiative.
“In one of the talks, it was said that there are 70 million Catholics in the United States. If each of us would just walk with one person and pray for that person – just have a relationship with them and show how much joy and peace a relationship with Jesus can bring – what would that look like? How amazing would that be?” she said.
“I really want to walk away with that concept of ‘Walking with One.’ I don’t have to try to save the world, right? But if I can find one person and just really nurture that relationship, well, that’s part of what our being sent out into the world is all about.”
Richard MacDonald, a member of Knights of Columbus Council 13259 and Infant Jesus Parish, Woodbury Heights, said one of the action items he would be bringing home is that of missionary discipleship.
“A number of great Catholic speakers and theologians at the Congress said to us, ‘This is not just the job of our priests and bishops. It’s us [laity] as well who need to help revive the Eucharist in this country.”
Judy Marino, and her 22-year-old daughter, Claire, were among those from the Catholic Community of Christ Our Light, Cherry Hill, to be inspired at the Congress.
“The number of priests and religious who were there was overwhelming. I pray for priests every day, but I didn’t have any scope of the number that would be there,” she said of the nearly 2,000 priests and bishops, 1,200 religious sisters and brothers, 630 deacons and 610 seminarians in attendance. “At Mass, it seemed to take a half-hour for them to process in to Lucas Oil Stadium. There were so many, and it just was so wonderful.”
She was also moved by the number of people she encountered. “It was mobbed, and you could hardly walk around the stadium and expos – you were taking baby steps, the crowds were so dense. But even in that, there was joy. Everybody was positive. There were older people and also families everywhere with these little babies strapped to their chests. It gave me a lot of hope for the future of the Church.”
Claire Marino said she was not only refreshed to see people her own age at the Congress, but to hear that the event was the start of something more. “The speakers kept saying that this wasn’t the revival – this was the Congress of the revival. That this is the start, not the end. To me, that means more intentionally going out and being a missionary for Jesus and for God, and more intentionally spreading the Word in my actions, words and thoughts.”
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