By Galen Holley Much like the French author Marcel Proust, in his multi-volume novel Remembrance of Things Past, it was a cookie that stood out in James McChesney’s mind as an intimate link to history.
“My wife, Sally, used to get up early on Sundays and bake six dozen cookies for the after-church social,” said McChesney,speaking of the old days, when he and Sally had to slap their children’s hands to keep them away from the baked during the drive to church.
“Snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, English tea,” said McChesney. He was seated at a side table which made room for his walker. McChesney and several of his fellow parishioners, several of them octogenarians, were at the seventy-fifth anniversary celebration of St. Francis Church. It was held at the Union County Heritage Museum on June 29. More than sixty parishioners gathered to look over old photos, enjoy hors d’ourves, and to share stories about the church’s beginnings.
A collage of sepia colored photographs passed on a projector screen. McChesney saw an image of himself. He beheld a much younger man, dressed in a Western style shirt, standing next to another of the old-timers, Ralph Hanskiewicz. Ralph and his wife, Bea, have been members of St. Francis for several decades.
Helen Roberts Greer also saw a younger version of herself on the screen. Born into the church in 1952, Greer grew up with seven siblings as a member of St. Francis. Greer was raised in the countryside and remembered several young seminarians visiting. The soon-to-be-priests enjoyed homemade biscuits, garden vegetables, and all the delicious, wholesome fare of an abundant, country table. Greer’s parents planted flowers, and women from the church used them in the May Crowning each year.
Greer was particularly fond of a hard working priest from the Glenmary Home Missioners named Bob Rademacher. Father Bob helped rural families pick cotton and do all manner of farm work. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
At the celebration on June 29, former parishioners, who’d long since moved away, showed up for the event with pictures of great grandchildren in their wallets. Lorraine Turner was there. She was celebrating the memory of her mother and long-time member, Betty Lang, who passed in 2016.
Names rose up like prayers from conversations around the room. People remembered Bill and Shelia Towner, the artist M.B. Mayfield, musician Kerry Lynch, as well as Marion Coltharp. Faithful member Mary Goins’s son, Kelly, gave a moving testimonial about how the Catholic Youth Organization touched his life. Sarah Pierce joined St. Francis some 30 years ago. She almost cried talking about her passion for the church.
“I love the Catholic Church,” Pierce said. “It’s the pinnacle of my heart.” Maxine Hall was there, helping and praying as always. Twin brothers Ronnie and Donnie Rosetti have been strong supporters and committed members for decades. Ronnie shook hands and hugged necks as is his usual custom. “‘I want people to become Catholic, because I love this church,” he said.
A painting hangs in the fellowship hall at St. Francis Church on Highway 15. It’s a portrait of a demure, stately, tastefully dressed woman named Dorothy Kelso. Her name was on the lips of all the old-timers gathered at the museum on June 29. Kelso moved with her family to New Albany in 1922, and the first Mass was celebrated in the Kelso home, at 357 Garfield Street, in 1938. She’s considered the matriarch of St. Francis Church.
The portrait of Kelso serves as a reminder to a new generation who are carrying on the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
Parks Smith and his wife, Vance, are part of the younger set at the church. They have a big, old-fashioned Catholic family, five girls and one boy. Parks sings in the choir, and he dresses to a “t” every Sunday with a coat and tie. Smith is a convert from Protestantism, and he stood up and spoke from the heart at the celebration.
“I never imagined what a stepping stone this would be,” said Smith, a school teacher. “We seldom see how God is setting up things in our lives. A seed has been planted in my life. I’m deeply grateful for this church.”
(Galen Holley is a member of St. Francis of Assisi in New Albany.)
By Joanna Puddister King JACKSON – August is recognized as national “make-a-will” month, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of estate planning. With less than one-third of Americans having a valid will, the Diocese of Jackson invites the community to take proactive steps in securing their future and their legacy using the free service – My Catholic Will.
“Creating a will can often feel like a daunting task, one that many of us tend to put off to do some time in the future,” says Rebecca Harris, director of the Office of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Jackson. “However, viewing this process from a different perspective might make it easier to approach. Think of creating your will as a way to establish a lasting legacy for your loved ones and even your Catholic faith.”
While many expect to live well into the future, not being legally prepared for the end could lead to significant issues. Ambiguous or absent final wishes could result in conflicts among beneficiaries. Those who die without a valid will risk having the distribution of assets decided by state law.
