In June 2022, the US Catholic Church began a 3-year National Eucharistic Revival with the goal of not only deepening devotion to the Eucharist, but also deepening an understanding among American Catholics of who is present in the Eucharist—Jesus Christ— body, blood, soul, and divinity. During the past two years, the Revival has spurred many initiatives in parishes and dioceses across the country to deepen devotion and understanding of the Eucharist. This summer, the Eucharistic Revival will culminate with a Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. We need only look at the results of a recent Pew Study, which revealed the sobering statistic that only 30% of Catholics clearly understood the reality of the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The findings of this study were a wake-up call to the Church and a chief impetus for the Revival. Clearly, the US bishops realized, there is a critical need to instruct Catholics about this central tenet of our faith.
The Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph are engaged in the work of promoting Eucharistic devotion and teaching the faithful about the Eucharist through our reverent liturgies and our doctrinal preaching of the fullness of the Catholic faith. In the face of relativism and increasing secularization in our society and confusion within the Church, we proclaim the saving truth of Jesus Christ — including his True Presence in the Eucharist and the abundant graces offered to those who center their lives around the Eucharist.
Adoring the Lord on retreat with students from NYU.
We are happy to be at the frontline of the Eucharistic Revival. In fact, six of our very own Dominican friars were designated as National Eucharistic preachers. These Dominican friars have been traveling around the country these last two years preaching at diocesan and parish events to draw the hearts of men and women to encounter the love of Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist. Several of our friars even helped plan the Eucharistic pilgrimage’s eastern route procession and the liturgies at the Eucharistic Congress later this month.
During this time, I have also had the privilege to carry the monstrance containing the Eucharist in our local Eucharistic Adoration Processions in New York City. I sensed Christ’s burning love for us and his desire to draw many men and women close to himself and to give himself to them in the Eucharist. I also saw a vast groundswell of enthusiasm for Eucharistic Adoration in our local community and our city. Last summer, we even opened the first perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel in New York City at our very own St. Joseph’s Parish. We have also hosted Eucharistic events at universities and parishes in other locations across the country and will continue to do so even after Revival.
Friars praying and processing with the Eucharistic Lord at St. Vincent Ferrer in New York.
This is only the beginning of our work for the Eucharistic Revival. I invite you to partner with the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph as we continue to preach the Gospel and draw men and women to encounter the love of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Our Church is in need of a new springtime, and as we work in the vineyard to plant the seeds through our preaching and various Eucharistic events, we look forward to seeing the growth that God will bring about, which will yield a bountiful harvest in due time.
But we cannot do this alone. We need your support to continue to preach the truth, organize Eucharistic events, and help people to know and love Jesus Christ in the Eucharist across the country.
Please continue to keep us and our work for the Eucharistic Revival in your prayers and know that we remember you and your loved ones in all of our daily Masses, prayers, and apostolic works.