Home from Indy, Buffalo’s Eucharistic Congress pilgrims ponder how to share

They traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, spending five days immersed in prayer, adoration, conversation and community. Now back in Buffalo, those who traveled as the Diocese of Buffalo delegation are exploring how they’ll share their takeaways with local Catholics.

“I think as we go back, it’s important to acknowledge our brokenness, to acknowledge that we’re hurting,” said Denise York, director of faith formation and youth ministry at St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrow Parish in Elma. “But in talking to people, other dioceses across the country are hurting too. We’re all in those same places. But as Mari Pablo (Catholic speaker and emcee at the Congress) challenged us, you know, it’s in the desert where Jesus teaches us most. Throughout our history, the wounded healers were the people that did it best. You know, sometimes you’ve got to break down before you break through.”

Thirty-one people, including Bishop Michael W. Fisher and Father Sean Paul Fleming, rolled into their hotel just outside of Indianapolis on the afternoon of July 17. They’d leave the hotel each day around 7:30 a.m. for the Congress and would not return until about 11 p.m. each night. Despite the long hours and sleepless nights, when Sunday’s schedule ended with Mass inside Lucas Oil Stadium, it was hard to believe the congress had concluded.

“I’m tired, but refreshed. I guess it would be a good way to put it,” said Bob Schumacher, member of the Orleans Niagara East Parish Family, and one of the local pilgrims aboard the bus. “Just to be with all the Catholics, it was just so amazing to be there, like you knew everybody. People would just randomly talk to you, and just strike up a conversation like it was nothing, like you were best friends for 20 years. That was a really nice part of it.”

Being among an estimated 55,000 Catholics from all over the nation provided some relief to the Buffalo contingent, who looked forward to temporarily escaping the ongoing pattern of negative news about diocesan matters back home. There was only focus on the Eucharist and being reminded of the Catholic belief that the real presence of Jesus Christ is there within it.

“There was something incredible at the first revival session. All of the people gathered together. So many people, but the silence was so incredible for so many people,” said Gregory James of St. Gregory the Great in Williamsville. “You could hear the sound of the air conditioning blowing through the stadium, because of how quiet it was, how reverent people were focusing on Jesus, the body, blood, soul and divinity of the Eucharist. It was so incredible. Nothing more powerful than that.”

Nothing more powerful, except perhaps the eucharistic procession which trekked through the streets of downtown Indianapolis on the afternoon of Saturday, July 20. Thousands including women religious, seminarians, deacons, priests, bishops, and archbishops led the Blessed Sacrament, which was encased in a large monstrance carried aboard a trailer, covered by a canopy, pulled by a vehicle. As the Body of Christ passed, tens of thousands lined up along the route either knelt in silent reverence, or perhaps chanted in loud praise. Behind the Blessed Sacrament there were thousands more marchers representing a multitude of dioceses, schools and religious organizations. 

“You could be listening to the rosary on one side of the road. You could have the Divine Mercy Chaplet on the other side. You heard music, and everybody was in union with their thinking, and our thoughts and prayers,” said Kathy Schumacher of the ONE parish family. “And the young people and the cultures were amazing.”

The Buffalo delegation was only beginning to process what they had experienced, and figure out how to share this new energy with peers back home. A follow-up gathering was being planned for early August. In the meantime, some among the group were already offering their opinions about how to revive a hurting diocese.

“For me, a great way to maintain what we’re doing here and share with others is to encourage adoration, because that was the pinnacle, or the top best experience of many of the days,” said Michael Collins, an usher at St. Joseph Cathedral. “That would be a good place for all of us to start, or if someone’s actively doing that, to continue or rekindle that love through adoration.”

Mrs. Schumacher agrees.

“I’m hoping that we can increase our adoration hours and confessions, (make them) more popular or not as scary, or make them more available with the help of our priests, to help the healing process move forward, and then we can get those people back in the pews,” she said.

Whatever the strategy may be, one of those who traveled with the delegation suggests all aboard the bus were meant to be there.

“We know the Lord works in His own mysterious ways. We were all called to go on this trip,” said Peter Adornetto of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Orchard Park. “We are a family. We’re traveling home as a family, and I feel confident that we will still be able to keep the spirit together and we will be able to stay together as a group to work together to bring this message back to the different parishes.

“Yes, we understand people are upset about things that are going on at home and churches closing. But one thing we know, and we I think all of us knew this coming down here, it’s not about the building, it’s not about the room, it’s not about the statues. It’s about Jesus. It’s about Jesus Christ and about the Eucharist. And I think we feel more empowered now to bring that message back home as we go through these difficult times and explain to people what the truth is, and what we need to be truly concerned about. And it’s Jesus Christ.”