International Eucharistic Congress 2016 Day 3 Report

(January 26, 2016) Cebu City–Thousands of participants gather here today at the IEC Pavilion for the third day of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City.

Rev. Msgr. Richard Kayondo, national delegate and Vicar General of Uganda,  led the morning prayers.  In his short homily, he pointed out that “for each one of us, there is always somebody who brought us to Christ.  For the magi, it was the star.  For Timothy and Titus, it was St. Paul.  It is now our mission to bring the people to Christ like the star and to bring Christ to the people like St. Paul.”

In the morning session, the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, California, the Most Rev. Robert Barron, DD, gave a one-hour catechesis to the delegates with the topic, “The Eucharist:  Celebration of the Paschal Mystery.”

In his conference, he emphasized the aspects of the Eucharist as meal, sacrifice and real presence.

Afterwards, Ms. Marianne Servaas of Belgium delivered a moving testimony. She said, “She converted to Catholic faith because she fell in love with the Eucharist.” Furthermore, she said we have lost our capacity to kneel.  We have lost the virtue of humility. And it decreases our humanity.”

Culminating the morning program, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, DD, led the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with hundreds of concelebrating bishops and priests.

In a press conference Bishop Barron emphasized:  “ use the old media first, read books, and once we have the contents, we know what to say, then that’s the time we use the new media.”

At the International Eucharistic Congress, the delegates broke out into smaller groups for the concurrent sessions held both at the Pavilion and at the Waterfront Hotel.

A bigger group remained inside the Pavilion to listen to the conference of Rev. Msgr. Diego Monroy Ponce on “Evangelization and Popular Religiousity.”

At the Waterfront Hotel there were three smaller concurrent sessions.   The speakers were His Eminence Orlando Cardinal Quevedo,  Ms. Josefina Manabat, and Rev. Fr. Luciano Ariel Felloni.

Cardinal Quevedo gave a powerful speech on  “The Eucharist makes the Church and the Church makes the Eucharist.”  The title of his conference actually comes from the French Theologian Henri de Lubac.

Ms. Josefina Manabat talked about “The Eucharist: Cup of Sacrifice, Banquet of the Kingdom.” And the theme; “Washing the Feet of the Poor: The Eucharist and the Priesthood” was given by Rev. Fr. Luciano Ariel Felloni.

It has been another day of enrichment for everyone given by our Eucharist Lord.

(Report by Fray Kenneth Caligdong, OAR for CBCP Media and Recoletos Communications)