AUGUST 23, 2024
mississippicatholic.com
National congress sends forth Catholics to ignite new Pentecost as Eucharistic missionaries BY PETER JESSERER SMITH
INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) – As five days of the National Eucharistic Congress concluded with one final revival and a beautiful solemn Mass in Lucas Oil Stadium – Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, board chairman of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., stood in Lucas Oil Stadium. “I have a question for you,” he told the crowd. “This is the 10th National Eucharistic Congress – do you think we should do an 11th one?” Some 60,000 congress participants – representing 50 U.S. states, 17 countries, and various Eastern and Western churches, and speaking over 40 languages – cheered wildly in the stadium. They also again rose to their feet to give the U.S. Catholic bishops an enthusiastic standing ovation for making possible the five-day congress with its impact sessions, breakout sessions, special events, revival nights with Eucharistic adoration and Benediction and beautifully cel- INDIANAPOLIS – Prelates and clergymen process following morning Mass at Lucas Oil Stadium July 18, 2024, during the National Eucharistic Congress in ebrated reverent Masses. The event reflected the diversity Indianapolis. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)
of a church all united in the same Eucharistic Lord and eager to use their gifts for a new Pentecost in the church. The first day of the July 17-21 congress began with an evening revival as the 30 perpetual pilgrims, who had walked the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes, took their final official steps of their eight-week journey into the stadium carrying icons of each route’s respective patron saints – St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, St. Junipero Serra, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Blessed Virgin Mary – that were put around the altar where the Blessed Sacrament was placed. “How will we know that we are experiencing Eucharistic revival?” Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., asked in his keynote speech July 17, encouraging everyone to surrender their hearts to the Lord over the next few days. “When we are truly revived by the Eucharist,” he said, “then our encounter with Christ’s real presence
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Embracing diversity: Dr. Ospino’s vision for a renewed American Catholicism BY RHONDA SWITA
TUPELO – On July 20, 2024, Dr. Hosffman Ospino, a highly recognized Professor of Theology from Boston College, spoke at St. James Church in Tupelo. St. James is blessed to have a diverse community of believers. Dr. Ospino’s message was one of unity and hope, focusing on us being a community of many families, one church and one faith. Dr. Ospino gave those present at the event a history lesson on the evolution of Catholicism during the earlier days of American life, although mindful that Catholics were present in the country since the sixteenth century. In
the early 1800’s there was only one bishop and about 400 churches. But within the next 150 years, many large groups of various nationalities arrived, bringing their own sweat labor and priests. As a result, approx. 20,000 churches were built. Soon to follow were 13,000 Catholic schools, more than 300 Catholic Universities, and many hospitals and other social service organizations. Each nationality pretty much stayed to themselves, building community in their own language, and avoided co-mingling among groups to preserve identity. However, as the older generations passed on, the newer generations adopted the English language and people became part of the “melting pot” of American culture. People had work and the children were being educated in the Catholic faith. Catholic families were strong in their Catholic faith. By 1950 there were about 30 million Catholics in the United States.
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