The Office of Stewardship and Development aims to simplify the process of estate planning for those across the diocese. In partnership with My Catholic Will, the diocese is offering a free online service that allows individuals to create a legal will in under 20 minutes in most cases. This service is available to everyone in the diocese and can be accessed by visiting https://mycatholicwill.com/jacksondiocese. The site also features a living will builder, enabling individuals to outline their medical wishes should they become unable to communicate or make decisions for themselves.
“Taking the time to create your will not only provides peace of mind but also helps secure your legacy,” Harris said.
Even those who currently have a will can take this month as a reminder to update their wills.
“I’ve had a will for decades now,” said Bishop Joseph Kopacz. “It continues to evolve as time goes on.”
In a recent video on “Make-a-Will” month, Bishop Kopacz emphasizes the importance of being intentional and mindful about what matters most to us. For those who are devoted to their faith, their parish, their school, and their diocese, a will provides numerous ways to support these commitments.
Additionally, the diocese also offers a free “Funeral and Financial Planner Guidebook” to assist in the estate planning process. For questions about wills or other planned gift options, Harris is available for assistance at rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org.
National “Make-a-Will” month serves as a reminder to all individuals, regardless of age or wealth, to consider their estate planning needs and take the necessary steps to ensure their wishes are honored.
BILOXI – Msgr. James Patrick McGough, 91, of Biloxi, passed away on Aug. 12, 2024.
Msgr. McGough was born July 24, 1933 in Rathagan, County Kildare, Ireland. His ecclesiastical studies were at Mungret College in Limerick, Ireland and at St. Bernard Seminary, St. Bernard, Alabama. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson at St. Mary Basilica on May 25, 1957.
On Sept. 2, 1957, He was assigned to Nativity Parish in Biloxi and in September 1958, he entered Catholic University in Washington, DC to study canon law. In 1961, he was appointed as assistant chancellor and defensor vinculi (Defender of the Bond) and in 1962, he was appointed a diocesan chancellor.
He was named Papal Chamberlain by the Holy See in 1965 and in 1966, he was appointed vicar general for the diocese. In 1969, he was named an honorary Prelate of His Holiness. Msgr. McGough was appointed as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Canton on Jan. 15, 1971 and later that year was appointed diocesan consultor. On Dec. 1, 1971, he was appointed as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Hattiesburg where he also served as the dean of deanery V and episcopal vicar.
On June 6, 1977, he was appointed as the chancellor for the newly established Diocese of Biloxi and in 1979 was appointed as pastor of St. Paul Parish in Pass Christian. In 1980, he was named vicar general for the diocese and in 1985, was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis. In 1988, he was appointed as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo parish in Picayune, and then served as pastor of St. James parish in Gulfport. His last parish assignment was at St. Clare parish in Waveland before his retirement from active ministry.
Msgr. McGough was a brilliant scholar in church law and policies. His infectious laugh could light up any room he entered. His homilies were always theology based and were delivered with the utmost reverence to the Gospel and the importance of the Eucharist. Msgr. McGough was truly a man of God and will be greatly missed. His contributions to the Dioceses of Biloxi and Jackson will be remembered for generations.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Joseph McGough and Margaret Stack McGough; 2 brothers, Peter McGough and Gerard McGough; and a sister, Mary O’Grady.
He is survived by a brother, Rev. William “Bill” McGough; and numerous nieces and nephews in Ireland and England.
A Mass of Christian was celebrated by Bishop Louis Kihneman and other priests at on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Biloxi. Interment will be in St. James Cemetery, Gulfport. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the Association of Priests, 237 E Amite Street, Jackson, MS 39201.
By Rhonda Swita TUPELO – On July 20, 2024, Dr. Hosffman Ospino, a highly recognized Professor of Theology from Boston College, spoke at St. James Church in Tupelo. St. James is blessed to have a diverse community of believers. Dr. Ospino’s message was one of unity and hope, focusing on us being a community of many families, one church and one faith.
