EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS (INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES)

From the United States, the Community of Missionary Crusaders of the Church had the good fortune to participate in the Tenth National Eucharistic Congress, which took place in the city of Indianapolis, state of Indiana. We went as members of the Hispanic Community of the Diocese of Davenport. This National Eucharistic Congress, after 83 years, has been held in the context of the invitation that the bishops of the USA have made to the entire Church to unite in a “Eucharistic Revival”. As a Hispanic Ministry, we have already begun with a meeting of experience and testimony of faith on June 29 of this year, and we will conclude on June 25, 2025.

The opening ceremony included a silent prayer to the Blessed Sacrament, as well as testimonies and a significant moment of collective adoration to the Holy Spirit. The Apostolic Nuncio emphasized the relevance of the Eucharist as a perfect symbol of unity, pointing out that we do not need to seek such unity in other areas. He also urged those present to foster cohesion and to be more fruitful in fulfilling their mission.

It was beautiful to meet approximately 50,000 people around the Mystery of faith that sustains us, nourishes us and launches us into the mission as authentic Christians. The speakers at the conferences offered a constant invitation to assume roles as “Eucharistic pilgrims,” “Eucharistic missionaries,” and to be a “Church on the move.” These expressions reflect the lived experience of observing many brothers from diverse cultures, languages, races and nations moving with the purpose of keeping alive the faith in the gift of the Eucharist. This meeting was enhanced by a series of carefully prepared activities.

We express our gratitude to God for the experiences lived and shared. We would also like to thank Our Mother the Church, with her various ministerial gifts, as well as for the participation of young people, couples, families, priests, permanent deacons, seminarians, and committed consecrated persons who have manifested the love of God in this Congress. Without a doubt, the city of Indianapolis was beautified by the abundant grace poured out and by the numerous desires for a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, as well as by the renewal of the commitment that each brother has assumed to serve the Kingdom of God in the Church, in this reality.

We thank God for the effort made in the preparation of this great event, which included every detail: exhibitors, testimonies, musicians, Eucharists and volunteers, as well as the security measures implemented to guarantee its correct realization. Finally, we express our gratitude to our Diocese of Davenport for having made us participants in this National Congress. At the heart of the Church are numerous exhortations that invite us to feel “sent,” to avoid reducing the Eucharist to a merely intimate experience, and not to succumb to what the Bishop of Boston called “spiritual amnesia” in his homily addressed to the Hispanic community. It is essential to continue celebrating the Eucharist within the framework of Our Lord’s command: “Do this in memory of me.”

It is fundamental to underline the synodal meaning of the Eucharistic liturgy, which reflects both a local and universal dimension. We must recognize that we are members of the Church in communion with the Pope, as well as with the entire ecclesial community and its ministers. It is imperative that we feel an integral part of this Community, that we love it, respect it, and serve it, especially in favor of its most vulnerable members. We trust in the intercession of Mary, Woman of the Eucharist, who accompanies us in our mission to announce her Son.

Br. Marielos Martínez Quintero, MCI