People talk about the idea of Christmas in July. That December holiday speaks to the principles that Christian faith is grounded in the reality that God came to us in a real way in Christ through the mystery of the Incarnation, and He continues to abide with us. As Catholics, we embrace the ways that God continues to be present in various signs.
God made Himself powerfully present at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress (NEC) in Indianapolis from July 17-21, 2024. This event was part of the larger initiative of the National Eucharistic Revival, launched by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to help rekindle Eucharistic faith in the Church in the USA.
Over a year prior, I became aware that NEC registration was open. I was eager to attend and engage with my faith in a whole new way, and to do my part to help rekindle faith in the Catholic Church of the USA.
The anticipation started to build with great excitement as the 4 Eucharistic pilgrimages started at four points across the USA. I participated in two events for the Marian Route that started at the Mississippi River headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota. Those events were at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and St. John, IN.
And the anticipation built even more once July came and I started getting messages from the NEC about logistics.
Then came Wednesday, July 17, the day I departed. I went to 8:15 Mass at Ascension that morning, and when Father Rex became aware that I was going to NEC, following Mass, he came out of the sacristy, approached me, and offered a prayer over me, accompanied by some other parishioners. I was glad to receive this prayer as a way to open myself up to the graces of this experience.
I then returned to homebase, had breakfast, and finsihed my last-minute packing. Shortly after 10 AM CDT, Matt Goto, a fellow parishioner, arrived. I got myself and my luggage into his car, and we headed east. I had learned he was going a few days prior, and after connecting with him, we made a plan to go together. I'm grateful that he chauffeured me, and that I could take a break from driving for a few days.
Just a little ways outside of the Indianapolis Metro Area, we made a quick stop at Arby's for lunch. By 3 PM EDT, we pulled up to the house where I booked AirBnb lodgings. (Please note that all times in this post are EDT unless otherwise stated.) I wasn't able to get inside right away, so Matt took me on a quick errand for shopping at Aldi. Within the hour, I was able to connect with the host, and got everything settled inside.
Then, Matt and I went to downtown Indianapolis, and he dropped me off at Chef JJ's. There, I met up with people in the National Catholic Singles Conference group. I was glad that the NCSC made a point to get people together for this significant event. I enjoyed my time chatting with people. When I learned from them about the long check-in line, I decided to leave around 5 PM.
After walking around the convention center, I found Matt, and the people in line behind him agreed to let me join him. He had already been waiting for about 30 minutes when I joined him, and we were in line for another 2 1/2 hours. But like with the other long waits amid the crowds, we had a sense of holy joy being together to behold our Lord, and we could have joy in the waiting while spending time visiting with the people in line near us.
Even though the organizers allowed people to enter the stadium without badges, Matt and I stayed in line. We just about reached the hall for check-in as the evening session started. Matt pulled up the livestream on his phone, and we watched as the perpetual pilgrims from the four routes entered the stadium, followed by the Blessed Sacrament. When we reached the check-in stations, it took a few seconds to find our names and then print out our badges, and then on to our swag bags.
Once done there, we made our way to Lucas Oil Stadium. Upon finding our seats on one of the higher levels, we joined the prayer time of Eucharistic adoration. Even in a stadium with thousands of people, the setting felt so intimate as Bishop Cozzens prayed to Jesus.
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| During Eucharistic Adoration |
(Please note that all photos in this post are mine, unless otherwise stated.)
After the conclusion of adoration, we heard from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the USA--please see the photo below. He exhorted us to be open to encountering the Eucharistic Lord throughout our lives and to be possessed the Spirit and open to His leading.
Then, Sister Bethany Madonna of the Sisters of Life spoke. When Montse Alvarado spoke to introduce her, she boldly declared, "Life begins at the moment of conception", and it was so uplifting to hear thousands of people cheer at that statement. Sister Bethany shared her personal testimony, including her struggles in her work with the Sisters of Life. She declared that when we love someone, we prove it, and the eternal exchange starts with the sacramental life now, in which God shares His life with us.
