Mount Pleasant parish hosts Eucharistic Revival program

By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

MOUNT PLEASANT — When Father Paul Connolly asked Greg and Rosemary Peck last summer to help lead a Eucharistic Revival program at St. Alphonsus Parish, they were not sure what to think. The couple researched information about the National Eucharistic Revival and the National Eucharistic Congress that will take place in Indianapolis in July, which inspired their pastor to suggest the parish program.

Gary and Kathy Crawford had a similar experience. Father Connolly, who retired earlier this year, approached them as well. “When you are asked (by Father), you do it,” Gary laughed. “It is important that when you are asked, you respond.” The couples agreed to be team members with several others for the parish’s adventure and chose to learn more about the national initiative before beginning the program this past January. They tapped into online resources to prepare for their parish’s program and purchased some books about the Eucharist as well.

Gary admitted he was not adept at navigating the web but now can find everything on the National Eucharistic Revival website. “The videos are awesome. This is adult faith formation. We need to do more things like this,” he said.

The parish offers both an English and a Spanish track for their Eucharistic Revival program, Rosemary said. Response has been good, Greg added. The English language group averages 40-50 people each session and the Spanish group, around 20. “There is never a ‘good time’ to offer programs,” Gary said. “I know some of our parishioners who go south for the winter would be here (if possible).”

Greg said the parish utilizes “Jesus and the Eucharist: A Small Group Series for Eucharistic Revival,” a seven-session video study available on the National Eucharistic Revival website. Intermissions in the videos provide time for small-group discussions. “It has been very thought provoking,” Greg said. “People share their experiences of how they have been affected by the topic for that week.”

The English and Spanish groups meet at separate times in the parish’s Manning Hall. The English sessions take place after the 9 a.m. Mass and end by noon so families can have lunch together. Most of the participants are over 50 years old, although some are teenagers and young adults, Rosemary said. Childcare is available.

If someone cannot make one session that is OK because each video stands on its own. That has been helpful for families when a schedule conflict prevents them from attending, Greg said. They know they would not feel lost going into the next session. Titles of the online videos, available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, are “What’s Our Story?” “Who is Jesus?” “Am I Saved?” “Why a Church?” “God is with Us.” “The Story of the Eucharist” and “Bread for the Journey.”

 “We had no idea how many would show up when this started,” Greg said. “We were pleasantly surprised by the continued turnout.” Gary agreed and said he hoped this effort leads to the parish offering future adult faith formation programs.