The United States’ National Eucharistic Congress has caught the attention of the Catholic world, according to Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Bishop Umbers was invited to act as a spokesman at the congress’s daily press briefing just hours before the conclusion of one of the largest Eucharistic processions in US history.
“We are very interested in learning all the aspects of the journey to this national congress… We’ve been following this revival, and it has captured our imagination,” Bishop Umbers told the press.
As the delegate for both the Australian and New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conferences to the International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, this September, Bishop Umbers affirmed that he would study both congresses as Australia advances its bid to host the 2028 International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney.
“I will be going to Quito and I will be taking a group of people with me. We will have an observation team and a pilgrimage to see where we can learn because we love holding events such as these in Australia,” he said.
More than 50,000 people from all 50 US states and 17 countries descended on Indianapolis last week to celebrate the first National Eucharistic Congress held in the US since World War II.
The event saw Mass celebrated daily in more than 43 languages, led by more than 200 bishops and almost 1500 priests.
Bishop Umbers said that following the COVID pandemic, the Plenary Council voted to pursue a bid for an International Eucharistic Congress in Australia to recharge the Catholic community and bring people back to Mass.
“COVID had hit us hard, we really need to revitalise ourselves in appreciation of the work of the Lord and worship together,” he said.
“We talk about real presence, but for that we need to be present, and present in the liturgy … it has been an amazing experience that we can all gather so many people.”
FULL STORY
Australian bishop declares NEC has captured the imagination of the Catholic world (By Marcus Middleton, The Catholic Weekly)