(Please note that many of the sessions I talk about in this post have archived videos available on the
EWTN YouTube channel.)
The evening revival session was done around 10 PM. Matt and I exited the stadium. We briefly stopped at St. John the Evangelist, where there was continuous 24-hour prayer throughout the NEC. Then we went to the parking lot he booked for the NEC time period and he then took me to my AirBnb lodgings. Before bedtime, I met a couple who came all the way from Uganda, and I think their names were Mary and Peter.
The next morning, Thursday, July 18, I got a leisurely start. I had breakfast between 8-9 AM. Mary and Peter even shared with one of their African pancakes. Between 10-10:30, Matt arrived, and he took Mary, Peter, and me to downtown Indianapolis. Once there, I went to Lucas Oil Stadium for the morning Impact session. There were several options for large-scale morning sessions.
Two Sisters spoke first, Mary Grace and Marie Veritas. Two statements that stood out to me were that Jesus is everything between the source and the summit, a reference to the Eucharist being the source and summit of the Christian life. The Eucharist frees us to be ourselves and in it, we find the greatest measure of our worth.
Then Monsignor James Shea spoke--please see photo directly below. He described the issue of hunger in our world. He also discussed the scientific idea of the satiety score of food on a scale of 100: Broccoli has 89, and an Oreo has 0. Then he declared the Eucharist has a score of infinity.
The session was done by 12:15 or so. I met up with Matt and then we drove a little ways south of downtown Indianapolis to eat lunch at Cracker Barrel. I was eager to go there on a Thursday for the once-a-week turkey meal. I also thought it was fitting to consume food typical for Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on a Thursday, and the Eucharist is from a Greek word for "Thanksgiving".
We returned to downtown around 2 PM, and I went to visit the Indiana State House. As I started to walk up the steps, I heard someone calling me. I turned around and saw Father Hurlbert, the previous pastor of Ascension Parish. I was glad to see him and we had a nice, brief chat.
Inside, I walked around on a self-guided tour, and then I ended up joining a tour group with fellow NEC pilgrims, including people from Ohio and New York.
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| Looking up into the rotunda |
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| The Meditation Room |
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| This table in the Governor's office has a map of all Indiana counties, with a piece wood from each county composing that county's shape. |
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| As the group got up to leave the Indiana State Senate Chamber, Grace, a person from the Ohio group, kindly photographed me as I sit in the seat of Indiana State Senator Ed Charbonneau. His district includes Valparaiso, where my alma mater is. |
Shortly before 4 PM, I was at the Indiana Convention Center to attend an Eastern Rite Liturgy, my first time attending this rite. While there, I met up with Paige, someone I met in my pilgrim group to World Youth Day, and we sat together. Almost all the liturgy was chanted, except for the homily, some in English, and some in another language, which I think was Ukrainian. I was glad that I had a copy of Magnificat specifically published for the NEC so I could follow along. The priest, in his homily, spoke about how we're called to proclaim the Gospel message.
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| Here's a photo during the homily during the Eastern Rite Liturgy. Below is a close-up of the screen. |
Afterwards, I went to St. John the Evangelist and met up with Mary Schaal, a retired lady I know from Ascension Parish in Oak Park. I was glad to catch up with her. We made our way to Lucas Oil Stadium. I stopped to get tacos for dinner from a truck outside the stadium before going inside for the evening session. I sat with Mary, her daughter, and her grandchildren.
The first speaker we heard from was Lila Rose, who founded Live Action--please see photo directly below. She spoke about her story of becoming Catholic, and her passionate drive to defend human life through undercover investigation. She made clear it is worthwhile to suffer for the cause of upholding the Truth.
Next, we heard from Mary Ann and Ken Duppong. Their late daughter Michelle is now in the process of canonization. They shared about their family life and the role of faith in it.
