A National Eucharistic Revival

Last June, the US Catholic bishops launched the National Eucharistic Revival, a 3-year movement that seeks to highlight the celebration of the Eucharist and its centrality in the life of the Church and in each of our lives. The reasons for this new movement are twofold: education and evangelization.

A Pew Study in the Fall of 2019 showed that only 30% of Catholics clearly understand the reality of the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This is alarming! Clearly, there is an urgent need to instruct Catholics regarding the Church’s doctrine on the Eucharist.

Adoring the Lord on retreat with students from NYU.

The Dominican Friars of the Province of Saint Joseph have been consistently engaged in the work of the New Evangelization through our bold preaching of the Gospel. We are happy to also be at the frontline of the Eucharistic Revival. In fact, six of our very own Dominican friars have been designated by the US Catholic bishops as National Eucharistic Preachers. These Dominican friars are traveling around the country preaching at diocesan and parish events, helping to draw the hearts of men and women to encounter the love of Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist.

Last November, in conjunction with our Dominican Nuns of Corpus Christi Monastery, His Eminence, Raymond Cardinal Burke, and the local Archbishop, His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, we held a Eucharistic procession down Fifth Avenue in New York City from our Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. It was a beautiful event for families, couples, singles, young and old alike, as well as the many curious onlookers who lined up to watch us process with Our Eucharistic Lord through the streets of New York City.

Friars praying and processing with the Eucharistic Lord at St. Vincent Ferrer in New York.

During the time that I had the privilege to carry the monstrance containing the Eucharist, 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. We look forward to opening the first perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel in Manhattan later this year at our Saint 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 throughout the Eucharistic Revival.

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 Saint 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 of revival now, through our preaching and 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.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. John Paul Kern, O.P.
Executive Director
Dominican Friars Foundation