On the fourth day of the National Eucharistic Congress, at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, USA, an Eastern Rite Catholic Liturgy was celebrated. The 50,000 faithful participants filled the stadium on July 20th to pray together a Holy Qurbana, the Eucharistic liturgy of the Syro-Malabar Church, one of the Catholic Church’s 23 Eastern-rite churches. The main celebrant was Bishop Joy Alappatt of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Chicago. The bishop explained that the Qurbana, which he celebrated in English with some hymns in the original Syriac language “originated from the time of St. Thomas the Apostle … who came to India in A.D. 52, and because of his mission work we got a Catholic community in India.” There are approximately 90,000 Syro-Malabar (East Syriac Rite) Catholic in the USA; and 5 million around the world. (thought to be the largest Eastern Catholic Church)
Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of Philadelphia, who concelebrated the Holy Qurbana, explained that just as St. Thomas went forth to bring the Gospel to India, they too are called to share the Good News far and wide. He said, “Just think — 20,000 years from now, somebody might say … if we receive the (Holy Spirit), ‘Around the year 2,000, things really started going (for the church). People strengthened by the body and blood of the Lord, receiving the Holy Spirit, went out with the Good News.'”
Organizers said may be the largest Eastern-rite liturgical celebration in the history of North America on a day dedicated to the theme “This Is My Body.” Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, told reporters later that morning that they wanted participants to experience the congress’s theme of unity amid the church’s “beautiful diversity.”
“The Catholic Church is a universal church. It speaks every language on earth. We’re the most diverse organization in the whole world, because every culture and every language celebrates the Eucharist differently,” he said.
There was also a Mass in Spanish with Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, close to 2,000 Latino Catholics participated in the last Encuentro session of the congress.
In an outreach to families, during the Cultivate impact session, Damon and Melanie Owens spoke about the importance of developing families’ communal relationships with each other. The couple of 31 years and parents of eight are the co-founders of the Joy Ever After marriage and family ministry.
“It’s essential to build a tribe, those families you can trust to share in forming your children, your family with,” said Damon. “Kids provide opportunities to meet families with other kids. But it’s about finding those who really share your faith, your values and mission, and making the decision to share with them.”
Melanie Owens encouraged moms to find a “collective of women to open up your heart with, where you can trust and support each other.”
She said, “I wanted Damon to fulfill me and make me happy, especially after I’d been with the kids all day. But I needed to form a collective with women to do that. That helps create better families.”
Edited from OSV News and National Eucharistic Revival Website
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