First-ever Eucharistic Congress planned by Diocese at cathedral

PATERSON  Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and the Diocese of Paterson invite local clergy, religious, and laity to the Church of Paterson’s first-ever Eucharistic Congress in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here, from Friday, Sept. 23 to Sunday, Sept. 25. This bilingual event will feature keynote speaker Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect for the Section of New Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization in Rome, who seeks to inspire participants with several talks on its theme: “The Eucharist, the Source and Summit of the New Evangelization.”

Bishop Sweeney will participate in the Eucharistic Congress, which he called a “historic moment in our Diocese.” This first ever event in the Diocese will give local priests, religious, and laity an opportunity to bear witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as the local Church in a special way.

Archbishop Fisichella will speak at all events that weekend, which will include a holy hour and evening prayer in English, prayer services and talks on the Eucha­rist in English or Spanish, and a bilingual closing Mass.

The Eucharistic Congress will serve as the high point of the Year of the Eucharist, which Bishop Sweeney officially launched in the Diocese for 2022 on Jan. 9.

Throughout the year, Catholics were encouraged to deepen their understanding of and devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and streng­then their relationship with him through various activities on the diocesan and parish levels.

“In his Year of the Eucharist in our Diocese, we look forward to the highlight: a Eucharistic Congress … [where] Arch­bishop Fisichella … will invite us to come together as the Body of Christ here in our Diocese, centered on the Eucharist and growing in appreciation for the gift that Jesus gives us — his body, blood, soul, and divinity,” Bishop Sweeney said in a video welcoming Catholics of the Diocese to the Eucharistic Congress. “We know that many Catholics do not appreciate the gift as we should. This Eucharistic Congress is that opportunity … I hope and pray that as many as possible will respond to this invitation to participate in the Eucharistic Congress: a historic moment here in our Diocese.”

The schedule for the Eucharistic Congress is as follows:

• Fri., Sept. 23: a 7 p.m. Holy hour and evening prayer and presentation in English for priests, religious, and deacons who serve the Diocese.

• Sat., Sept. 24: 9:30 a.m. Refreshments in the Rodimer Center next door; followed by 10 a.m. mid-morning prayer service for lay women and men in English in the cathedral. 1:30 p.m. refreshments in the Rodimer Center, followed by 2 p.m. mid-afternoon prayer and presentation in Spanish for lay women and men in the cathedral.

• Sun., Sept. 25: 3 p.m. Bilingual closing Mass with the recitation of a special prayer for the Eucharistic Congress.

Coordinating the Eucharistic Congress is Father Michael Szwarc, parochial vicar of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, with the diocesan Office for Evangelization and the cathedral. Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and vicar of diocesan projects and the cathedral, worked for Archbishop Fisichella for six years at the Vatican when he was president of the former Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. Msgr. Sylva served as its first English-language official. In 2012, the archbishop visited the Evangelization Center at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison to announce that Msgr. Sylva, who at the time was St. Paul’s executive director and diocesan vicar for evangelization, would be serving in Rome.

“The Eucharistic Congress is an instrument of the New Evangelization,” said Msgr. Sylva, who noted that Pope Francis gave Archbishop Fisichella oversight of Eucharistic Congresses around the world as part of his duties for the Dicastery for Evangelization.

The Eucharistic Congress, next month in the Diocese, will be the first one that the archbishop will be leading, he said. “The archbishop is one of the leading theologians in the Church today. He has an incredible ability to express theologically profound truths in a way that can be received and understood by all. I know that Archbishop Fisichella will inspire us all,” Msgr. Sylva said.

In encouraging the local faithful to attend the Eucharistic Congress, Father Szwarc reminded them that the word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.” “At the Eucharistic Congress, clergy, religious, and laity will gather together to thank God for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,” Father Szwarc said. “Jesus came to be with us and is still with us in the gift of the Eucharist. He has not left us but in the Eucharist fulfills his promise to be with us always, until the end of the age. His presence is real, and we give thanks to Jesus for being among us and participating in the daily experiences of our life. Once we are fed and nourished at Mass by his word and Eucharist, we have a mission to evangelize others and, as disciples, to bring people back to the Church,” he said. To promote the Eucharistic Congress, the Diocese has been posting information about the event in English and Spanish on the accounts for the Paterson Diocese and Bishop Sweeney on both Facebook and Instagram.

Admission to the Eucharistic Congress is free. Parking will be available in the Passaic County lot across Grand Street from the cathedral offices. Register here or scan the QR code below.