St. Teresa of Calcutta: 'If we recognize Jesus under the appearance of bread, we will have no difficulty recognizing him in the disguise of the suffering poor'
(SNR) – The National Eucharistic Revival began across the United States June 19, the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ.
The bishops of the United States called for a three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They believe God wants to see a movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission “for the life of the world.”
Bishop Andrew Cozzens, of Crookston, Minn. and chair of the bishops’ evangelization committee, presented the plan to his fellow bishops during their virtual spring meeting in June 2021. He said the program aims to support and “start a fire” of devotion to the Eucharist with a particular focus on the local level— dioceses, parishes, and families.
Beginning in July 2022, dioceses across the country are encouraged to hold Eucharistic events and make the Eucharist a primary focus. One way the Diocese of Lincoln will encourage greater devotion to the Lord in the Eucharist is with three Eucharistic pilgrimages to Mexico City in October.
“What better way of falling in love more deeply with Jesus in the Eucharist, than under the motherly guidance and protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe?” asked Father Benjamin Holdren.
Father Holdren, pastor at St. Peter and St. Joseph churches in Bellwood and chaplain and religion teacher at Aquinas High School in David City, will lead the first pilgrimage, Oct. 2-7.
“We are excited to have each of our pilgrimages guided by Craig Johring, the founder of Hope of the Poor, who has been leading mission trips in Mexico City for over 15 years,” he explained. “The focus of our pilgrimage will be asking Our Lady of Guadalupe for a Eucharistic revival in each pilgrim's heart, as well as in the hearts of everyone in our diocese.”
Johring grew up in Nebraska and now lives and works in Mexico City. He founded Hope of the Poor with Danny Leger to impact the world in how the poor are viewed and treated. As their website describes, the Hope of the Poor mission field is “drug-addicted street kids, homeless families, and people who live at the city dump. We bring hope to the rejected, the lonely, and the unloved. We feed the poor, rent homes to take families off the street and work with employers to find them jobs. But we don’t stop there. Mother Teresa often said the greatest poverty is being unloved. We want to inspire all generations to radically love and bring hope to the hopeless.”
Father Holdren said each pilgrimage will include time in prayer at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica, time in silence in the presence of the Eucharist each day in a guided retreat, and time spent with the poor of Mexico City, “asking Our Lady to help us to see in them the face of Jesus.”
Father Holdren recalled the teaching of St. Teresa of Calcutta: “If we recognize Jesus under the appearance of bread, we will have no difficulty recognizing him in the disguise of the suffering poor.”
After Father Holdren’s Oct. 2-7 pilgrimage, Father Carson Kain will lead the second pilgrimage, Oct. 8-13. Father Jay Buhman will lead the third, Oct. 20-25.
The cost of the pilgrimage will be $1,620. To register, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Registration and the first deposit will be due July 15. The final payment will be due Aug. 15.
Editors note: information and registration is available at lincondiocese.org/revival
