Do this in memory of me

“Everyone should experience a weekend like this. Jesus wanting to have a personal relationship with him in all his glory!”
 
“Scott Hahn was phenomenal! He is so engaging and his passion for the faith is undeniable!” 
 
“I enjoyed seeing all the priests and nuns walking to church on Saturday morning.”
 
“Having the opportunity to be surrounded by all the other participants in worshipping, focusing on, and adoring Jesus.”
 
“I know Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were smiling upon us.”
 
“Everything- beautiful beautiful beautiful… even the day itself.”
 
These are just some of the reactions posted to social media from attendees at the Diocese of Fargo’s Redeemed Eucharistic Congress, held at the Jamestown Civic Center on Sept. 6 and 7. Over 1,200 diocesan faithful, families, and guests from outside the diocese joined Bishop John Folda and many diocesan priests and deacons for the event, which was designed to be a follow-on to the successful National Eucharistic Congress, held in Indianapolis, Indiana in July. The diocesan Congress was an opportunity to emphasize to the faithful who may not have been able to attend the national event that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.
               
“There’s clearly a lack of understanding, a lack of knowledge, and that comes through when you realize that a relatively small percentage of people are going to Mass every week,” said Bishop Folda. “In a sense you could say that explains it. If they don’t understand what the Eucharist is, then why would they come? So we have more to do to communicate and to help people experience the truth about our Lord’s real presence in the Eucharist.”
          
The Congress began Friday afternoon with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown. Hundreds of the faithful joined Bishop Folda in a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Jamestown, making the one-mile trek to the Jamestown Civic Center for adoration and praise and worship, after which the Congress officially got underway. Christian music artist Aly Aleigha and her band led the faithful through the Divine Mercy Chaplet, followed by Mass.
            
The first evening also featured a keynote address by Dr. Scott Hahn, internationally renowned speaker, author, and president of the St. Paul Center. Dr. Hahn gave two presentations throughout the two-day Congress.
            
“This is such an auspicious moment for not only the Diocese of Fargo, but for the Catholic Church in America,” said Dr. Hahn during his Saturday address. “There are these gentle, wonderful aftershocks from the National Eucharistic Congress that was held this summer in Indianapolis. I was there, a number of you were there. But I would say this, that experience for me was something special, but so is this, and these are inseparably bound as we rediscover the Holy Eucharist and as we rekindle Eucharistic amazement.”
            
Dr. Hahn’s presentations focused on the gospel reading of the encounter with Christ on the road to Emmaus, and on how the Lord’s Prayer supports and emphasizes the Real Presence in the Eucharist.
            
“In the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Lord’s Prayer reveals its full meaning, power,” said Dr. Hahn. “It goes on to say that the kingdom of God has been coming ever since the Last Supper, but in the Eucharist, the kingdom is in our midst. And no wonder, because wherever the king is, there is the kingdom, and wherever the Eucharist is, there is the king. There is our super substantial bread.”
            
Along with the keynote presentations, attendees also had the opportunity to go to confession, take part in Eucharistic adoration both at the Basilica of St. James and at the Congress itself, and to worship and praise God through song.
            
On Saturday, Monsignor Thomas Richter, pastor of Queen of Peace church in Dickinson, delivered a keynote based on the gospel story of multiplying the loaves and fishes, pointing out that even so little can benefit so many, especially through the graces of the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist.
            
“A Eucharistic revival has to be the activity of the Holy Spirit, giving different graces to the Church,” said Monsignor Richter. “The basis and the foundation of entering into the mystery of the Eucharist is friendship with Christ. And so the more I’m able to share my heart with him throughout the day and open up to him throughout the day, the more I am disposed to receive him more deeply in the great mystery of the Eucharist. Celebrating the Eucharist isn’t just about receiving the consecrated species, as great as that is and as important as that is. But to want to celebrate the Eucharist is to want to share and be drawn into Christ’s love and to do that in one’s daily life.”
            
The other Saturday keynote address came from Julianne Stanz, Outreach Director of Evangelization and Discipleship at Loyola Press. Stanz was also a featured presenter at the National Eucharistic Congress and told those gathered in Jamestown that revival needs to start from within. 
            
“The first place that revival happens is in our hearts,” said Stanz. “We talk about going out to save all the people who don’t know Jesus and we’re going to rush in, and the first person that Jesus comes to save us from is actually ourselves. We forget this all the time. We’re so focused on others that we forget we need to connect with the heart of Jesus. The heart of the Eucharistic revival is to bring us into deeper contact with Jesus, so that we can go out and proclaim him, embodying mind and spirit, to a world that so badly needs to hear his voice today. There are signs of hope everywhere, here today and across the United States, this Church has come alive in Jesus Christ and we, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, will go out as missionaries to share what has been given to us.”
            
Before the closing Mass, Father Jeffrey Eppler held an emotional healing service, which many in attendance said was one of the highlights of the Congress. The service helped to heal open wounds for some in attendance, release others from the shackles binding them, and foster forgiveness for others and for themselves. The service was punctuated by Father Eppler bringing the Blessed Sacrament off of the altar and directly to those gathered, giving them an opportunity to personally ask Christ for his help, blessings, and graces.
            
“I'm just delighted that so many people are here and rejoicing in the opportunity to come together around our Lord,” said Bishop Folda. “My prayer is that the fruits of this Eucharistic Congress will go far and wide, not just for the folks who are present, but for everybody in the Diocese.”