Communion to Heal the World
Salt + Light Media
Saturday, October 26, 2024
The Eucharistic Congress of the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth culminated in a Eucharistic Procession to St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica. Photo © Salt + Light Media 2024.
When Archbishop Brian Dunn of Halifax-Yarmouth returned from a preparatory meeting for the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress in Ecuador a year ago, he knew what needed to be done.
He has always been a believer that a diocesan family – that is everyone in the diocese – should gather annually to pray, reflect, learn, and celebrate the goodness of God being witnessed in their local Church. These yearly gatherings have been taking place in the Atlantic archdiocese for many years, and the people are used to them and look forward to them.
This year the gathering was different: a local Eucharistic Congress modeled on International Congresses that have occurred for over 150 years. The Halifax-Yarmouth Eucharistic Congress took place last weekend, October 17-20. Salt + Light Media was delighted and privileged to be there.
Some of you may be familiar with a Eucharistic Congress. Many of you remember the International Eucharistic Congress in 2008 which took place in Quebec City. The purpose of these international events is to bring the people of God together to bear witness to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist: We gather to pray together, learn about, celebrate the Eucharist, and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
The first Congress was in 1881 in France. In the following years, the events took place every year, in a different city in France or Belgium, until 1893 when it took place in Jerusalem. It continued yearly, being hosted in various cities in Europe until 1910 when it took place in Montreal. After 1914, the Congresses have been taking place every other year (with few exceptions), until the 50s when it started taking place every 3-5 years. The last one was in Quito, Ecuador, from Sep 8-15, 2024. The next one will be in Sydney, Australia in 2028.
Perhaps the Spirit is moving us to go deeper into the Eucharist. All this year, going into the Jubilee year of 2025, there has been a Eucharistic Revival in the United States. Part of this revival involved the National Eucharistic Congress, which took place in Indianapolis in July. National Eucharsitic Congresses began in the U.S. in 1895 and continued every 4-5 years until 1941. The Indianapolis Congress was the first in 83 years! Maybe some of you were there. It was truly a time of revival and some of it has been spilling over on our side of the border.
And so, it is perhaps fitting that Archbishop Dunn felt the inspiration.
The theme for this first Eucharistic Congress in Halifax-Yarmouth is inspired by Matthew 23:8: “Communion to heal the world.”
In the opening talk, Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton (who was born and bred in Halifax) and in each keynote address, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher, both made references to the current state of the world: climate change and international conflicts; fear, anxiety, and despair that young people struggle with; the addictions crisis; the lack of a sense of connectedness and belonging that seems to permeate our relationships; the fear of the other – all exacerbated by social media. We live in a broken world. Our world needs healing. The Eucharist can heal the world.
The talks broke open five ways in which the Eucharist heals us: It restores us, it equips us, inspires us, it unites us, and sends us to serve. In speaking to various participants throughout the weekend, it is clear that they all felt a bit restored, inspired and united to each other, as well as better equipped for the mission to go and serve.
The weekend coincided with a pilgrimage to Eastern Canada of a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis. All throughout the Congress, the relic was present and available for veneration. Mgr Anthony Figuereido of Assisi, who travels with the relic, told those gathered that Blessed Carlo would say that one sure way of getting to Heaven was to receive the Eucharist daily, referring to the saintly teenager’s famous saying that “the Eucharist is the highway to heaven.” In 2006, he contracted a rare form of Leukemia at age 15. Two weeks later he died. He is the first Millennial Saint and he is set to be canonized next year, in 2025. This is Blessed Carlo’s first visit to Canada. Following Halifax, he visited Antigonish (Oct 21-22), is currently in Saint John’s (Oct 24-30), and is scheduled to visit Toronto (Oct 31-Nov 1) and Ottawa (Nov 1-2).
The highlight of the weekend was the Eucharistic Procession. On Saturday, following Mass, some 1,000 people walked about 5 kilometers with the Blessed Sacrament from St. Agnes Church, to St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica. It was moving to be part of this prayerful and joy-filled procession, speaking with people along the route and those waiting for the procession to pass by. People need healing and they want the Eucharist. People want Jesus. What a witness to the people of Halifax that the Church is alive!
It is always good for us to gather as a family and it is always good to do so around the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not just our Source and Summit, but it is Jesus, really present. It is Jesus’ embrace, and because it is Jesus’ embrace, it is the Father’s embrace. The Eucharist transforms us into the Body of Jesus, it gathers us, nourishes us and heals us. Indeed the Eucharist will save the world.
A relic of Bl. Carlo Acutis for veneration alongside the Eucharistic Congress. Photo © Salt + Light Media 2024.
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Category: Canada, General Posts
Tag: Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, Eucharist, Eucharistic Congress
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