Bishop Waltersheid / A Pilgrim's Journey (Left)
CV NEWS FEED // Auxiliary Bishop William J. Waltersheid of the Diocese of Pittsburgh has called on the faithful to engage fully in the “most important phase” of the National Eucharistic Revival, urging believers to step forward as active Eucharistic missionaries.
The National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis recently brought together 60,000 people in a powerful spiritual encounter. The Bishop described the event as one where “the power of God was experienced.”
In an Aug. 7 letter from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Bishop Waltersheid addressed the question lingering in the hearts of many attendees returning from the Congress: “What’s next? Is there something more?”
He confidently assured them of the answer. “You better believe that there is something else,” he wrote. “What comes next is the Mission of the National Eucharistic Revival, for the Revival continues until Our Lord returns at the end of time!”
Bishop Waltersheid reiterated Bishop Cozzens’s message that the Church has now entered the most crucial stage of the Revival—the Mission Phase. Bishop Andrew Cozzens, President of the National Eucharistic Congress, explained that when the U.S. bishops initiated the Revival, they envisioned a transformation where the faithful would be “formed, healed, converted, and united.”
Bishop Waltersheid reminded readers of the closing Mass of the Congress, where Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pope Francis’ Legate, urged the faithful to share what they had received: “Go! Go! Go! And what you have heard, touched, and tasted, you must share with others.”
“My dear brothers and sisters,” Bishop Waltersheid wrote, “we are in the most important phase of the National Eucharistic Revival.”
The Bishop explained that just as the Eucharistic Revival is a movement rather than just a program, the Mission Phase is also a movement. He emphasized that it is centered on Jesus Christ, truly present in the Eucharist, and that through His presence, believers are called to bring hope to those searching for meaning in their lives.
“As we center our lives more and more on His Eucharistic Presence and saving action,” the Bishop wrote, “we are empowered by Him as His Eucharistic Missionaries to bring His hope and love to people who so need to find meaning and purpose and love in their lives.”
The Bishop underscored the simplicity and profound spirituality of the Revival, which constitutes the “genius” of the movement, and brings the Church back to its roots in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
The Bishop emphasized that this call is universal, extending to every member of the Church, not just a select few: “The Holy Spirit beckons every one of us to become part of this great movement,” he said. He concluded by echoing Pope Francis’ call to action: “You go out and evangelize. Jesus asks this of us.”
