CV NEWS FEED // Priests, religious Sisters, and lay faithful accompanied Jesus in a powerful Eucharistic procession through Manhattan in New York City this week.
Though skyscrapers towered on both sides of the procession’s route, the Eucharistic presence of Jesus was not overshadowed. Rather, He was the central focus for several thousand people as He was carried in a monstrance under a gold-embroidered canopy that bore an image of His mother, as Our Lady of Guadalupe, on the front.
Before the procession, participants had the opportunity for Mass with Archbishop Paul Coakley, Eucharistic Adoration, and praying the Rosary at the historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Espaillat of the Archdiocese of New York City led the Rosary and Holy Hour, during which the Sacrament of Confession was available.
During the Mass, Monsignor James Shea gave the homily. He spoke about New York City as a reflection of humanity’s yearning, which cannot be satisfied by anything other than God.
“Is there any place upon this earth to compare with New York City as an expression of the insatiable longing of humanity for something? Is there any place like this?” Monsignor Shea said in the homily.
He continued:
The frenetic pace of the city, the avalanche of life upon the streets… All the longings of this place, all of the hulking, bulky skyscrapers which reach, reach, high into the sky, long ago eclipsing the steeples of this grand church which reach towards God and plead, and ask for mercy – all of that longing, all of that desire, all of that yearning, is an expression of the human condition, and the answer to it… the answer is Jesus Christ, in the Blessed Sacrament: the Lord here with us, the answer to all our prayers, all our hopes, sturdy, sure, and true.
Following the Mass, the Eucharistic procession commenced through Midtown Manhattan. The Napa Institute, which organized the annual event sponsored by Hallow, livestreamed and posted the Mass and procession on YouTube.
Three bishops, 60 religious sisters and more than 50 priests participated with several thousand lay people in the procession, according to testimonials the Napa Institute received and shared with CatholicVote. The procession’s route caused streets in the center of Manhattan to be shut down during rush hour, giving bystanders the opportunity to encounter Jesus as He passed by in the monstrance.
Attendees also had the opportunity to venerate a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a talented computer programmer who was devoted to the Eucharist and died at age 15. The relic is a small piece of Blessed Carlo’s pericardium, the protective membrane that surrounds the heart.
During the procession, a priest carried the first-class relic just behind the monstrance.
Following behind the relic and the monstrance, a group of people carried a large banner that read: “I am the bread of life,” the words that Jesus says in the Gospel of John (6:35).
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is physically and substantially present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in the Eucharist. After the words of consecration are said by the priest during Mass, the substance of the bread and wine no longer remain, although the appearance or “accidents” of the bread and wine do. The Church teaches that after this change, called transubstantiation, Jesus is physically and truly present in the Eucharist.
During the procession, attendees could also be heard praying the Rosary and singing hymns, such as “Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All,” in adoration of the Eucharist.
“Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore,” their voices carried in song: “Oh make us love Thee more and more, oh make us love Thee more and more…”
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