From June 15 to June 22, many Catholics had the opportunity to join with tens of thousands of others of the faith and celebrate the wonderful mystery which is at the heart of our tradition, the Blessed Eucharist. In the city of Québec, some of our Catholic Missions In Canada donors, benefactors, missionaries, staff members, bishops and parishioners were fortunate to be part of a unique period of prayer, catechesis, adoration, and faith-sharing.
All Christians need to have a renewal of their appreciation of the Eucharist from time to time, for Jesus himself told us, "...the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (John 6:33) For this reason, the morning sessions of catechesis were not only necessary but illuminating.
One of those lessons that stands out was given by Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He spoke especially of Mary as a "Eucharistic woman," who is a figure representing the accompaniment of love, as one who gives of herself without reservation. And our world needs "sacraments of proximity" in imitation of Mary's closeness to Our Saviour. Therefore, we should let ourselves be accompanied by her. Both Mary and the Church, the Cardinal said, are transformed by the One who chose to dwell within them.
A highlight of the week was the talk given by the young Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, of the Diocese of Imus in the Philipines. With spontaneity and enthusiasm, to which the large crowd responded with repeated applause, he spoke fervently of the Eucharist as the Sacrifice of the Cross: how Jesus shares the weakness of humans to lift them up to the Father. Compassion and obedience come together in the single act of worship: obedience to the Father, and compassion for sinful humanity.
The bishop warned that those who worship false gods become insensitive to their neighbours: "Workers are sacrificed to a god called profit; women are sacrificed to a god called domination; the poor are sacrificed to a god called greed; ...rivers and forests are sacrificed to a god called progress." At the cross, the centurion becomes a key figure-we learn from the centurion to watch the Lord, to contemplate Him, to adore Him. He looked through the viciousness of people and saw the truth, and was able to declare his faith in the Son of God.
The week of the Congress held many spiritual graces for all participants. In mid-week, the Divine Liturgy according to the Byzantine Rite was celebrated by The Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M., the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparch of Winnipeg and Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada. He was accompanied by all the Eastern Rite Catholic Eparchs of Canada. The beauty of this ancient celebration of the Eucharistic Mysteries was clear and thoroughly uplifting, and brought to mind the many Ukrainian Catholic communities in this nation.
Each afternoon, a missionary commitment activity, "Experiencing Missions," took place, urging Congress pilgrims to feel the link between the Eucharist and concrete action. It gave many people the chance to hear about our First Nations Canadian Catholic communities and their evangelistic activities.
A triumphant procession of the Blessed Eucharist through the streets of Québec was a reverent and joyful expression of Catholic devotion. The Sunday closing Mass, on the Plains of Abraham, was presided over by Jozef Cardinal Tomko, Pope Benedict's Legate to the Congress.
Participants in the Eucharistic Congress returned home with a fervour and a resolve to make the Eucharist more central to their lives and to share the evangelical call of Christ with their brothers and sisters. Those who were unable to attend will also desire to return to the Lord's Supper with renewed devotion, and a yearning to always come to know more about the Sacrament of Life.
