St. Catherine’s to host mini-Eucharistic Congress

By John Gleason

The Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life,” as the fathers of the Second Vatican Council declared. Deepening one’s understanding and appreciation for the Eucharist is the purpose of eucharistic congresses held from the parish level to the international level of the Church.

St. Catherine of Siena Church will be the site of a bilingual Eucharistic Congress Oct. 24-25.
Auxiliary Bishop James Conley will celebrate the opening Mass. Featured speakers for the day will include Jonathan Reyes, history professor of the Augustine Institute; Father Bernard Schmitz, vicar for clergy for the Archdiocese of Denver; and Father Sebastien Pelletier, pastor of St. Catherine’s.  There will also be workshops and adoration.

The idea for the conference came after the International Eucharistic Congress was held in Quebec in June, according to Father Pelletier.

“I was unable to go to the conference in Canada,” he said. “And I began to think that there might be others who would have liked to have attended but couldn’t.  We discussed the idea of holding a conference here, one where people could come to rediscover and fall in love again with the Eucharist.”

Bishop Conley agreed that eucharistic congresses are enriching events, noting that they have a long history, especially in Europe. The first international eucharistic congress was held in France in 1881.

“It’s like no other type of congress,” Bishop Conley said.  “Its purpose is to deepen our love and understanding for the holy Eucharist and I’m very happy to be a part of it.”

 Bishop Conley said the topic for his homily will be, “The Three Whites: The White of the Holy Eucharist, the White of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the White of the Holy Father.

 “I describe it as a sort of a three-fold garland,” he said. “How you can’t have one without the others and how they’re woven together at the heart of our faith.”

Reyes said he’ll address the Eucharist and hope.

“I’ll speak about the Eucharist as a source of hope in the midst of suffering and trial,” he said.  “The Christian vision of the world is one in which these things are inevitable and the Lord has provided strength for us to not only endure them but to be victorious in the midst of challenge.”

St. Catherine’s is located at 4200 Federal Blvd. in Denver.  There is no cost to attend. For more information, call the parish office at 303-455-9090.