Next was Mother Olga--please see photo directly below. She told stories about the healing power of God.
Then, Patrick Kelly, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus spoke, and I was particularly excited to hear from him--please see photo directly below.
He had the privilege of introducing Father Mike Schmitz--please see photo directly below. One major idea Father Mike shared is for us to guard against indifference in our spiritual lives. He also made another insightful point. At the end of the Eucharistic prayer, when the priest says, "Through Him, with Him, and in Him...", Father Mike said that is when the sacrifice of the Mass is being offered, versus the words of Institution, which Father Mike compared to the incarnation. It was a great insight that gave me a new sense of how to approach that part of the Mass.
The evening session ended with a time of Eucharistic adoration with a group of monks chanting ancient Latin hymns. We were done by 9:30-10:00. I met up with Matt, and we went to his car and then he took me back to my AirBnb lodgings.
The next morning, Friday, July 19, Matt picked me up around 8:15. By 8:30, I was in Lucas Oil Stadium for 8:30 AM Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Wilton Gregory. The opening procession lasted nearly 20 minutes. In the homily, Cardinal Gregory talked about how God is Light, and desires to bring the Light into the darkness. The Light of Christ is in the Eucharist, and calls us to walk in teh Light as the Eucharist prompts us to action.
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| Cardinal Gregory gives his homily at Mass. |
Then came the morning Encounter session. Patrick Madrid spoke, sharing the story of how he conversed with two Protestants and used the statement, "I never said you stole money", to indicate how many interpretations can occur, and the need for an Authority to help us attain the right interpretation.
Musician Tony Melendez shared his life testimony, particularly how he has learned to play the guitar despite the reality that he was born without arms. He performed before a group that included Pope St. John Paul II in the 1980s, and the Pope embraced him after the performance.
The focus of this session, with Dr. Mary Healey as a keynote presenter, was on God's mercy at work in our lives to bring about healing.
When I stepped out, I walked north to the Indiana State Library. Despite a large-scale computer system malfunction, I was able to pay cash for two postcards. I then looked around and took in the quiet atmosphere.
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| Inside the Indiana State Library |
Following lunch by the food trucks by the stadium, shortly before 2 PM, I arrived at the hall in the Convention Center for the Relevant Radio Break-out Session. (You can view the whole session at this
link.) I sat with Mary and her family. The room was packed with over 5000 people. Father Rocky, the CEO of Relevant Radio, made some remarks. Then Patrick Madrid spoke about the power of sharing truth with Relevant Radio listeners. He then took some questions from the audience. One woman mentioned a relative who was engaging in witchcraft. Once Patrick finished responding to her question, he led the whole audience in offering a prayer for this woman's relative, and there was so much power in being part of that prayer.
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| Patrick Madrid |
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| Father Rocky, the CEO of Relevant Radio |
Then it was time for Drew Mariani, who talked about Divine Mercy. During his time on stage, he invited to the stage Tom and Madeline Tirpak from Glenview, IL, with their 6 children, who have a first-class relic of St. Faustina. We prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet together, with audience members sharing petitions. After we finished, Bishop Rickens offered a special blessing to the audience that only bishops can give.
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| Drew Mariani on stage with the Tirpak family |
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| Drew Mariani |
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| A fellow pilgrim photographed me by this sign in the convention hall space where the Relevant Radio session happened. |
Following the session, I bid farewell to Mary, and then walked to a nearby hotel for a Dating Panel discussion hosted by the Catholic Project. On my way there, I saw Bishop Hying, who I met when he was Bishop of Gary. I chatted briefly with him and then got a selfie--please see photo below.
I went to the Dating Panel discussion, wondering what to expect. In the end, it was a good time. It was so invigorating to be around young single Catholic adults. The panelists responded to various questions about the state of today's dating scene, and then audience members were given the chance to chime in with their thoughts. There were light appetizers served.
