Worshipping with 50,000 other Catholics was like no other experience
by Renae Bauer
From July 17 to 21, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis transformed into a sacred space for the Eucharistic Congress, an event that brought together 50,000 Catholics from across the nation – including Sister Laura Zelten. As the Catholic campus minister at UW-Green Bay, Sister Laura journeyed with five students to an experience of profound personal and communal significance.
Sister Laura began planning for the Congress about a year ago. She and the students were among 250 people who traveled from the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay to Indianapolis. Sister Laura wasn’t sure what the Congress would be like, especially with so many people. “I didn’t have a lot of expectations prior to going, but just the thought of being with 50,000 people who all share the same belief was both energizing and overwhelming,” she reflected.
One of the most poignant aspects of the Congress was the four cross-country Eucharistic pilgrimages that converged in Indianapolis. Each pilgrimage represented a different region of the U.S. The Marian route, originating in Minnesota, journeyed through Wisconsin (with a stop at St. Francis Convent, photos on page 4) and Illinois before arriving in Indiana. Sister Laura felt a deep connection to the pilgrims, noting, “To know those pilgrims were here carrying our prayers made it feel like home or a personal connection with this group.”
The Congress itself offered Sister Laura and many others a fresh perspective on the Eucharist. “We are all members of the Body of Christ. As a Eucharistic people, we come to be fed by the Eucharist so we can be sent as missionary disciples,” she explained. The experience allowed her to witness the Church beyond her local parish and diocese, enriching her sense of the universal Church.
Two speakers left a lasting impression on Sister Laura. Martha Hennessy, who is Dorothy Day’s seventh grandchild, spoke about the Eucharist’s role in daily life. Hennessy is a retired occupational therapist now volunteering at Maryhouse Catholic Worker in New York City. She emphasized the Eucharist’s call to do corporal works of mercy. “She talked about the importance of the Eucharist in our daily lives; it can be very personal but also stretch us to do corporal works of mercy in the lives we touch. The Eucharist is more than a devotion. It calls us, it sends us,” Sister Laura recalled.
Another memorable speaker was Jonathan Roumie, known for his portrayal of Jesus in “The Chosen” video series. Roumie shared how playing Jesus had transformed his life, expressing his struggles with feeling unworthy of the role while acknowledging the deep impact it had on his faith.
The Congress also highlighted the importance of communal and personal prayer. “Being in a Eucharistic community, we are transformed. Like the early Christians, we need to commit ourselves to communal and personal prayer. While the Eucharist is deeply personal, it’s also communal in living it out. Jesus was sent by the Father; we, too, receive and are sent,” Sister Laura said.
During the Congress, moments of profound reverence were felt, especially during Eucharistic Adoration. The Adoration chapel, which was a nearby church, was filled at all times, and Adoration at the Stadium was so solemn that a person could have heard a pin drop. And when it was time to sing, the 50,000 voices did just that, particularly for “Here I Am, Lord.” Sister Laura also appreciated the opportunity to give reverence to the relics of Carlos Acutis, the first millennial approved for canonization.
In reflecting on the Congress, Sister Laura and her group saw it as a powerful reminder of the story of Jesus present in the Eucharist, a story that is also their own. “The Eucharist is the story of Jesus being with us -- body, blood, and divinity -- and it’s my story, too, and how I live the Eucharist. Everybody has their own personal relationship, yet we are all called to be Church to one another,” she concluded.
