Print Issue: May 16, 2002

June 1 Eucharistic Congress Expected To Draw Thousands

By Rebecca Rakoczy, Staff Writer

Over 100 banners representing parishes, Catholic schools and religious organizations gathered on the plaza of the Georgia International Convention Center, College Park, for the eucharistic procession last June 16. (Photos by Michael Alexander)

ATLANTA -The body and blood of Jesus Christ: For Catholics, the Eucharist is the center of their faith and the feast of Corpus Christi epitomizes the spirit of the church.

The joy of that spirit was apparent last June, when more than 12,000 people gathered at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park for a full day of praising God and focusing on the Eucharist and what it means to be Catholic.

Building on last year's enthusiasm, organizers have planned for crowds, with simultaneous tracks of speakers and events both inside and outside the convention center. There will be a tent with seating for 3,000 in front of the convention center, where speakers from the general and Hispanic tracks will make scheduled talks and address those gathered there. In addition, an off-site shuttle service and parking will be offered to and from the convention center to help with traffic flow.

For many, the outpouring of the faithful during last year's celebration was a pleasant and wonderful surprise.

"My expectations were low-key. I really never expected the large turnout," said Msgr. Paul Reynolds, vicar general. "It was so meaningful to see the overall prayerfulness, enthusiasm and devotion of all these people . . . it was overwhelmingly impressive. I have never experienced anything like this."

Father Jim Caffery, MS, of St. Thomas the Apostle, Smyrna is looking forward to this year's event after attending the Corpus Christi event last year and coming away with an appreciation and awe for the magnitude of faithful Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

"I was very gratified . . . I walked away from it thinking, 'now this is something we need to do every year.' And when the entrance procession began, that (memory) still touches me . . . eeing so many banners together, the music . . . and the eagerness of the people."

Father Caffery added that the "concelebrated liturgy was really special. It showed me the beauty and multi-diversity of our community as a church and the faith life of the church."

That beauty and rich diversity of the faithful will once again be united June 1, as Catholics from throughout the archdiocese are expected to attend this year's Eucharistic Congress celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi.

While last year's event was a call to "Come To Me," the 2002 theme is "Stay With Me," bringing together speakers from across the nation and from the heart of the universal Catholic Church in Rome. The homilist for the morning eucharistic procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States, will be the principal celebrant and homilist for the closing Mass at 5:30 p.m. which will be the vigil Mass for Corpus Christi Sunday. After the Benediction and before afternoon Mass, there will be free-will offerings, with all proceeds going to help defray costs of this and future Eucharistic Congress events.

The Mass celebration will be highlighted with music by Mary Welch Rogers, who wrote last's year's theme song, "Come To Me." Rogers has composed a special song for this year's event. Worship leader for the general track will be Father Tim Hepburn.

Youngsters from the archdiocese participate in the spirited and upbeat teen track in 2001, which featured various speakers and music by Ed Bolduc and Band.

New this year will be outdoor events which will incorporate a special speaker track under the tents, as well as a LCD projector screen that will televise the general track. Participants will be able to buy lunches as well as programs and souvenirs from the day. In addition, there will be more than 75 exhibitors from parish and Catholic organizations housed under the tents. Some children's activities, like storytelling and face painting, will also be outdoors.

Father Thad Rudd of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Cleveland is looking forward to coming to Atlanta with members of his parish. This is his first Eucharistic Congress.

A former Episcopalian, Father Rudd recalls reading about a mammoth Eucharistic Congress held many years ago at a seminary in northern Illinois, where the Blessed Sacrament was brought by barge over a river to the faithful.

"It intrigued me then as to why they would do this," he said. "Now . . . it's something I'd like to be a part of. It's certainly a part of our Catholic identity."

Father Rudd is leaving with his parishioners in the pre-dawn hours to make the trek from North Georgia to the convention center located near Hartsfield International Airport.

Marianne Bradley will be back, but this year as a volunteer. Last year was her first Eucharistic Congress. The St. Thomas More, Decatur, parishioner was overwhelmed by the day.

Bradley said that as a convert she is still awed by the closeness and intimacy she receives with Christ in the Eucharist. Even with 12,000 people sharing the day - it is still an intimate experience, she said.

