Arkansas to take part in eucharistic revival

Published: March 21, 2022

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you — for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart ..." — St. Therese of Lisieux

The Diocese of Little Rock will join other dioceses across the United States in participating in the three-year, "National Eucharistic Revival: My Flesh for the Life of the World" beginning in June. Two Masses will be celebrated in Little Rock and Rogers to kick off the observance in Arkansas, which aims to increase devotion to and belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. | Eucharist Resources

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate the opening Mass in Little Rock at the Cathedral of St. Andrew at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. Father John Connell, VG, will celebrate the opening Mass in Rogers at St. Vincent de Paul Church at 5 p.m., also on June 18.

The bishop explained the need for the revival in a talk he gave in February. "One of the chief pastoral problems today is the fact that, according to the 2019 Pew Research Survey, only 31 percent of Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist."

To address this problem, the U.S. bishops organized the revival, which begins on the feast of Corpus Christi, and published the document, "The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church," which summarizes the Church's teaching on the Eucharist and "is intended to be a point of departure to reignite catechesis and evangelization in anticipation of the eucharistic revival," he said. 

"The goal is to make everything described in this teaching document a lived reality for all the members of the Church, deepening our understanding of the Eucharist, enriching our worship and energizing our sense of mission 'for the life of the world.'" | Read His Talk

The revival begins with a diocesan phase followed by a parish phase, which flows into the National Eucharistic Congress in 2024, which will be the first of its kind in nearly 50 years. | Eucharistic Revival Resources

"This will be a time for the diocese to reflect on how faith formation regarding the Eucharist is going and what changes need to be made in order to enhance the eloquence of our proclamation, the beauty of our worship and the selflessness of our service so that these will truly be at the service of a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Lectures can be planned, outside speakers can be lined up and social media resources will be available," Bishop Taylor said of the diocesan phase.

"In 2023 we will have the parish phase that will seek to bring the fruit of the diocesan phase to bear on the way things are done in our parishes. Study groups would be appropriate and during this phase we will seek to foster eucharistic adoration in new places and reinforce it where it already exists," he added. "Then the whole process will culminate in a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21, 2024. ... During those five days they hope to form and send forth more than 80,000 eucharistic missionaries. Virtual participation over the Internet is a possibility for those who can’t make it, but while that’s better than nothing, it is just not quite the same as being there. So, I hope that large groups from Arkansas will participate in this eucharistic congress in person."

For more information about the eucharistic revival in Arkansas, email Father Juan Guido, diocesan director of divine worship, at jguido@ctkparishfs.com or call him at (479) 783-7745.