Cardinal Nichols invites faithful to Eucharistic Congress

By Christopher Wells

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, is inviting Catholics to take part in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress taking place in Liverpool on September 7-9.

“The days of the Eucharistic Congress, Adoremus, are going to be a time of special grace for the Catholic Church in England and Wales,” the Cardinal writes in an article published in the Catholic Herald. “I urge everyone to join in this great celebration of the Eucharist, God’s greatest gift to us, His family.”

On their website, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales describe Eucharistic Congresses as “gatherings of clergy, religious and laity which promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church.”

Cardinal Nichols’ invitation to the faithful echoes that sentiment. “The Eucharist takes us to the heart of our faith. The celebrations and processions of Adoremus will enrich that faith and our love for the Lord. They will be powerful moments in which we can express the love we have for Jesus who has chosen, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to be with us always in the precious Sacrament.”

The first day of the Congress will include a Theological Symposium, focusing on Scripture, Ecclesiology, Eucharistic Language and Catechesis, and Rites and Music for Eucharistic Adoration.

On day two, as many as 10,000 pilgrims will be able to take part in a six-hour stage program that will include a Congress Mass, keynote speakers, and “a drama highlighting the beauty of reverence and devotion.” The day will conclude with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As Cardinal Nichols writes, Jesus in the Eucharist “is to be contemplated constantly. In Liverpool, we will strive to understand this great gift more deeply. We will give heart and mind to prayer and praise. We will enter its deepest dynamic: that of sharing in the mission given by the Father to His beloved Son to bring the fullness of life and light into our needy world.” The day’s events will take place in Echo Arena in Liverpool.

On Sunday, the third and final day of the Pilgrimage and Congress, the faithful will be able to participate in pilgrimage Masses, as well as a Procession through the streets of the city. Those events will be open to all.

“The events in Liverpool, on September 7-9, will be memorable and moving,” Cardinal Nichols writes. “Great numbers will gather on each of these three days. I think there may still be a little space for the key events on Saturday. Do come if you can. And if you are staying at home, then join in the pilgrimage taking place in Liverpool in spirit and in prayer.”

You can find out more about the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress on the website of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

To book Adoremus tickets, visit jumpdp.com/adoremus2018/product/liverpool-tickets or email adoremus@jumpdp.com before July 31.