Once it ended, taking a cue from Mary and her family who decided to head back to their lodings, I decided to get dinner and then retire early. As I walked back toward the food trucks, I saw two people with Diocese of Arlington shirts, who I learned were both seminarians, and I got talking with them. One of them said his home parish is St. Mary's Basilica in Alexandria, where I've gone for Mass a few times. Then I saw Father Jacob, the pastor/chaplain at St. Teresa's in Valparaiso.
The one food truck I wanted to eat at already closed, so then I decided to walk to Steak n' Shake. After getting my dinner, I walked to the nearby station for the Red Line Express Bus, and rode it about three miles south of downtown. Once I got off, I was about 10-15 minutes away by foot from my lodgings. As I walked there, I met another NEC participant, and we soon discovered we were both staying in the same house. Once there, I relaxed, talked with Mom and Dad, ate dinner, and admired the moon.
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| Nearing sunset, looking west along Raymond Street toward I-65 |
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| The full moon rises above the alley behind my AirBnb house |
The next morning, Saturday, July 20, I was up before 7 AM. By 7:30 or so, I met up with George, another NEC pilgrim and guest in the same house. He had agreed the day before to take me to downtown, since Matt had other plans that morning. I was at the convention center shortly after 8 AM. Seeing a long line of people waiting to enter the hall for 8:30 Spanish Mass, I decided to get in line immediately to make sure I could get a spot.
Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles was the principal celebrant. As we waited to start, someone next to me asked where I was from, and when I responded "Oak Park, IL", a person on the other side of me immediately remarked that Oak Park is close to Cicero. As we continued talking, he introduced himself as Yohan and told me about his work with the Archdiocese of Chicago and how it took him to the parishes in Berwyn and Cicero before he went to work for the USCCB.
I was able to follow the Mass in Spanish with the Magnificant guide. Archbishop Gomez referred to the Gospel reading, which was when Christ gave His mother to the Church. Continuing, Archbishop Gomez says that Christ looks on all of us as collaborators in His mission. We know He is real, and He fills us with His love. There was something so stirring at the end when Archbishop Gomez led the call and response: "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" and "¡Viva!"
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| Before the start of Mass |
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| In the center is Jose Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, the principal celebrant of the Mass. |
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| The congregation at the Spanish Mass |
Following Mass, I walked to the White River Walk for some quiet time in the splendid park spaces.
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| View of the White River |
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| I'm the "I" in this artwork by the White River Riverwalk. A passerby kindly took this photo. |
Then I headed to the stadium for the morning session. I sat with people from the NCSC community. Dr. Edward Sri was one of the speakers, and his talk focused on helping us better understand and appreciate the Mass. Then came Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers whose talk focused on evangelization.
Katie, the MC, shared a great insight about baptism. Her sister is a canon lawyer, and when someone asked her which canon is her favorite, she responded with the canon that stipulates a pastor must ensure that all baptisms that take place in his parish must be recorded. Katie emphasized further the idea that our baptism is so important, the Church requires it to be recorded. Indeed, there's so much power in that piece of paper, and she described how it glows when we go to confession adn pulsates when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
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| Dr. Edward Sri |
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| Deacon Harold |
When the session ended, I took a closer look at the area by the adoration altar, with the portraits of the four saints of the Eucharistic pilgrimage routes.
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| A fellow pilgrim kindly photographed me as I posed by a portrait of the Blessed Mother Mary, the patroness saint of the Marian Route that passed through the Archdiocese of Chicago. |
Then I joined the throngs outside to get lunch at a food truck. It was a long wait, but in the spirit of being together as people of the Church, we made merry in each other's company.
After getting lunch, I went to the exhibit hall, shortly before 2 PM. I enjoyed meeting lots of great Catholic personalities, especially at the Relevant Radio booth.
