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By Gretchen Keiser, Staff Writer
COLLEGE PARK—Describing the Eucharist as “the mystery by
which we live,” Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua celebrated the closing Mass of
the Corpus Christi celebration for a gathering estimated at 10,000 June 16.
“When Jesus first spoke of this mystery to his disciples, he
did not ask them whether they understood. He asked them rather how they would
respond,” Cardinal Bevilacqua said. “The Eucharist has to do with our
way of life. It has to do with how we respond each of us in our own particular
set of circumstances. Tell me, are we embarrassed by the mystery of the
Eucharist? Do we live it?”
The rhetorical question had already been answered by the homilist,
who opened with words of great encouragement to the archdiocese and Archbishop
John F. Donoghue.
“Archbishop Donoghue,” Cardinal Bevilacqua said, “I
want to say how overwhelmed I am by this magnificent assembly of your faithful
gathered here in honor of our eucharistic Lord. I congratulate you, archbishop.
You are so committed with your faithful of the Archdiocese of Atlanta in your
devotion to the eucharistic Lord. I have no doubt this devotion—and
devotion to Our Blessed Mother—will bring the Archdiocese of Atlanta an
abundance of many, many great blessings . . . I pray this commitment will
continue to grow.”
Although most participants had already spent nine hours at the
Georgia International Convention Center, the Mass opened vibrantly with a
procession of 90 to 100 banners, approximately eight visiting bishops, and 50
priests and 50 deacons of the archdiocese. While thousands sang “Praise to
the Lord” and “Come, Christians, Unite,” the worship seemed to
reflect another key to the Eucharist noted by the archbishop of Philadelphia in
his homily.
“The one word that captures the heart of the Second Vatican
Council’s teaching on the Eucharist is the word participation, active
participation,” he said. “Participation means coming to Mass prepared
and ready to encounter Jesus in our midst in this most special way. We enter
Mass with the prayer that Jesus may anoint us with his Spirit that we may
experience with reverence the Mystery we are about to enter.”
“The sights and sounds of Mass lift up our spirits but are
never intended to lull us into being mere spectators. Active participation has
to do with our attentiveness, our demeanor, our responsiveness in word and
song, but it involves much more than that. Ultimately, participation has to do
with bringing our life to Mass with us.”
During the Mass 150 eucharistic ministers brought the body and
blood of Christ to an estimated 10,000 communicants. Each person meets Christ
in a personal way, Archbishop Bevilacqua said, as did Thomas, Mary Magdalene,
Peter, and the disciples on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection of Jesus.
“He meets us as we are. His presence is ever new, ever fresh, ever
inviting, aware, more than we can ever be ourselves, of the depth of our
need.”
At the same time, he continued, the Eucharist challenges us
“to take the only path that leads to true freedom, the path of freely and
totally giving of ourselves for others . . . At Mass Jesus sets before us the
criterion, “Total self-giving” and he says, “Take and eat!”
“We become most truly what we eat,” Cardinal Bevilacqua
said. “We experience the exhilarating freedom of being part of something
larger than ourselves, something beyond us, something beautiful and
transcendent.”
Those assisting at the Mass reflected the many languages in which
prayers are offered and praises raised to God in the archdiocese. The first and
second readings were given in Spanish and Vietnamese, while prayers of the
faithful were offered in eight languages other than English.
The liturgy was coordinated by Deacon Whitney Robichaux, who
serves as Archbishop Donoghue’s master of ceremonies, and although many
adjustments were made throughout the day because of the unexpected numbers of
people, the flow of the Mass went smoothly and the entire day concluded within
30 minutes of the planned closing time.
The musicians in the main sessions, coordinated by Mary Welch
Rogers, with the assistance of Ed Bolduc, sustained an atmosphere of reverent
and joyful worship. In words composed by Rogers, they sang, “Come to me,
come to me, let me love you back to me. Come to me, come to me, you are my
children, come to me” and “He is exalted, the king is exalted on
high!”
Deacon Lloyd Sutter, who assisted Deacon Robichaux, found the
music and the homily so powerful in combination.
“Having the cardinal in the finest tradition of the Council
of Trent giving an authoritative teaching on the Eucharist for the head, while
the music was working on the heart,” he said. “It is a gift.”
“At that Mass 10,000 people had a charismatic
experience.”
Expressing his gratitude to all the people who volunteered their
services to make the day possible, Archbishop Donoghue said, “I was
terribly moved by the whole event, by the crowd, by the talks, by the
enthusiasm of the people . . . It was a wonderful demonstration of our Catholic
faith. I was amazed at the number of people who came. It certainly turned out
to be a wonderful day.”
HEAR OUR PRAYER--Susan Oh from the Korean Martyrs Catholic Center,
Doraville, offers up a prayer during the general intercessions. In addition to
Korean, prayers were said in Spanish, Chinese, French, Ibo, Polish, Vietnamese,
Portuguese and English.
MASS PROCESSION--Several visiting bishops in Atlanta for the
spring meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops take part in the
closing Mass of the Corpus Christi celebration. (Photos by Ken Melvin)
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