By Father Ryan Erlenbush
As Thomas Dotterweich noted in the June/July issue of The Harvest, the United States Bishops have begun a three year Eucharistic Revival, inviting all Catholics to come to a deeper love of Jesus present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. This Eucharistic Revival began this year on the Feast of Corpus Christi (June 19th) and will conclude on Pentecost, June 8th, 2025. The Revival is broken into three phases over the three years: The Diocesan Phase, the Parish Phase, and the Mission Phase.
During the year of the “Diocesan Phase” (June 19, 2022 to June 11, 2023), in our Diocese, Bishop Warfel encouraged every parish to have a Eucharistic Procession for the Feast of Corpus Christi, and we also had two presentations (one in Great Falls and one in Billings) on the Eucharist and the Family given by John and Clair Grabowski in August. Furthermore, numerous parishes throughout the Diocese are hosting events to promote Eucharistic Devotion. The major event to promote the Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese will be the Billings Conference with Scott Hahn and Archbishop Sample, May 5th and 6th, 2023 – tickets are available at diocesegfb.org/revival, where you can also find much more information about local events related to the Eucharistic Revival.
For the “Parish Phase,” the US Bishops are asking that each parish foster devotion to the Eucharist through hosting a Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 11th, 2023. Other ways to promote this Revival at the parish level are having regular hours of Eucharistic Adoration, hosting a parish mission focused on the Eucharist, offering additional confession hours, and promoting resources for learning more about our Eucharistic beliefs (FORMED has many good options, consider the series “Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist”). The US Bishops have approved 50 Eucharistic Preachers, priests who are especially trained to promote the Eucharistic Revival! Your priest can contact the Diocese to inquire how your parish can invite one of these preachers to give a mission at your parish!
Finally, the National Phase of Mission will begin with a National Eucharistic Congress hosted in Indianapolis from July 17-21, 2024. This will be an amazing opportunity to which all are invited! Around 100,000 participants are expected to join – and you will have the opportunity to be part of this exciting and historic event! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for when registration opens, and look forward to joining a pilgrimage group from our Diocese! More information will be available by summer of 2023.
Father Ryan Erlenbush is pastor at Corpus Christi parish in Great Falls and a member of the Discipleship Committee
Important Liturgical Dates
Jan 1 The Octive Day of Christmas & Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God
Jan 8 The Epiphany
Jan 9 The Baptism of the Lord
Jan 23 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Jan 25 Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Feb 22 Ash Wednesday
Feb 26 First Sunday of Lent
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