Dr. Hoffsman Ospino
Dr. Ospino gave those present at the event a history lesson on the evolution of Catholicism during the earlier days of American life, although mindful that Catholics were present in the country since the sixteenth century. In the early 1800’s there was only one bishop and about 400 churches. But within the next 150 years, many large groups of various nationalities arrived, bringing their own sweat labor and priests. As a result, approx. 20,000 churches were built. Soon to follow were 13,000 Catholic schools, more than 300 Catholic Universities, and many hospitals and other social service organizations. Each nationality pretty much stayed to themselves, building community in their own language, and avoided co-mingling among groups to preserve identity.
However, as the older generations passed on, the newer generations adopted the English language and people became part of the “melting pot” of American culture. People had work and the children were being educated in the Catholic faith. Catholic families were strong in their Catholic faith. By 1950 there were about 30 million Catholics in the United States.
During the 1950s and 1960s, major social changes drove a significant number of Catholics away from traditional ways of being church. Immigration from Europe had slowed down and various cultural revolutions such as the women’s rights movement, new attitudes toward sexuality, and the Civil Rights Movement redefined Catholic life in America. More unfortunate attitudes such as the growing openness to treat the right to “end” life in the womb as a right took hold in our society. Many Catholics stopped practicing their faith. This trend was exacerbated in the early 2000s with the effects of the sexual abuse scandal of children by clergy. Mass attendance declined and thousands of churches and catholic schools have closed.
Although one may think that American Catholicism is in decline, actually the opposite is true. New immigrant Catholics primarily from Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and their U.S. born children, are giving new life to our Catholic communities. They seek Catholic communities to nurture their faith. Those communities already exist. We must build on the lessons from our past and embrace fresher ways to evangelize in the midst of the diversity that shapes American Catholicism to build up the kingdom God in our parishes.
At the talk, Dr. Ospino gave some insights on how to do this. 1) We must educate parents – teach them first, so they can teach their children. 2) Consider family faith formation initiatives. 3) Realize that being multi-cultural is a gift from God. Embrace it. That is who we are. 4) Acknowledge that bilingual communication is okay! Parents speak to their children in different ways. 5) All our pastoral efforts must lead to building communion: with God, with our church, with each other. 6) Practice Misa, Mesa, and Musa. Misa is an invitation to pray together. Mesa is a call to eat together! Nothing is more healing than eating together. Musa is a summons to celebrate together with in a spirit of fiesta! 7) Be attentive to what works well with Hispanic Catholics and other groups. Be open to learn how to be church from the communities that renew American Catholicism.
Dr. Ospino’s message can be summed up as follows: Diversity is not a problem. It’s a gift. Our priority is to facilitate an encounter with Christ. Evangelize and build up the kingdom of God and do it with joy!
(Rhonda Swita is the Director of Faith Formation for St. James parish in Tupelo.)
CLINTON – Youth from Holy Savior in Clinton and Immaculate Conception in Raymond celebrated confirmation with Bishop Joseph Kopacz on April 3, 2024. Front row (l-r): Jackson Rodgers, Carter Rogers, Dominic Weisenberger, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Kathryn Callegan, Clara McCombs and Madelyn Rives. Back row (l-r): Typhanie Teague, Greta Nalker, Kylin Mraz, Hayden Rogers, Justus Offiah, Drew Harris and Father Lincoln Dall. (Photo by Stephen Martinolich)
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT CATHOLIC ENGAGED ENCOUNTER – CEE is our diocesan marriage prep program for couples preparing for the sacrament of marriage. The upcoming weekends for 2024/2025 are: Oct. 11-13 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton; Feb. 21-23, 2025 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton; April 26-27, 2025 at Lake Tia O’Khata in Louisville; August 1-3, 2025 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton; and Oct. 24-26, 2025 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton. Register at https://bit.ly/CEE2024-2025. Details: email debbie.tubertini@jacksondiocese.org.
JACKSON – St. Richard, “Inspire” – a day retreat for women of all ages, Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8:30-3:30 p.m. in Foley Hall. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.
OFFICE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION – The OCE hosts a Zoom Rosary the first Wednesday of each month during the school year at 7 p.m. Please join us as we spotlight each school. On Sept. 4th, Cathedral School in Natchez will lead us in prayer. Join early and place your intentions in the chat. Details: Join the rosary via zoom at https://bit.ly/zoomrosary2024 or check the diocese calendar of events.
PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth, Annual St. Elizabeth Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 5:30-8 p.m. Enjoy the traditional spaghetti dinner at the school and enjoy prize booths and more. Details: church office (662) 624-4301.
