When 50,000 Catholics gathered in Indianapolis July 17-21 for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Chicago were among them.

The congress was part of the National Eucharistic Revival, which began June 19, 2022, on the feast of Corpus Christi, in order to increase Catholics’ understanding of the Eucharist.

It included four pilgrimages across the country that culminated in Indianapolis the day before the congress began. The Marian route of the pilgrimage came through the Archdiocese of Chicago June 26-30.

Most congress events took place in the Indiana Convention Center, with participants attending large sessions in the mornings and breakout sessions in the afternoons. Each evening, participants gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium to hear speakers and take part in eucharistic adoration.

Mass was celebrated in both the mornings and afternoons and confessions were offered for 12 hours each day with frequent long lines.

One of the highlights was the 1.2 mile-long outdoor eucharistic procession on July 20. Women religious led the procession, followed by seminarians, deacons, priests and bishops. A float carried the monstrance along the route, which ended with benediction at the American Legion Hall.

Angelica Favila attended the congress with a group from the St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“It was just so breathtaking,” said Favila, a junior. “The way I like to describe it is it’s very similar to what I think heaven would be on earth with more than 50,000 people in one area coming from different walks of life, different points in their spiritual journey but they are all there for Jesus. There was just a lot of love there.”

If the outdoor eucharistic procession was a highlight for Favila, so was eucharistic adoration in Lucas Oil Stadium each evening, during which there were moments of silent prayer.

“The silence was indescribable,” she said. “I can barely get my family of seven to stop speaking at the same time. But you have 50,000 people being respectful and in their own space and loving Jesus.”

Jo Styler, director of faith formation for kindergarten through eighth grade at Holy Cross Parish in Deerfield, said she attended the congress because she loves the Eucharist.

“One thing that I heard that stayed with me is that there are two parts to living the Eucharist,” she said. “One part is recognizing Jesus’ presence, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist at Mass. The other call part of Eucharist is our call to go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus in service to others.”

She also said she was moved by the large number of attendees.

“To see that many people on fire for their faith was really hopeful. I really loved being a part of it,” she said.

Auxiliary Bishop Mark Bartosic attended the congress as a pilgrim.

“I was happy to see so many folks I knew down there from Chicago who came either as a group or by themselves,” said Bishop Bartosic, who attended the whole congress.

Not being a sports fan, it was the bishop’s first experience in a stadium.

“It was exhilarating. And then to see it filled up with people cheering for Jesus was pretty amazing,” he said.

While he enjoyed the large revival sessions in the stadium each evening, Bishop Bartosic said he really appreciated the sessions for the priests in the mornings and afternoons.

Bishop Daniel Flores’ presentation about being available to the people they serve stayed with him, he said.

“He spoke very directly to us about just being available to people and the danger of protecting yourself too much from God’s people,” Bishop Bartosic said. “It definitely resonated with me, and, I think, everyone in the room. You can get kind of too protective of your time or your space. He was really just very direct and humble. You knew that this was an issue for him; otherwise he wouldn’t be speaking so cogently.”

Participants warmly greeted Bishop Bartosic and other bishops and priests during the liturgies, he said.

“Just to see the way the people awaited the celebration of the Eucharist and showed up for the celebration of the Eucharist and became hushed during the eucharistic processions in the stadium — that was all beautiful,” he said.

The congress offered joy and hope to Chicago seminarian Luke Lato.

“It was incredible,” said Lato. “It just blew me away to see over 50,000 people there just to adore and worship the Lord in the Eucharist — and it was people of all different ages.”

He vested for most of the Masses and sat in choir and was also among large group of seminarians who vested for the outdoor procession.

Seeing all of the people who lined the route and cheered was particularly moving, he said.

“All these people were cheering for us. Not because of us, but they were cheering that like, ‘Wow. Praise God there is hope. … there are still our seminarians, there are still our religious women, there are still our priests,’” Lato said. “It was such a gift to be part of that. My initial reaction to that experience was like, “Wow, look at all of these people who are in love with Jesus. Look what Jesus is doing for us to show us that we are not alone and that he loves us.’”

In the days following the congress, Lato was still processing the experience.

“I’m still trying to sit and journal and reflect on the graces and what the Lord was just moving in my heart during that time, but I’m already seeing this deeper love for the Eucharist and feeling it more in my heart, especially as I’m being formed as a priest,” he said. “What a gift that the Lord is calling me to feed his sheep with the Bread of Life.”

At the closing Mass on July 21, organizers announced that the revival will continue with a year of mission. Another walking pilgrimage is planned for 2025 from Indianapolis to Los Angeles, culminating on Corpus Christi, and another congress before 2033.