Local Pilgrims Share Stories of Celebrating Our Eucharistic Lord in Indianapolis

Embracing Eucharistic Revival

The Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, July 20, was the largest public witness of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress – a five-day gathering that aimed to form, inform, and inspire the more than 50,000 Catholics who registered for the event through diverse liturgies, dynamic speakers, and other faith-filled experiences. Since it was announced in November of 2021 that Indianapolis would host the event, the congress has been seen as the keystone moment of the National Eucharistic Revival – a three-year movement envisioned by the bishops of the United States with the goal of fostering among Catholics a deeper devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The need for such a revival grew after a 2019 Pew Research Center survey claimed that more than two-thirds of Catholics believed that the Eucharist was merely a symbol of the body and blood of Christ and not, as Christ Himself said in John 6 (and which the Church has always taught), His true flesh.

From its inception, the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend have enthusiastically embraced the movement. An estimated 5,000 people attended a diocesan-wide Eucharistic pilgrimage in Warsaw on the opening day of the revival – Corpus Christi Sunday in 2022 – making it one of the largest processions in the nation. It is no surprise, then, that the diocese was among the most well-represented at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, which was held July 17-21.

‘We Wanted to Be Part of Such a Historic Event’

In the early stages of the revival, Dan and Sarah Nielson answered the call to serve as the point persons for their parish, St. Vincent de Paul in Fort Wayne. Being so heavily involved gave them a glimpse of what was to come at the National Eucharistic Congress.

“We were blessed to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes planning and preparation for the congress and got excited knowing what an amazing event it was going to be – from the speakers and talks to the liturgies and unique opportunities for prayer,” Dan told Today’s Catholic.

The Nielsons and their four children – Isaac, 15; Madelyn, 12; Dominic, 10; and Charlotte, 6 – attended the congress for its entirety.

“As a couple, we were looking forward to spending these days drawing closer to each other through our Eucharistic Lord,” Sarah said. “God has always been at the center of our marriage, but we knew having devoted time to refocus ourselves on Him would in turn strengthen our relationship with each other and overflow to our children. We especially knew we wanted to be part of such a historic event with our children, allowing them to experience the universal Church in a way they never have before. Seeing both the diversity and the unity of our Catholic faith helps them understand that there’s a place for everyone in the Church, all part of the one Body of Christ. We knew going in that the congress was welcoming to children of all ages, providing opportunities for families with young kids and teenagers alike to grow in their faith. Just as Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me,’ so does our Church!”

The Nielsons said it was fortifying to “participate in a wide range of experiences” at the congress. Some of the highlights, they said, included a talk by Edward Sri on understanding the Mass, tips from Greg and Lisa Popcak on fulfilling their mission to live as a domestic church, hearing musician Matt Maher lead praise and worship, and hearing talks from “TV Jesus” Jonathan Roumie from “The Chosen,” Father Mike Schmitz, and Bishop Robert Barron.

“Overall, our greatest joy was being together and experiencing Mass and adoration each day with so many brothers and sisters in Christ,” Sarah said. “A priest friend of ours described the experience of it all as ‘heaven on earth,’ and it truly was that little glimpse into eternity. Experiencing the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass, the source and summit of our faith, and worshiping the Lord in adoration with 60,000-plus brothers and sisters in Christ gave a foretaste of the full taste of heaven to come.”

‘What a Gift’

Brett Perkins, who works in Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame, was in Indianapolis, along with two colleagues, helping to lead 18 students on pilgrimage at the congress.

Standing in the shadow of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument just after the Blessed Sacrament had processed past him, Perkins told Today’s Catholic that he and his students were blown away by the “amazing gathering of the Church in the United States.”

“What a great celebration of our faith in Jesus Christ and His Real Presence in the Eucharist,” said Perkins, Assistant Director for Evangelization and Religious Education for the Campus Ministry Program at Notre Dame..

He said it was fulfilling for him to experience the congress through the eyes of his students – the present and future of the Church. It’s so important, he said, “for them to embrace and see that they’re not in this alone. We have a great community at Notre Dame, but when they get beyond Notre Dame, they are going to continue to build up the life of faith in the parishes that they go to. And they’re not going to be alone. Look at the thousands of people that are with them and are ready to receive them and continue to challenge them and be able to build community in Christ with them. It’s a beautiful thing. What a gift.”

‘I Feel Like We All Have a Place’

Stacey Huneck, Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, organized a pilgrimage to the congress for a group of 40 people from the parish, most of whom are young adults.

She said she was fulfilled by the diversity of the Church on display in Indianapolis, noting that “it wasn’t a movement to represent one spirituality of people, but rather, it was like, ‘How can we as a Church be united in the Eucharist and be one?’ That is a message that we have really needed for a long time. … I feel like we all have a place, and even if the way we pray or our spirituality is different, there’s still a place for us in the Church. It was really beautiful to be invited into that.”

‘This Generation Has Never Seen One’

Back on Monument Circle, with thousands of people still flowing through the streets in the wake of the Blessed Sacrament, Father Andrew Budzinski, Pastor and Rector of St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend, noted the magnitude of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.

“I didn’t have the privilege of going to World Youth Day when it was in Denver,” he said. “I’ve got to think this and that … are the two greatest events in the Catholic Church in the United States in my lifetime. Certainly, there have been many congresses before, but this generation has never seen one. I mean … the Body of Christ went through [10 minutes ago], and the street is literally still filled with people.”

At that moment, like Father Hellinger, the weight of what he had just experienced hit Father Budzinski, and he, too, became emotional.

The procession, the congress, the crowds of people falling on their knees in the streets of Indianapolis to worship our Eucharistic Lord, “It’s a foretaste of heaven.”

Nicole Hahn contributed to this story.