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| Timmerie Geagea broadcasting live with two Sisters of Life |
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| Here I pose with former Relevant Radio host Cale Clarke. Another person at the Relevant Radio booth photographed us. |
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| Here I am with Sarah Tafoya, whose voice is on Morning Air. Another person at the Relevant Radio booth photographed us. |
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| The fellow in the center of the photo with a tie is Glen, who is one of the Morning Air personalities. |
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| Matt Goto, to the right of me, works for the Merry Beggars, the Entertainment Division of Relevant Radio. And he was my chauffeur, for the NEC, too. |
I lingered in the Expo Hall as the crowds thinned and went to the Eucharistic procession, which made it an ideal time to visit the hall. I even met Matthew Kelly, a Dynamic Catholic.
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| Above is a close-up of a relic of Blessed Father Michael McGivney in the Knights of Columbus Booth, and below is a broader view of the K of C booth. |
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| Word on Fire Booth |
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| Matthew Kelly signing books at the Dynamic Catholic booth |
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| Art studio in the expo hall |
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| Michelle Duppong's parents Mary Ann and Ken were at the University of Mary booth. |
As I left, I decided to get in a 5-minute line to view the Shroud of Turin exhibit, which at times, had a wait of well over an hour. The exhibit showed a replica of the shroud. There was also an artist there, Matthew Collins, who created a full-sized replica of Jesus's body when He was in the tomb. He also showcased samples of scented ointments that would have been used on his body, and it smelled great.
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| Replica of Jesus's body in the tomb |
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| Replica of the Shroud of Turin |
By 4 PM, I was on my way to join the throngs in the Eucharistic procession. I met up with them near Monument Circle, and then walked north on Meridian Street to the Indiana War Memorial, where an altar was set up for benediction.
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| At Monument Circle |
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| Sister Alicia, in the brown outfit, was handing out water. She has played an active role in the Eucharistic Revival. |
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| At the park at the Indiana War Memorial |
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| Close-up view of the altar for benediction |
I ended up in a spot on the south end of the American Legion Mall facing the Indiana War Memorial, with the Indianapolis Central Public Library behind me to the north. There was something so transcendent about gathering with thousands in praising, worshipping, and adoring the Lord. I felt lifted up from Earth and into the Heavenly realm encountering God.
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| The crowds in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament |
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| Someone from a California group photographed me following Benediction. |
Subsequently, I walked to Shapiro's for dinner, where I got a turkey sandwich and iced poppy seed cake. I sat with Vicky, who I first met in Valparaiso, and who was part of my pilgrim group to World Youth Day in Panama. Her dad was with her, too.
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| Vicky photographed me with my dinner before I enjoyed it. |
From there, I walked to Lucas Oil Stadium for the evening session, with a great line-up of speakers. Tim Glemkowski offered remarks, even referring back to World Youth Day 1993 in Denver. (He was serving as the CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress--and ended his time in that position shortly after the NEC.) Drew Mariani offered a testimonial. Gloria Purvis spoke about how we respond in faith to major issues like racism and how we continue to uphold our Church, including the Pope, God's designated leader.
After her was Jonathan Roumie, who stars as Jesus in The Chosen. He spoke with intensity in tone about how he prepared for filming the scene of the Last Supper. Then, because the Chosen series is past the point of filming scenes for the John 6 Bread of Life discourse, he offered a dramatic proclamation of a portion of that chapter.
Following him was Bishop Barron. He spoke about how lay people can live out poverty, chastity, and obedience. Bishop Barron remarked how it felt to follow Jonathan Roumie and told an amusing story about hearing Jonathan imitate Homer Simpson, which reminded me of esteemed Oak Parker Dan Castellaneta. At the end of his talk, Bishop Barron referred to the adage, "Be who you were meant to be, and you will set the world on fire." He misspoke, and said, "...you will set the Word on Fire," a reference to his ministry, before correcting himself by saying "the world on fire". But there's no doubt the Word on Fire ministry is doing so much to engage people's faith and set the world ablaze.
