Faithful draw nearer to Christ at Eucharistic Congress

PATERSON  The Eucharist is “the presence of the risen Christ, a symbol of salvation to the world” that “calls all of us to new life for the transformation of the world and sanctification of humanity,” a Vatican official told the faithful at the first-ever Eucharistic Congress for the Diocese of Paterson last weekend.

From Sept. 23 to 25, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect for the Section of New Evangeliza­tion of the Dicastery for Evan­gelization in Rome, gave several reflections to inspire the 500 local Catholics who attended the Eu­cha­ristic Congress in the Cathe­dral of St. John the Baptist here.

During the bilingual event, clergy, religious, and laity listened to the Italian-born archbishop speak on various aspects of its theme: “The Eucharist, the Source and Summit of the New Evangelization.”

“We must be a complete sign of hope. The Eucharist is not just a celebration. We break bread with people. This is the true meaning of charity. We give to God in thanksgiving by serving others,” said Archbishop Fisichella during a question­­-and-answer session at a mid-morning prayer service on Sept. 24 for laity in English.

The historic Eucharistic Congress gave the faithful an opportunity to bear witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as the local Church in a special way — in a time when fewer Catholics believe in the Real Presence.

The Eucharistic Congress served as the high point of the Year of the Eucharist, which Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, the leader of the Diocese of Pater­son, officially launched in the Diocese on Jan. 9. Catholics are encouraged to deepen their understanding of and devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and streng­then their relationship with Him.

The event started with Holy Hour and evening prayer and a presentation in English for priests, religious, and deacons who serve the Diocese on Friday, Sept. 23. On the following day, there was a morning prayer service for laity in English, followed by a mid-afternoon prayer service in Spanish.

The Eucharistic Congress closed on the afternoon of Sun., Sept. 25, with a bilingual Mass with the recitation of a special prayer for the gathering.

In his remarks at the prayer service in English on Saturday, Bishop Sweeney said, “I believe that this Eucharistic Congress, in this Year of the Eucharist, will be a blessing for the diocese.

“We ask Jesus, with help from the Holy Spirit, to inspire us to live the Eucharist more fully and to love so that we might share it with our sisters and brothers,” he said.

Bishop Sweeney also thanked participants, event organizers, and Archbishop Fisichella for accepting his invitation to speak at the Eucharistic Congress.

In his reflection on Saturday morning, Archbishop Fisichella said, “The Eucharist performs a change for my conversion. We need to open our hearts to be changed by the Lord.

“We need to ask, ‘Can I be open if I love?’ Faith comes from love. If I love, I want to know you [Jesus] better — deeper and deeper. We put that out into the world,” the archbishop said during the service, which began with Eucharistic Adoration.

In the prayer service on Friday night, Archbishop Fisichella told clergy and religious in attendance, as ministers of God’s Word and his Body, “We need to heed the voice that invites us to eat.

“Believe, and you will eat. If we don’t believe, we won’t eat the Body of Christ,” Archbishop Fisichella said. “Receiving the Eucharist enables us to experience that love [of God], which leaves an indelible imprint on our lives. God loves us so much that he allowed himself to be sacrificed on the cross,” he said.

In the prayer service in English on Saturday, Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and vicar of diocesan special projects, described “Bishop Sweeney’s imaginative concept” of the Eucharistic Congress as “the culmination of the Year of the Eucharist.

“On the diocesan and pastoral levels, there have been numerous catechetical sessions, liturgical celebrations, and pastoral works that have led to a rewarding process,” said Msgr. Sylva.

Msgr. Sylva also thanked Archbishop Fisichella, his supervisor for six years at the Vatican, when he was president of the former Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. Msgr. Sylva served as its first English-language official.

On Saturday, Tina Perez of St. Agnes Parish in Paterson, called Archbishop Fisichella’s insights “awesome.”

“He had such knowledge about the Eucharist, which gives us graces in life. He spoke to my heart,” Perez said.

Likewise, John Robayo of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Sparta, said Archbishop Fisichella reminded the faithful that in the Eucharist, “God exists for us through time. He is the Jesus of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

“We are to be the Church of today — God’s mystical Body on Earth. The Church is God’s presence in the world,” Robayo said.