By Joel Stepanek
VP of Programming and Administration
for the National Eucharistic Congress

Since the conclusion of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, I’ve received this question many times from a number of people. It’s a good question. After a historic event like the 10th National Eucharistic Congress and with the knowledge that the National Eucharistic Revival, itself, was only a three-year initiative, it makes sense to wonder, “What happens now?”

What we’ve come to realize is that the Lord desires much more from us than three years. What has happened over the course of the National Eucharistic Revival has been beautiful: Eucharistic processions and the re-invigoration of the Mass in dioceses across the United States, Catholics rediscovering a relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, four National Eucharistic Pilgrimages that impacted hundreds of thousands of people — both Catholic and non-Catholic, and of course, the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.

Who Will Carry Forward the Movement of the Spirit? But Jesus is calling us beyond this moment and into a movement. The three-year initiative was just that — an initiative. It was the jumpstart and beginning to ongoing revival, which is not a program or an event.

It is a movement of the Holy Spirit that brings a renewal of faith and the joy, peace, and hope that accompanies that renewal. This revival will be carried forward by individuals and parishes. Many people talk about the power of “spiritual multiplication”: if even just a handful of people are able to walk with others, share the faith with them, and invite them into a relationship with Jesus through his Church, that’s life changing.

If hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Catholics can do this in their families, neighborhoods, and parishes … that is world changing!

To answer the question, then, “What happens next?” we look at the power of local Catholic parishes and those in them. What happens next is sending the “people in the pew” out into the world to the places they are most familiar with — their family, neighborhood, and parish.

These Eucharistic Missionaries, revivalists, will carry the banner of the Eucharistic Revival forward. After all, this moment in the history of the United States was really about a movement of Catholics that were converted, formed, healed, and then sent out to share the good news and love of Jesus Christ.

The work, then, of the National Eucharistic Congress moving forward is about equipping, supporting, and providing ongoing formation to Eucharistic Missionaries.

Join Us for the Long and Beautiful Movement of Revival

Can you imagine a world where every parish had parishioners committed to ongoing Eucharistic Revival? People who gathered to worship on Sunday, then went out into their community with the goal of walking with someone else toward Jesus? The impact could be staggering.

This, precisely, is the next movement of the National Eucharistic Congress and National Eucharistic Revival. It’s the long and beautiful work of evangelization and revival. It is calling forward people who are passionate about Jesus in the Eucharist and forming them before sending them to share that love with others.

Now, let me ask you a question. What is next for you?

As the moment for the National Eucharistic Revival draws to a close, the movement of the National Eucharistic Revival is just beginning. Will you join us in continuing this revival forward, or will you let the graces of the past three years pass to memory? Will you keep this divine fire burning brightly, letting your light shine before others so that they may know Jesus, or will you allow the flames to slowly fade out?

Join us. God has done something incredible through the National Eucharistic Revival over the past three years, but we have yet to truly experience the fruit of the revival and all that God wishes to do in the many years ahead.