WAUNAKEE — From Friday evening Sept. 29 to Sunday evening Oct. 1 it was all about the Eucharist.
The more than 1,200 people who were on the grounds of St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee encountered the Eucharist, prayed before the Eucharist, learned about the Eucharist, talked about the Eucharist, processed with the Eucharist, and received the Eucharist.
For the first time, the Diocesan of Madison held a Eucharistic Congress.
It was, on the diocesan level, part of a growing effort across the country to bring people into the reality of the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
A sense of community
Along with the devotions, Adoration, processions, Confessions, and Masses, there was a real gathering of the faithful.
It began in the registration tents at the start of the congress with the many helpful volunteers welcoming everyone.
About a dozen vendors were on hand from local Catholic organizations to share their good works and wares with others, ranging from schools to art to service organizations to Religious Orders.
The Blessed Carlo Acutis Eucharistic Miracles display was available for viewing and learning.
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison welcomed everyone to the Congress and representatives made announcements in both English and Spanish for two language groups who were attending the three-day event.
Mass was soon celebrated for the first time during the weekend.
Fr. David Carrano, a parochial vicar in Pastorate 11 of the diocese, gave a bilingual homily, again bringing a sense of welcome to people of both languages.
Following the Mass, the first keynotes were given.
Fr. John Riccardo, priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and founder of the Acts XXIX evangelization apostolate gave a talk in English, and Fr. Agustín de la Vega, LC, from the Legionaries of Christ, gave a talk in Spanish.
The English talks for the weekend were given in the newer church building and the Spanish talks were given in the older church.
Following the talks, fully engaged and embraced by both audiences, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and then processed into the older church building where continuous Eucharistic Adoration took place during most of the weekend.
This allowed for people of different backgrounds, experiences, and states in life to come before Our Lord praying for themselves and others.
United in prayer
Saturday began with Morning Prayer and Mass.
Keynotes throughout the day included those from Fr. Craig Vasek from the Diocese of Crookston and Helen Alvaré, bishops’ advisor and law professor, in English.
Father de la Vega and Andrés Arango, Hispanic ministry director from the Diocese of Camden, gave talks in Spanish.
Also throughout the day were opportunities for “Conversion Calls”. These times gave attendees a chance to take what they’d learned or reflected upon and take them further on their own.
Bishop Hying and Msgr. James Bartylla, vicar general, led Eucharistic workshops in Spanish and English respectively.
Priests and other prayer leaders were on hand for spiritual direction and intercessory prayer.
Confession was also widely available in both English and Spanish.
The lunch break provided time for fellowship and worship.
Gathered under the large tents outside were Knights of Columbus grilling and a band performing contemporary worship music.
After an afternoon of more keynotes and Conversion Calls, a social with tacos was provided at the end of the second day.
Encountering the Eucharist
Along with more talks and Adoration, the final day of the Congress culminated in the celebration of the Mass.
The Madison Diocesan Choir with instrumental accompaniment, under the direction of John Sittard, provided spirited music for the Mass.
Bishop Hying celebrated the Mass with many priest concelebrants from around the diocese.
Near the conclusion of the Mass, Bishop Hying thanked those who made the weekend possible, especially Deacon Todd Burud, who headed up the planning for the congress for the last year and a half.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Bishop Hying carried a monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament and led a Eucharistic Procession around the campus of St. John the Baptist Parish including through the cemetery before returning to the church for Benediction.
Also in the procession were Knights of Columbus; Knights and Ladies of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; Sisters of Mary Morning Star; diocesan priests, deacons, and seminarians; and hundreds of attendees of the congress who joined in.
Afterward, for those who wanted to partake in a further sense of community, a social was held outside the church bringing everyone together one last time before heading off into the world to proclaim the Good News and go make disciples.
Read future issues of the Catholic Herald for more on the diocesan Eucharistic Congress including highlights from the keynote talks and other Eucharistic moments that took place during the weekend.