FLOWOOD – St. Paul Early Learning Center, Annual Golf Tournament, Friday, Sept. 20 at Bay Pointe Golf Club. Save the date!
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph, 110th Annual St. Joseph’s Parish Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 10. Dine-in 5-8 p.m. and Take-out 4-6 p.m. Spaghetti tickets are $15 per person; $1 raffle tickets and $100 tickets for sale at the school and church office. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
HERNANDO – Holy Spirit, Fall Bazaar, Saturday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy games, raffles, silent auction and more at the annual bazaar. Details: Julie at julieeastefanik@gmail.com.
Holy Spirit, 150th anniversary of the School Sisters of St. Francis, Friday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. Mass with Bishop Kopacz, followed by fellowship dinner. Details: church office (662) 429-7851.
Holy Spirit, Men’s Association Fish Fry, Friday, Sept. 27 from 4-7 p.m. Includes catfish, hushpuppies, fries, slaw, drink and dessert. Eat in or take-out. Cost: $13 adult plate; $6 kids plate. Details: Jon at (901) 481-0228.
JACKSON – Christ the King, Parish Picnic, Saturday, Sept. 21. Save the date!
JACKSON – St. Richard, Special Kids Golf Tournament, Thursday, Oct. 10 at Deerfield Golf Club in Canton. Morning and afternoon scrambles available. Details: for more information visit https://saintrichard.com/special-kids-day or email golf@saintrichard.com.
MADISON – The Catholic Foundation, Bishop’s Cup Golf Tournament, Thursday, Sept. 12 at Lake Caroline Golf Club. Lunch at 12 p.m.; tee-time 1 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m. at the Mermaid Cafe. Cost: $200 for individuals. Register at https://bit.ly/2024BishopsCup. Details: contact Rebecca at (601) 960-8477 or rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org.
NATCHEZ – Cathedral School, Fall Festival, Oct. 5 and 6. Save the date!
OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Church Picnic, Sunday, Sept. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Enjoy games, free food and fellowship. Be sure to bring a lawn chair. Details: church office (662) 895-5007. Queen of Peace, Men’s Club Golf Tournament, Sunday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. Cost: $125 per player. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.
SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5. Save the date!
TUPELO – St. James, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I Formation Course, beginning Aug. 23. Long weekend format (Friday through Sunday) with dates in Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and concluding in Jan. 2025. Course cost: $500 per participant; discounts available for parishes sending more than three participants. Details: contact Karen Mayfield, karen@stjamestupelo.com for course brochure and further information.
YOUTH DIOCESE – Upcoming events: Middle School Retreat for seventh and eighth graders, Oct. 5-6, 2024 at Lake Forest Ranch, Macon. Diocesan SEARCH Retreat for tenth through twelfth graders, Jan. 17-19, 2025 at Camp Wesley Pines, Gallman. Diocese High School Confirmation Retreat, Jan. 25-26, 2025 at Lake Forest Ranch, Macon. Diocese Catholic Youth Conference – DCYC for ninth through twelfth grades, March 21-23, 2025 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Details: contact your individual parish offices or contact Abbey at (601) 949-6934 or abbey.schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org.
(OSV News) — Retired FBI official James Bogner was recently named chair of the National Review Board, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ consultative safe environment body established in 2002 under the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” also known as the Dallas Charter.
James Bogner, (OSV News photo/courtesy James Bogner)
A former high-level FBI special agent with more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, Bogner succeeds outgoing chair Suzanne Healy, who recently completed her four-year term, having led the board since 2020.
Days after the Aug. 1 announcement by USCCB president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, OSV News spoke with Bogner about his vision for the board as it works with the U.S. bishops in strengthening protections against sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
OSV News: How do you hope to bring your extensive and high-level law enforcement experience to leading the National Review Board? What particular skills and strategies do you hope to apply to this new role?Bogner: Well, I think there are several things. Number one, being a senior executive in law enforcement, I am able to see a countrywide picture of trends and of situations. And the first mission of law enforcement is to protect the public, to ensure that people are safe, so I bring that skil
Some of the background that I’ve had in law enforcement has been in audits as an inspector. So looking at situations here (with the National Review Board), the USCCB is authorized to conduct annual audits of various dioceses here, so I am able to look at those audits, see if any improvement needs to be made … and look at the results to see how (issues) need to be addressed.
