NEW YORK CITY (LifeSiteNews) — A midtown Manhattan parish organized a eucharistic procession through the streets of New York.
Last Tuesday evening, October 11, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus marked the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council “in a particularly eucharistic way” with a mile-long procession that took Our Lord through the streets of New York.
The event, preceded by a Mass, formed part of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ three-year National Eucharistic Revival.
“The fathers of Vatican II repeatedly declared that Jesus in the holy Eucharist is the source and summit, root and center of the Christian life and of everything the church does,” said Father Roger Landry, the celebrant, in his homily.
“All the main teachings of the Council — on the primacy of the word of God, on the universal call to holiness, on authentic Christian humanism, on the vocation of the laity, on religious freedom, and on relations with other religions — can all be looked at through a eucharistic lens,” he said.
Father Landry also mentioned the Eucharistic Revival in his homily, saying that the America bishops meant for this to be a time “to stimulate greater eucharistic knowledge, faith, amazement, love, life and mission” among Catholics.
The priest also said there were various “important parts” of the revival.
“One is to help all Catholics better understand and live the Mass,” he said. “Another is greater eucharistic discipleship, shown in a particular way by spending time with Jesus in eucharistic adoration.”
“A third is eucharistic charity, as we imitate Jesus in giving our body and blood, our time, money and talents, out of love for those Jesus loves,” Father Landry continued. “And a fourth is a more ardent eucharistic apostolate in which we infectiously share our eucharistic faith with others.”
The procession happened in association with the Napa Institute, an organization founded to combat the growing secularization in America. On Wednesday, they tweeted a “sneak peak” of the “massive Eucharistic procession” and remarked on the great peace that accompanied the entire event.
“Even in NYC, there was peace, reverence, and awe during the procession,” the post reads. “No protests, no riots. Intuitively, New Yorkers understood that this was worthy of reverence.”
A sneak peak of our massive Eucharistic procession through the streets of New York last night. Even in NYC, there was peace, reverence, and awe during the procession. No protests, no riots. Intuitively, New Yorkers understood that this was worthy of reverence. pic.twitter.com/KeNe9iJ8Ih
— Napa Institute (@NapaInstitute) October 12, 2022
The Institute also described on Facebook the reverence with which the procession was regarded, even by non-Catholics.
“At each block, New Yorkers paused to revere and honor the sacred presence of the event,” their post read. “Even if they didn’t know exactly what was going on, something in every passerby moved them to pause.”
“There were no riots. No protests. No profanity,” the post continued. “Just peace. Even in the heart of New York City. Would you ever believe silence would be possible in this city? There was on Tuesday.”
The procession, which the Napa Institute said was its “largest yet,” drew hundreds of people. The procession led the faithful to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and ended in a Benediction conferred by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.