HAMMOND – The “Inspiring Presence” of the Holy Eucharist is sure to fill the hearts of Catholics on Aug. 26 as the Diocese of Gary hosts a Eucharistic encounter with the Real Presence for all ages at Bishop Noll Institute.
“It will be a morning full of celebrating the Eucharist (and) promises to be an exciting day for all ages,” said Bishop Robert J. McClory in a video invitation to Catholic faithful in Northwest Indiana. “We’ll have childcare for the little ones and programming for those age 5 all the way up, with an opportunity to celebrate together the Holy Mass, prominent speakers … to enrich and enliven, and at the end we’ll enjoy a meal together.
“We are in a time of Eucharistic Revival throughout the United States. Be ready for the Lord to transform your lives, our lives and the lives of all the faithful here in Northwest Indiana,” added the bishop.
“It’s going to be a wonderful gathering,” said Father Kevin Huber, diocesan chancellor and pastor of St. Mary in Crown Point. “I encourage everyone to set aside a few hours to join others in fellowship while you learn and grow closer to Jesus in the Eucharist.”
Event co-organizer Sean Martin, diocesan director of Evangelization, Catechesis and Family Life, touted the diverse group of speakers that truly offers “something for everyone.”
The breakout session speakers include: Dr. Scott Hahn for adults, Hector Molina for Hispanic speakers, Alessandro Di Santo for young adults 18-35, Chris Padgett for teens 13-17, and Hollie Cook and Susan Jett for children 5-12. Childcare will be available for children younger than 5.
“Dr. Hahn is a very prolific writer and his books are pretty approachable for the laity,” said Martin, who took several classes taught by Hahn at Franciscan University. “His message is always profound and insightful and he is always a compelling speaker.”
Martin is also familiar with Padgett, who has spoken in the Gary diocese both for a past Catholic men’s conference and a Marriage Date Night. “He’s a family man, with 8-9 children and grandchildren,” noted Martin. “He is a very experienced speaker and always funny and relatable.”
Vicky Hathaway, diocesan consultant for the Youth and Young Adult Ministry, is excited about DiSanto’s appearance. “He’s from the Chicago area with a background in prayer, and he’s devoted to the Eucharist,” she said of the co-founder of the very popular Catholic prayer app “Hallow.”
“Alessandro takes his faith very seriously and is very open about sharing his faith,” she said. “His evangelization style is very personable.”
Father Huber admitted that he’s “excited to offer catechesis for children 5 to 12. The Good Shepherd program is offered in several of our parishes, and will give these young Catholics their own lesson on the importance of the Eucharist.”
Hathaway said the plan to provide speakers for all age groups at the diocesan event “shows the beauty of the Eucharist because it brings everyone together. We are all called to gather around the altar, and we are all on a path in our faith journey, not just adults.
“I am looking forward to different people and the diocese celebrating Mass together, grounding our day as the source and summit of our faith,” added Hathaway.
Another opportunity during the Eucharistic Encounter is a display of a number of the 150 “Eucharistic Miracles of Blessed Carlo Acutis” that will be available to those attending. Impressive in their detail, the photos and explanations tell the story of miracles involving the Body and Blood of Christ that have taken place around the world.
Before his death in 2006 at the age of 15, Blessed Carlo created a database of these Eucharistic miracles that led to the development of a series of posters explaining how these miracles were scientifically studied, tested and shown to be credible.
“We’ll have a large number of these explanations on display for people to view and study,” Father Huber said.
The event schedule begins at BNI with a check-in and vendor shopping at 7:30 a.m. – an extra bonus will be the availability of a coffee truck, followed by a procession from the school to St. Margaret Mary Church next door, where Eucharistic Adoration will be available all day. Following a 9 a.m. Mass for all attendees, 10:30 a.m. breakout sessions will host everyone in the school, followed by box lunches distributed in the cafeteria at noon, ending the formal event.
“Families can share their meal in the cafeteria, enjoy more vendor shopping or take their food ‘to go,’” said Lisa Curley, Pastoral Center office manager and planning committee member. “The lunches will be simple and appropriate for all ages.” The registration deadline to customize the meal is Aug. 16, added Curley, offering the option of ordering a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or keto meal.
A program booklet is being produced, and sponsorships are welcome at the gold ($900), silver ($600) and bronze ($300) level; all sponsors will be included in the booklet and on the website, and company sponsors will be provided with a display table in the vendors’ hallway. For more information, contact rkouris@dcgary.org.
Vendors can register for a table in the main hallway of the school on a first come, first serve basis, and the cost is $100. Each vendor’s name and website information will be listed in the program. Apostolates are invited to present their ministry at a display table for $50 with no sales permitted. Space is limited and registration will close Aug. 19 or when full; all artwork for program is due by Aug. 1. For registration information, call 769-9292, x259 or email rkouris@dcgary.org.
Martin said the half-day agenda was planned to make it convenient for families and all ages to attend. “It’s not a long day, but will be a powerful event for people to pray and come together for the Eucharist with some reflection,” he said.
Father Huber said the Eucharistic Encounter comes in response to the Executive Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calling for each diocese to host a Eucharistic Congress as part of the National Eucharistic Revival. “Following our Diocesan Eucharistic Procession in 2022, we came to conclude that we needed to have a diocesan-wide event accessible to different age groups,” Father Huber said.
“With a high-profile presenter like Dr. Hahn, we are hoping to have a lot of appeal to adults, and with speakers for all ages, we want entire families to feel welcome to celebrate the Eucharist together,” he added. “Our goal is to bring everyone together to gain a deeper understanding of the Eucharistic Lord.”
Hathaway believes in the Aug. 26 event’s potential. “I hope this ‘Eucharistic Encounter’ opens up a conversation on our own relationship with the Eucharist and how we can live as a Eucharistic people,” she said.
Registration for the Eucharistic Encounter on Aug. 26 is available at dcgary.org/eucharistic-revival. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 5 through college age, while children 4 and younger can attend free of charge.