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| Tim Glemkowski |
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| Drew Mariani |
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| Jonathan Roumie |
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| Matt Maher performs |
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| Bishop Barron |
Matt Maher was the primary performer that evening. There was something powerful about hearing his song "Because He Lives" as the monstrance was in procession out of the stadium.
Then he performed one more song at the end of the session, "Alive and Breathing", like an encore, which caused hundreds of teenagers to rush the stage as I could see from my spot high up--please see this photo below.
I had started moving toward an exit and was standing on a metallic floor. As he performed, I felt the floor vibrate beneath my feet. Undoubtedly, this evening's session was stirring in so many ways, even to keeping me up during my sleep time that night to some extent.
The next morning, Sunday, July 21, I awoke with eager expectation for the conclusion of the NEC. Matt picked me up around 8:15 and I bade farewell to my AirBnb lodgings.
He dropped me off about two blocks from Lucas Oil Stadium and I walked with excitement in the company of other pilgrims.
Mike Hopkins, an astronaut, was speaking as I arrived--please see photo below. He offered a unique perspective of what it's like being up in space. He also shared his story of becoming Catholic and how he lives with a sense of mission as an astronaut.
Next, we heard from Chris Stefanick--in the photo below--which is the second time I heard him speak live. He has such an energetic style as he proclaims the message that God loves us and has given us purpose.
Mother Adela Galindo was the final speaker--please see the photo below. She spoke with so much energy as she urged us on to live oriented toward the Eucharistic in our mission.
At 10 AM, Mass began. The opening procession had 200 bishops and 1000 priests, and lasted nearly 25 minutes. Throughout that time, we had many songs to sing, accompanied by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, which gave the music such an uplifting, exuberant feel. As the music continued, it dawned on me that it would be a great time to offer up all the specific prayer intentions that people had shared with me and my other intentions I offer up regularly.
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| The opening procession |
While it was powerful to hear tens of thousands singing with one voice, so was hearing all those people offer the prayers of the Mass in one voice, like the phrases "And with your spirit" and "Amen".
Cardinal Tagle exhorted us in our homily to see the people around us as gifts, and then urged us to Go forth from Church to live out our mission--please see photo below.
Bishop Cozzens--in the photo below--said something similar in his closing remarks, twinged with emotion as he noted the conclusion of the NEC. When he asked the congregations about future National Eucharistic Congresses and even a 2025 Eucharistic pilgrimage from Indianapolis to Los Angeles, there was an enthusiastic response.
Mass had finished by 12:30, and there was a buoyant spirit throughout the stadium as people were visiting with each other and heading toward the exits.
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| A fellow pilgrim photographed me following Mass. |
I met up with Matt near the main entrance. In that vicinity, I saw Eric, a former Mundelein seminary who had assisted on weekends at Ascension in Oak Park.
Matt and I walked to the parking garage, got in his car, and started our journey back to Oak Park. Just northwest of the I-465 loop, I asked Matt if we could get off and stop for a quick lunch. We ended up at Culver's. The Catholic party overflowed to this Culver's as many other NEC pilgrims were there ordering lunch, which resulted in a longer wait than I anticipated to get my food.
When Matt and I turned toward the dining area to find a seat, I inwardly gasped when I saw Bishop Paprocki seated at a table with another priest. I eventually approached him and chatted briefly with him. I mentioned how uplifted I was by the God is Alive documentary produced under the auspices of the Diocese of Springfield and I was inspired to share it with my RE students. He also agreed to pose for a photo with me, taken by the priest accompanying him, which is below.
It was an enjoyable ride as Matt and I continued toward Chicago. We reflected on the experience and discussed other matters related to the spiritual life and then some. When we stopped for gas at a Love's Stop in Roselawn, someone at a nearby pump asked if we had been at the NEC, and we chatted with them briefly. The lady and her companion were from Minnesota, which I remarked is like a Catholic hotspot in the USA. Matt and I arrived back in Oak Park by 5:30.
