SW News:

Speaking to committee members for the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress in the United States of America, Pope Francis encouraged them to continue efforts to revive faith and love for the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Father added that Eucharist is the "source and summit of the Christian life." 

He added that the Congress marks a significant moment in the life of the Church in the United States. The Holy Father also praised the members' efforts to increase their faith in the Eucharist. 

He said in the Eucharist, the faithful encounter the Lord who sacrificed himself to give us life and who loved us to the end. The pope added, "We become credible witnesses to the joy and transforming beauty of the Gospel only when we recognize that the love we celebrate in this sacrament cannot be kept to ourselves but demands to be shared with all." 

While addressing the members, Pope Francis also wished to bring the Eucharist's true meaning to the forefront. "I hope that the Eucharistic Congress will inspire Catholics throughout the country to discover anew the sense of wonder and awe at the Lord's great gift of Himself." 

The Holy Father also encouraged the faithful to rely on true Eucharistic devotion. "Sadly, nowadays, there are those among the Catholic faithful, who believe that the Eucharist is more a symbol than the reality of the Lord's presence and love," the pope said. 

He also blessed a large monstrance that will be used to house the Holy Eucharist for the National Eucharistic Congress in 2024.