The other area of my law enforcement experience was in what you would commonly refer to as internal affairs. So I am able to look at the integrity of the institution and ensure that it is protected here, that there’s justice for the employee or the offender, and there’s also justice for the institution.
I also look at the dynamics of strategic planning, reviewing what you’ve done and where you’re going to go.
I’m very much interested in research and trends, and have been throughout my career, asking, “What changes are we seeing?” In the last few years, we’ve had tremendous changes in the technological environment. So how are we adjusting to that and improving what we’re doing, advising the bishops? What are we seeing that would help them and fully give them an idea of what is happening?
We have an incredibly talented group of National Review Board members, (with) … very diverse backgrounds and skill sets. It’s not all law enforcement — it’s victim assistance coordinators, people that have had to deal with abuse issues; we have a victim survivor on the board to hear that perspective; we have canon lawyers. … So we have a lot of different perspectives, and we’re trying to chart a direction and a strategic planning course in a very collaborative manner.
OSV News: Broadly speaking, where is the Catholic Church in the U.S. at in terms of eradicating sexual abuse? What has been accomplished, and what remains to be done?
Bogner: From my perspective, I think there are kind of two phases to this issue. One is, what are we doing and how have we progressed as far as addressing the needs of victims, of survivors — looking back to those that have been abused and asking, “How are we improving in what we’re doing?”
So one of the more recent approaches is dealing with victims or survivors in a trauma-informed manner, so that we understand better what they’re going through. If you’ve been the victim of abuse, that is not something that is over right away. It’s perhaps a lifelong issue that they’re dealing with, and we need to be sensitive to that.
The other part of it is the situations of abuse. What are we doing to reduce the number of abuses? A little over 20 years ago, the bishops developed the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” which we know as the Dallas Charter, and it has very specific elements in it as to what we need to do to improve our safeguarding capabilities here in the church, what actions to take, along with accountability for acting appropriately for victims and for the church.
Now, have we been somewhat successful in reducing the number of clerical abuse cases? Yes, absolutely over the years. If you look at the annual reports that we and the USCCB publishes annually, this year it was down to 17 cases. Historically, it was many more than that, but substantial efforts have been made to address those abuses.
Is it down to zero? No, it isn’t. And so we can’t be satisfied with what we have done in the past or up to date here. We need to continue to address these issues.
We also need to continue to do that at the local level in particular. There are changes in not only clerical personnel, but in volunteers, teachers, lay staff. We can’t just say, “Oh, well, we’ve trained those in the past and that’s good enough.” No, we need to continue that training. We need to continue that focus in the future.
With the internet and cellphones, the exposure of people to harmful content is so much greater than what we’ve had before. So you’ve got to combat that. When we look at safe environment programs, we need to stress that aspect more these days.
OSV News: Your career in law enforcement and in many ways this board appointment have required you to deal with the dark side of humanity. How has your faith helped you in this regard?
Bogner: A few years ago, I saw a speech by Bishop Robert Barron (Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota), and he said he was once asked, “With some of the bad things happening in the Catholic Church, why shouldn’t I just abandon it?”
And his answer was that when you have a problem in any organization and it needs to be addressed, you have two choices: You either leave, or you stay to address the issue and work on the solution.
And I along with the members of the National Review Board are staying, and we’re addressing it.
(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina)
LOS ANGELES (OSV News) — Jesus Christ may have been the main protagonist at the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21, but the golden, unusually large monstrance used to carry him each night before thousands at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium caught people’s attention, too.
Where did they get such a big, beautiful monstrance from? And as one reporter jokingly asked, had Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, board chairman of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., been lifting weights to be able to carry it through the stadium?
The monstrance, Bishop Cozzens told journalists at the congress, was actually the same model that organizers had seen images of Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez use in a Eucharistic procession through the streets of San Gabriel in March 2023.
Pope Francis blesses a 4-foot-tall monstrance, a chalice and a paten during an audience with members of the organizing committees of the U.S. National Eucharistic Congress and Eucharistic Revival in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican June 19, 2023. The monstrance, which was made in Mexico, held the Eucharist during the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July 17-21, 2024, and the chalice and paten were used during the closing Mass. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Almost immediately after the event, congress organizers at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asked Archbishop Gomez’s office, “Where can we get one of those?”
