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'The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’
— Catechism of the Catholic Church 1324, referring to Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church), 11

Bishop Jugis urges people to deepen their faith in the Eucharist

CHARLOTTE — The large-scale Eucharistic Congress at the Charlotte Convention Center may be off, but several smaller events featuring Bishop Peter Jugis at St. Patrick Cathedral are being offered for the faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte:

• • • • • Eucharistic Procession and Holy Hour of Reparation: At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, Bishop Jugis led a candlelight Eucharistic Procession around the cathedral grounds. A Holy Hour of Reparation followed from 8 to 9 p.m. inside the cathedral. Nocturnal Adoration began at 9 p.m. and end at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

• Votive Mass of the Most Holy Eucharist: Bishop Jugis celebrated a votive Mass of the Most Holy Eucharist at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, and again at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at St. Patrick Cathedral, located at 1621 Dilworth Road East in Charlotte. The 5:30 p.m. Saturday Mass was livestreamed to the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel, and the 12:30 p.m. Sunday Mass was livestreamed on the cathedral's website.

All events are open to the public. The cathedral asks attendees to wear a face covering and practice safe social distancing.
In his homily for Mass Sept. 6, Bishop Jugis encouraged people to find ways to celebrate during the weekend of the Eucharistic Congress, Sept. 11-13, to foster unity and devotion to the Eucharist.
“Jesus is really and truly and substantially present” in the Eucharist, he emphasized. “Jesus the Good Shepherd is really present in the Eucharist, and He’s bringing His flock together around Himself.”
The diocese’s annual congress is meant to bring “the whole diocese together as one family in Christ. Though we are separated in 92 parishes and missions, when we come together for the Eucharistic Congress we are celebrating our unity in Christ.”
Baptism unites us to Christ and to each other, he said, and “the Holy Eucharist serves to make our union with Jesus and make our union with our brothers and sisters even stronger. It’s strengthening that bond which begins at baptism. The Eucharist deepens it, renews it, and makes it even stronger.”
Through the various Eucharistic-themed parish celebrations across the diocese this weekend, he said, “it will be the Eucharist uniting us, even across the miles, as one Body in Christ.”
He encouraged people to celebrate our faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist – to deepen our devotion and closeness to Jesus, to give thanks for “this beautiful gift Jesus has given us,” and to “keep alive our desire to live holy lives so that we worthily receive the Body of Christ in Communion.”
For more information about Eucharistic Congress events at St. Patrick Cathedral, go to www.stpatricks.org.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

“Though we are separated in 92 parishes and missions, when we come together for the Eucharistic Congress we are celebrating our unity in Christ.”

— Bishop Peter J. Jugis

Eucharistic Congress parish events

In lieu of the large diocesan-wide event that brings together as many as 15,000 Catholics to the Charlotte Convention Center each year, Bishop Peter Jugis encourages the faithful across the Diocese of Charlotte to mark this year’s Eucharistic Congress weekend, Sept. 11-12, with local celebrations where possible.

See the full schedule.

St. Joseph speaker featured in virtual Eucharistic Congress

You won’t want to miss a talk for the 2020 Eucharistic Congress about St. Joseph given by Marian Father Donald Calloway: Watch it here.

Eucharistic Adoration

Prayer and meditation before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament are great ways to spend time with Him. Ask Him for graces for yourself or for loved ones, reflect on His Word, or just keep Him company.

All of our churches are open for people to come in and pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Many also have specific times during the day or week for adoration of Our Lord exposed in the monstrance, known as Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. This can include homilies by a priest, readings from Scripture, hymns such as “O Salutaris Hostia” and “Tantum Ergo,” and time for quiet adoration, after which the priest blesses the congregation in a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by recitation of the Divine Praises. Read more here.

Eucharistic-themed prayers: Resources for Adoration – Benediction – Devotions – Doctrine – Study

Hey, kids: Enter our essay contest!

Write an essay of no more than 300 words on the following topic: What does Jesus’ gift to us in the Holy Eucharist mean to you personally? See all the rules here.

About the cover

The cover features a depiction of the Holy Family by the 17th-century Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. The image was chosen by Bishop Peter Jugis to illustrate this year’s Eucharistic Congress theme, “Be Holy,” from 1 Peter 1:16. “The Holy Family is a model for our families and for each individually of our vocation to holiness in Christ,” the bishop said.