Two Eucharistic Revival Days will be held in June to close the first year of the National Eucharistic Revival.
All Catholics, including their families, are invited to attend the free diocesan Eucharistic Congress on Saturday, June 3 at St. Raphael Church in Springdale and Saturday, June 10 at Christ the King Church in Little Rock.
“This is a once-in-a-life event. The last time we had a National Eucharistic Congress was 40 years ago. My wish is for this event to be free just as the Eucharist is free, the encounter with the Eucharist will be free,” said Father Juan Guido, Eucharistic Revival Committee chairman and pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.
Father Guido said he also wants this event to welcome people interested in becoming Catholic or who have questions about the Eucharist. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor has said he wants Catholics to have a deeper relationship with Christ and understand the theology surrounding the Eucharist.
“It’s beautiful that the breaking point when you are in RCIA is whether you're going to believe or not in the Eucharist,” Father Guido said. “When they understand the Eucharist and when they see how we celebrate it, it makes perfect sense.”
The schedule for both events will be the same. The day will begin with morning prayer at 8:30 a.m., followed by a talk from national Catholic speaker Tim Francis on having a personal relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist. After the lunch break, Francis will deliver another presentation. His morning and afternoon talks will be translated into Spanish and delivered in another room.
Breakout sessions in English and Spanish will be held in the morning with local priests and deacons and repeated in the afternoon. The day will close with adoration and praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 p.m. and Mass with Bishop Taylor at 4 p.m.
Beau Baldwin, music director and organist at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock, will lead a diocesan choir with music in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
The planning committee also includes diocesan faith formation director Jeff Hines; Sister Mickey Espinoza, MCP, diocesan Hispanic ministry director; Father Joseph de Orbegozo, Deacon Greg Donaldson and Baldwin of Little Rock; and Father Brian Cundall and Katie Kratzberg of Fort Smith.
Registration will open soon.
“We want people to rediscover what the Eucharist is,” Father Guido said. “I am very surprised that people know what the Eucharist is, but they don’t go deeper to learn about the Eucharist. You want to learn more about the Eucharist. This is the time. It will cover knowledge, worship and also good liturgical music.”