The inquiry led them to Father Miguel Angel Ruiz, a 31-year-old Los Angeles priest ordained in 2019 with roots in Guadalajara, Mexico. Father Ruiz was known for having the same monstrance, and often lending it to other priests in the Los Angeles Archdiocese for special events. It was his monstrance, in fact, that the late LA Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell borrowed when he famously blessed Los Angeles in the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Father Ruiz told the officials that the monstrance was made by a liturgical store in Guadalajara, Articulos Religiosos San Jose. They ordered an exact replica of the monstrance — one of the store’s most popular ones — in a hurry, since Pope Francis had agreed to bless it in a private audience in Rome a few weeks later.
Four feet tall and weighing more than 20 pounds, the new monstrance — together with hosts specially sized for it — was shipped from Guadalajara to Tijuana, where Father Ruiz drove to pick it up. From across the border in San Diego, he had it shipped to USCCB headquarters in Washington, just in time for the congress delegation led by Bishop Cozzens to bring it to Rome for the pope’s blessing. “It’s big. It’s beautiful,” the pope said with a smile to members of the congress planning team at the June 19, 2023, meeting.
Father Ruiz, now administrator at Our Lady of the Rosary of Talpa Church in East LA, told Angelus, the archdiocesan news outlet, that his personal connection with the monstrance actually began at a convent in Guadalajara he used to visit as a seminarian.
While praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the convent’s adoration room, “I would think to myself, ‘When I become a priest, I want one like that one,'” he recalled.
A few years later, the sisters at the convent purchased the monstrance as a gift for Father Ruiz’s ordination to the priesthood. The rest, as he says, “is history.”
(Pablo Kay is the editor-in-chief of Angelus, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.)
(OSV News) — On the first morning of the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki made his way through the wall-to-wall crowd at the Indianapolis Convention Center, one of the venues of the July 17-21 congress, and saw something remarkable: “Everyone was happy.”
“There was a feeling of kindness toward one another,” he wrote in a July 23 letter to the faithful posted on the archdiocesan website.
“I had the impression that this is the way heaven will be like. The crowd of humanity will be filled with a joyful spirit, people being kind to one another, and all there because of Jesus,” he said. “At His invitation, they would be patiently awaiting directions to the section where they will celebrate life everlasting.”
Bishops process during the National Eucharistic Congress procession in Indianapolis July 20, 2024. (OSV News photo/Gretchen R. Crowe)
“Joy” and “joyful,” “kindness,” “respect,” “reverence,” “unity,” “awe” and “wonder” are among the words bishops used in columns, social media posts, podcasts and other commentary after the congress to describe how it unfolded. They spoke of the presence of the Holy Spirit felt throughout the event and the overall atmosphere of the gathering that included lay faithful — including many families — men and women religious, and clergy altogether numbering about 60,000 by the time it ended.
“Throughout the five days of the congress, this joy was palpable — the joy that flows from our faith, from our gratitude for the love of Christ that we experience in our encounter with Him in the sacrament of His love, the Most Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, said in a July 23 column in Today’s Catholic, the diocesan news outlet.
“It was truly edifying and uplifting to participate with our brothers and sisters in Christ, bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, families, young and old, faithful of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, all united in our love of Jesus and His presence with us in the Blessed Sacrament,” Bishop Rhoades said.
He prayed that the congress and the two-month National Eucharistic Pilgrimage that led up to it “will bear much good spiritual fruit for the Church in our diocese and across our nation.”
In this third and final year of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Year of Mission, “we are called to be Eucharistic missionaries in the world,” Bishop Rhoades said. “We are called to live Eucharistic lives — lives transformed by the Eucharistic love of Jesus.”
In one of several video messages from the congress, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York gave positive marks on the long lines of congress-goers for confession and Eucharistic adoration and for Communion during the Masses.
“People are hungry for the Lord,” he said, adding, “They believe that only he can satisfy the hunger of the heart. That’s what holy Communion is about. That’s what this Eucharistic Congress is about.”
“The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage & Congress were generational events,” said Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, in an Aug. 1 post on X, formerly Twitter. “But as we were reminded in Indianapolis, we must renew ourselves by receiving the Eucharistic Lord at Mass, joyfully following Christ in our daily lives & courageously becoming the saints we’re called to be.”