When I first registered for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress back in 2023, I was eager to participate in an experience that would be uplifting, because I knew it was something I needed at this stage of my life. Reflecting on the experience, there were so many graced moments. Indeed, writing this post is part of the beginning stage of unpacking this extraordinary experience, which I'm sure I'll be doing for the rest of my life. Overall, the NEC was such a transcendent experience, truly a taste of Heaven on Earth, which I felt most powerfully during the Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis, and also during the other times of adoration at the evening sessions.
I was glad that I was able to go with Matt Goto, which offered a chance to reflect on the different days as we headed in his car back to our respective lodgings and we debriefed together. Furthermore, I'm glad the NCSC staff made a point to gather our community together to share the NEC.
Even during those times when I was on my own, I felt a sense of connection with those around me. After the benediction at the conclusion of the Eucharistic procession, I saw a group from the Diocese of San Diego organizing themselves to get a group photo, and I spoke up and offered to take it for them. Then I asked someone in that group to get a photo of me, remarking that I was by myself, to which someone in that group responded not necessarily. Indeed, even if we didn't know each other as persons, we were united together in our prayer before our Lord.
I was also glad for the encounters with so many people I recognized from various points in my life, from northwest Indiana, in Oak Park, and even a group from St. Leonard Church in Berwyn.
Being at the NEC felt like being at Catholic Central USA, with a cross-section of the Church present, including religious sisters in a variety of colored outfits, bishops, young adults, and families. We all stepped away from our typical routines and joined together to be part of the NEC, a time like no other. That was especially highlighted for me when I saw Bishop Paprocki at Culver's on the way back after NEC.
I also enjoyed the opportunity to chat with the Diocese of Arlington seminarians. I was also inspired seeing families bring children with them, including babies who were just months old. Even not having parenting experience myself yet, I appreciated the level of effort those parents made to bring their children with them, and I thought about what it would be like to have a wife and children of my own and to share experiences of faith in our home and at an event like a future NEC. (At one point, I was delighted when I stepped inside St. John the Evangelist Church and saw a man and woman in such a strong embrace of affection that I sensed the lady had just accepted a marriage proposal.)
Indeed, in so many ways, the NEC was awe-inspiring. A few days after the event, an article by Bishop Barron appeared online
reflecting on the NEC. The big idea for me in his article was that the experience was so amazing because of the power of the supernatural present in it.
It was also clear to me that something significant was unfolding, especially considering that tens of thousands were gathering for an event so intensely focused on Christ in the Eucharist. On Saturday evening, I called my parents and during our conversation, I remarked that day, July 20 was the 55th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, a truly historic event. Then I remarked that I felt like I was at history in the making at the NEC. We have yet to see what the impact will be.
Already, though, I felt the impact. At the sessions, I felt a stirring to check the schedule for the Oak Park Village Board Meetings. When I saw a meeting scheduled for the Tuesday following the NEC, I knew it was my time to attend and, during the public comment period of the meeting, speak about my time at NEC. Truly I recognized how, like with any encounter with God, we are meant to share it and impact others. And as I said in my remarks before the Village Board, God is truly alive. (Here's a link to view the video of the
meeting. My remarks are three minutes long and start around the 7:55 mark. To the right appear the meeting minutes, including a 2-sentence summary of my remarks.)
Furthermore, being at NEC made clear to me that God truly desires to satisfy us with what alone can truly fill us: The grace of His presence, first manifested in the Word Made Flesh, and which continues to be present to us in the working of the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Eucharist we encounter each time at Mass. In these encounters, God truly raises us to the Heavenly realm.
Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever!
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| Eucharistic adoration on the first evening of the NEC inside Lucas Oil Stadium |
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| This sign on the side of the Indiana Convention Center says so much: In Indy as in Heaven. |
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| Outside the main entrance of Lucas Oil Stadium, with NEC posters |
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| The main entrance of the Indiana Convention Center, with a sign boldly stating, "Revival Starts Here." |
