Tenth National Eucharistic Congress

Tenth National Eucharistic Congress

Lucas Oil Stadium, the location of the congress
Date	July 17–21, 2024 (2024-07-17 – 2024-07-21)
Duration	5 days
Venue	Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana Convention Center
Location	Indianapolis
Coordinates	39°45′36.2″N 86°9′49.7″W
Type	Eucharistic congress
Theme	Revival Happens Here
Budget	$14 million
Organized by	Bishop Andrew Cozzens (chairman) Archbishop Charles Thompson (host)
Participants	55,000 (expected)
Papal envoy	Luis Cardinal Tagle
Website	eucharisticcongress.org eucharisticpilgrimage.org

The Tenth National Eucharistic Congress is an event taking place from July 17–21, 2024 (2024-07-17 – 2024-07-21) in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center meant to foster devotion to the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Background

Prior Congress History

From 1895 to 1941, there were nine national congresses held in the United States. The last national congress to occur prior to the 2024 congress was the Ninth National Eucharistic Congress in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1941. While there had been national congresses about every five years prior to the ninth congress, the outbreak of World War II halted the gatherings. Bishop Joseph Schrembs, promoter of national Eucharistic congresses, died shortly after the close of the war. Archbishop Richard Cushing picked up the title and established a committee for national Eucharistic congresses in 1946, but despite that committee no national congresses were held. There was an international congress in Philadelphia in 1976.

"Eucharistic Coherence" debate

Joe Biden attending Mass

Upon the election of President Joe Biden in 2020, members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops began to discuss the appropriateness of Biden receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion. The Catholic Church teaches that those in mortal sin are not to approach the sacrament prior to sacramental confession, and the Code of Canon Law canon 915 states that those in a state of "manifest grave sin" are not to be admitted to holy communion. Joe Biden's public support of abortion was interpreted by many to put him in a state of grave sin and thus made him ineligible for reception of communion.

In April 2021, it was reported that US bishops were considering asking Biden to stop receiving communion. Archbishop José Gómez, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, informed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that the bishops were planning on submitting a draft of a document "to address the situation of Catholics in public office who support legislation allowing abortion, euthanasia or other moral evils." A May 7th response from Luis Ladaria Ferrer, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, urged bishops to take an "extensive and serene" look at the topic. A group of bishops led by Blase Cardinal Cupich and Wilton Cardinal Gregory pushed for the tabling of the conversation altogether. As a result of this pushback, by the second half of 2021 the focus had shifted from the denial of communion to Joe Biden to an overall call to "enter more deeply by faith and love into this great Mystery of Mysteries."

Eucharistic Revival Movement

With the overall movement of the bishops leaning towards increasing devotion to the Eucharist among the Catholic faithful, the USCCB officially launched the National Eucharistic Revival on the Feast of Corpus Christi in 2022. The three-year program, led by Bishop Andrew Cozzens, was launched to "inspire, educate, and unite the faithful in a more intimate relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist," culminating in the Tenth National Eucharistic Congress to be held in Indianapolis in 2024.

The first year of the program focused on diocesan-level initiatives, and the second year focused on parish-level initiatives, with four national Eucharistic processions and the congress to take place at the end of the second year. The third year, following the congress, will be devoted to the Church "going out on mission."

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

A photo of the "Source and Summit" Eucharistic Procession in Saint Paul, Minnesota

As part of the lead-up to the congress, there were four Eucharistic pilgrimages from the four cardinal directions of the United States that made their way to Indianapolis in time for the congress. The "Marian Route" started at the Mississippi Headwaters in Bemidji and travelled through Saint Paul, Milwaukee, and Chicago; the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route started in New Haven and travelled through New York City, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati; the St. Juan Diego Route started in Brownsville, TX and travelled through Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Louisville; the St. Junipero Serra Route started in San Francisco and travelled through Reno, Denver, Des Moines, and St. Louis.

Pre-selected "perpetual pilgrims" traveled the entire distance with the Eucharist, stopping along the way for public Eucharistic processions in cities and acts of service. Notable processions along the way included a 7,000 person procession in Saint Paul and a 4,000 person procession in San Francisco.

Congress

Preparation and reactions

There were intial criticism of the proposed $28 million budget for the congress, including the ticket cost per participant, not including lodging, of $300. Some families were discouraged by the high price tag. As a result, single-day passes and scholarships were announced, and the budget was halved and brought down to $14 million.

In the time leading up to the congress, Pope Francis praised the efforts of the organizers and called it "a significant moment in the life of the Church in the United States." He appointed Luis Cardinal Tagle as the papal envoy to the congress.

In the wake of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which took place the week prior to the congress, organizers stated that they had numerous protocols in place and were not worried about security threats at the event.

Eucharistic adoration in Lucas Oil Stadium on the opening night of the congress

July 17

The congress opened with adoration and benediction led by Bishop Andrew Cozzens in Lucas Oil Stadium. Prior to the opening event, the check-in line at times stretched for three-quarters of a mile. Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, addressed the audience afterwards.

July 18

The second day included youth, Spanish, and Extraordinary Form Masses as well as a Byzantine Divine Liturgy. At the main opening Mass, Timothy Cardinal Dolan preached on the need for the sacrifice of the Mass to be central to the lives of Christians. There were dozens of breakout sessions in the morning and afternoon. A performance of Bernadette de Lourdes, the Musical was available in the evening.

The evening keynote speakers were Father Mike Schmitz and Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart. Father Mike Schmitz's keynote entitled "The Greatest Love Story," delivered to 50,000 people, emphasized the need for repentance in order to have revival. He went on to talk about how the Eucharist is more important than merely the Real Presence, but culminates in the sacrificial nature of the Mass. Mother Olga's keynote talked about the healing power of the Eucharist. After testimonies by Lila Rose and the parents of Michelle Duppong, the evening ended with adoration led by Bishop William Byrne of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.