NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers on Oct. 15 gathered in droves within the vaulted ceilings of one of New York City’s most famous churches, St. Patrick Cathedral, many from New York City and others driving in from nearby Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester County before spilling out into the streets for a eucharistic procession.
Organized by the California-based Napa Institute, officials estimated that 3,500 people gathered for a Holy Hour and rosary with New York City Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Espaillat as well as Mass with Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City and homilist Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary in North Dakota.
Afterward the congregation filed out into Midtown Manhattan for a procession that took Jesus in the Eucharist past Radio City Music Hall and into Times Square and surrounding areas.
This was the fifth annual eucharistic procession in New York City organized by the Napa Institute, a Catholic leadership organization.
Bishop Espaillat, of Dominican descent, gave a meditation during the Holy Hour in English and Spanish.
“As a society, what are we passionate about? Then I ask individually, what are you passionate about, personally?” Bishop Espaillat said.
“My sisters and brother in Christ, we were Christ’s passion. We are Christ’s passion. Jesus was, is, and continues to be passionate about his Father and his kingdom.”
Bishop Espaillat spoke about the need to not only be hearers of the word but also doers of the word.
“Most Catholics like to come to church for 30-40 minutes. Then boom! Out the door. Are we really creating community? Are we really creating family? Are we really passionate about Christ and his kingdom?” he asked.
“If we really believe that that’s Jesus – then we need to proclaim it! We can’t keep it to ourselves anymore. We need to shout it from the mountain tops! We need to declare it with how we live,” he said.
“Some of you took half days off from your jobs. I commend you,” the bishop said. “That’s why we come here today to church. Your boss sees it, your co-worker sees it. And guess what: Today the city of New York will also see it!”
Bishop Espaillat ended his meditation by calling everyone’s attention to the upcoming election and a New York state ballot proposal called Proposition 1, or the “Equal Rights Amendment.”
“This proposition should be called ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing,’” he said. “We cannot allow abortion on demand with no restrictions up to nine months.”
After Mass, the eucharistic procession walked through several city blocks in one of the most tourist-filled areas of New York, bringing traffic to a standstill.
“What struck me was the respect you received for walking with the Eucharist,” Debby Kruszewski from Mamaroneck, told CNA.
Looking up, she saw windows filled with bystanders gazing down at the procession. “I wonder who among them is a believer, and who was drawn to the window by His presence,” she said.
“I pray for the nonbelievers in those windows and on the street to have a life-changing moment from this experience. Being part of it, you don’t realize just how impactful it is to walk with a couple of thousand people in Manhattan, alongside Jesus.”
Kristy Schade from Larchmont, New York, agreed.
“Here we are, walking in the middle of New York City. What struck me was the peace and the power of walking in this procession. Everything came to a standstill,” Schade said.
She recalled how she noticed a policeman holding back traffic.
“I saw a bystander wanted to get through and pleaded with a cop, asking, ‘How long will this take?’ The cop said, ‘It’s Jesus. It will take as long as it needs to.’”