Parishes mark eucharistic revival with devotion

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

WORCESTER – Members of different ethnic communities from two parishes came together around Jesus, present in the Eucharist, last weekend – with Masses, outdoor processions and overnight adoration.
St. Stephen and Holy Family parishes, which share clergy and pastoral staff, planned the devotion to mark the National Eucharistic Revival.
The three-year revival, organized by the United States Bishops to increase Catholics’ understanding of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, started in June. The first year includes parish events like the one at St. Stephen’s and Holy Family. There are also to be diocesan and regional events before the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in 2024.
“The Eucharist is really the center of our life as the Church and the parish,” explained Msgr. Robert K. Johnson, pastor. “It’s from there that we draw our nourishment and our strength as Catholic Christians.” The revival’s goal is to “build and strengthen our eucharistic faith.”
The parish councils were presented with the idea of holding a 40-hours devotion and “they were very enthusiastic about it,” he said. He said both parishes have a strong commitment to eucharistic adoration.
Such continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament was described by Milanese chronicler Burigozzo as beginning in Milan in May 1537, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia website newadvent.org. Over time, the devotion was practiced in different ways for different reasons. The 40 hours, though not always exactly adhered to, was thought to be the amount of time Christ’s body remained in the tomb.
Msgr. Johnson said that, when he was growing up, Our Lady of Vilna, the Lithuanian parish his family went to, celebrated the 40-hours with a procession with the Host in the monstrance inside the church after Sunday Mass. Adoration followed throughout the day, but not overnight, and started again after Masses Monday and Tuesday mornings. The devotion closed with a procession, Benediction and Mass Tuesday evening.
St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, where his family also went, had something similar, he said.
St. Stephen’s and Holy Family scheduled adoration all night because the Brazilian and Hispanic communities at the parishes do that, he said. In addition to the English-speaking community, there is also a Haitian community. Holding the 40-hours devotion was a way to bring the parishes and ethnic communities together, he said.
“It was impressive,” said Father Cleber de Paula, associate pastor, “because we were concerned” about whether people would take night hours. “More people came during the night.” Some signed up, some just showed up.
There were eucharistic processions to and from Holy Family’s St. Joseph Church, where adoration was held.
“Processions are part of the cultural expressions of the communities that make up” the two parishes, Msgr. Johnson said, though these processions are not always eucharistic processions.
Last weekend’s processions were held outside because processions normally go from a church and back to a church, whether the same church or a different one, Msgr. Johnson said.
“It’s about our pilgrimage; it’s walking together with Jesus, much like we find in the Gospel of Emmaus,” he explained. (Lk 24:13-35) “I think any time we take our faith outside the church building … it’s evangelization.”
Friday night, after celebrating Mass for more than 100 people in St. Stephen’s Church, Bishop McManus carried the Host in the monstrance in a candlelight procession across the street to St. Joseph’s.
After the monstrance was set up on the high altar behind the regular altar Friday night, participants were invited to come closer to Jesus. Mostly young people, including children, streamed forward and knelt or sat silently on the carpets between the two altars.
Adoration closed with Benediction Saturday night for the Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Masses, and resumed Sunday afternoon. At 5 p.m. Sunday there was a eucharistic procession from St. Joseph’s back to St. Stephen’s, where there was Benediction and a closing Mass in Spanish and Portuguese for the Hispanics and Brazilians.
Friday’s Mass had included Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French for the Haitian community. Father de Paula, a Brazilian native who also studied in Colombia, preached in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
He said the Gospel of John was written when Christians were being persecuted. So, John re-affirmed for them that Jesus was with them in his body and blood each time they received him in the Eucharist and became one with him. (John 6)
Jesus’ flesh is true food and his blood real drink because they do what food and drink are supposed to do – they nourish and give life, not only for a day or a lifetime, but for eternity, Father de Paula said.
He said Christians today are also persecuted for their faith; they are killed and their churches are attacked. In the United States the Church is criticized and persecuted, such as when it defends the dignity of life from conception to natural death and defends marriage as being between a man and woman, he said.
“Here we are as one family with joyful and grateful hearts to reaffirm” faith in Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist, he said. Whenever Catholics receive the Eucharist, God graces them to face the challenges of being disciples. With God’s grace they can build community and witness to their faith.
Mosarene Scalzer, of Holy Family’s Brazilian community, said the Brazilians were proud of Father de Paula for preaching in three languages and were very glad to get together with the other ethnic communities and have processions in the street, which is a tradition in Brazil.
“I think it was wonderful to have the four different … communities join together,” said Vivian Peluso, of St. Stephen’s English-speaking community. “The music … was just beautiful. There was just such a sense of community and unity.”

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