In a July 29 interview with WXXV-TV, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III of Biloxi, Mississippi, called the congress a “powerful chance to be in love with Jesus Christ as Roman Catholics and Christians and to share that love with one another. And given all the stuff that’s happening in the United States and the world, it was an opportunity for us to pray for unity and pray for peace in the world especially.”
The bishop shared that his brother bishops “actually came together in prayer the day before we started in Indianapolis and prayed through the success of it” in addition to talking about evangelization “and how to continue to spread the word about Jesus Christ.”
But he also noted that seeing the pilgrims from the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes converge in Lucas Oil Stadium, where about 50,000 faithful were gathered, was “beautiful, striking and deeply moving.”
Encountering “the body of Christ in that capacity, you’re in awe of what he can do and what he does,” Bishop Kihneman said.
“The National Eucharistic Congress was an amazing experience, five days of wonder and awe and adoration,” Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles wrote in his July 31 “New World of Faith” column in Angelus, his archdiocese’s news outlet.
“The National Eucharistic Revival, launched three years ago by the U.S. bishops, has truly been a work of the Holy Spirit in our times,” he said. “Already we are seeing the revival’s fruits — people coming home to God and coming home to the Church. … There is a great movement of the Spirit going on in our times, a new thirst for holiness and truth, for a love that is pure and beautiful and everlasting.”
He added that the revival has helped people see the Eucharist more clearly as “the secret of God’s plan of love for every soul.” He called on Catholics to help their neighbors “to see that the Love they are looking for is true and real, that this Love is already here, on our altars and in our tabernacles, and that this Love has a name, Jesus Christ!
“Imagine the difference in the world, in our homes, if every Catholic in this country brought just one person back to Mass,” he added.
Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, said the congress was “one of the most moving and hopeful experiences” in his 39 years as a Catholic priest. “Time will tell, but I think it will be a moment of extraordinary grace for the Church here in the United States,” he wrote in his July 26 column for the Southern Nebraska Register, Lincoln’s diocesan newspaper.
“Everything seems just a little bit different” after the congress, he said. “The Church, the mystical body of Christ, is on the move here in the United States.”
“The heart of the NEC was, as it should be, the liturgy, which is the source and summit of our faith,” Bishop Conley said, noting the various liturgies at the National Eucharistic Congress “were offered so beautifully.”
But he also pointed out the “fruits of this liturgical source: the talks, praise and worship sessions, works of charity expressed in many forms — including the beautiful accompaniment of the homeless and their needs.”
“Ultimately, everything about the Congress was a reminder that the Blessed Sacrament is a sacrament of charity,” he added. “It is the sacrament that draws us into the life of Christ, who animates our lives so that we may love as He loves.”
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, said in the July 24 episode of his “Walk Humbly” podcast that a “massive highlight” of the congress was the July 20 Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis.
“We shut down the city of Indianapolis … and as the Blessed Sacrament is being brought forth, the streets are lined with people every step of the way,” Bishop Burbidge said. At the Indiana War Memorial, the Eucharist was placed atop the steps. The bishops sat on the level below, and below them were tens of thousands of Catholics, who were “quiet, reverent, joyful” as they adored the Eucharist, the Virginia prelate said, adding, “Only the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament could bring us to that silence.”
“The graces we have received” from such “a wonderful, wonderful event” must be shared back home, he emphasized, “or this was all in vain.”
Like Bishop Conley, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, said the congress was “one of the greatest moments” in his priesthood of 38 years. It “was splendid beyond words,” he said, noting also “the presence of so many religious and priests in habits and clerical garb” among people there.
The congress was successful, he explained, because “it was predicated upon the supernatural. It exuded the spirit of the supernatural. It ordered us toward the infinitely fascinating world that we cannot see, the world of the angels and saints and the Creator God.”
He said, “At the heart of the entire event was the unnerving mystery of the Eucharist, that Jesus — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — is really present under the forms of bread and wine.”
In a July 23 post on his diocese’s Facebook page, Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison, Wisconsin, said, “The National Eucharistic Congress reminded me of World Youth Day in Denver” in 1993, which he called “a watershed moment in the life of the Church in the U.S.”
“Many conversions, vocations, and personal apostolates will emerge from the Congress,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what the Holy Spirit is going to do!”