"You can take your parish for granted, but you can't take a day like this for granted. It's so exciting from a convert's perspective. I am so aware of this wonderful gift that we have that I didn't have before. I think that it is no coincidence that so many of the dynamic and enthusiastic speakers at this year's event are converts."

The children's track offers a host of activities to keep the younger kids entertained. Nearly 500 boys and girls attended last year's children's track.

Those speakers include Catholic apologists and authors Scott Hahn, Ph.D., a former Presbyterian theologian and minister; and his wife Kimberly; Alex C. Jones, a former Pentecostal minister; and Father John Corapi, SOLT, who entered the priesthood at 44, after living a life of extremes that included serving in the U.S. Army, becoming a millionaire businessman and then losing it all in drug addiction and becoming homeless.

For those gathered outside under the tents, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Father Corapi, Alex Jones and Father Pablo Straub, CSsR, are scheduled to come outdoors to give talks.

A separate track inside the GICC is being offered for Hispanic Catholics; featured speakers include Msgr. Arturo J. Bañuelas, S.T.D., from the Diocese of El Paso, Texas; Father Pablo Straub, CSsR, a missionary priest in Mexico, and Father Albert R. Cutié, from the Archdiocese of Miami.

There are also middle school, teen and children's tracks.

The teen track will also feature Father Cutié, as well as Msgr. Richard Lopez from the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Jim Beckman, Hub coordinator for LIFE TEEN from the Rockies region; Tom Booth, LIFE TEEN International music director, and Ed Bolduc, LIFE TEEN music director at St. Ann Church, Marietta; and Brian K. Johnson, youth minister from the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas.

For Steve Spellman, principal of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, last year's event "far exceeded my expectations. The enthusiasm and the speakers made it one of the finest congresses I have attended. Everybody is excited about this year." Spellman said about 50 teens are coming from St. Pius, but hundreds of others will come from their respective parishes. The teen track has room for 1,800 teens.

The middle school track, with room for 1,300 middle schoolers, will be housed in the Sheraton Gateway Hotel connected to the GICC. Speakers for this track are Father John Hopkins, LC, Father Kevin Peek of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Sister Catherine Marie Hopkins, OP, a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia, of Nashville, Tenn. APeX Ministries, a vaudeville act, will perform.

There will also be a children's track which will focus on themes of God the Creator: Creation and Covenants; Jesus: Parables and Psalms; Jesus: Passion and Resurrection; Holy Spirit, Pentecost and Eucharist. Limited child care for 3- and 4-year-olds will also be available. Lunch will be provided for the children, middle school and teen track participants.

People participating in the morning's procession will be able to start lining up by 7 a.m. for the procession to begin entering the GICC at 8:30 a.m.

Last year, at least 120 schools and organizations brought banners for the procession. All of these organizations are encouraged to return this year, and any other organization that wishes to be represented in the procession by a banner should do so.

Preparations for the morning procession will begin simultaneously with the GICC doors opening at 7 a.m. Banner carriers for all schools and organizations need to have their banner and pole inside the exhibit halls and in a banner stand as soon as possible after 7 a.m. Banner carriers should remain near their banners to permit a timely and orderly line of march to be arranged for the morning procession by the masters of ceremonies, Father Brian Higgins and Deacon Whitney Robichaux.

After the Eucharistic Congress sessions have concluded, banner carriers will be instructed to report to their banner stands at approximately 4:30 p.m. to permit the procession beginning Mass to start on time.

Any question related to the procession or banners should be referred to Deacon Lloyd Sutter at either lsutter@archatl.com or (404) 885-7412.

In addition to the groups marching in the opening procession, all children who received first Communion in the archdiocese this year have been invited to lead the procession for the closing Mass. The children, who can take part in age-appropriate tracks during the day, are asked to wear their first Communion apparel and gather at 4:30 p.m. for the closing procession.

Time for confession will be offered during the day both inside and outside the convention center and there will be periods of worship music and breaks for lunch and refreshments.

Father Brian Higgins gives absolution to a woman during the sacrament of reconciliation. Once again the sacrament will be offered at this year's Eucharistic Congress.

There is very limited parking in the deck and adjacent parking lots. For those arriving Saturday morning, shuttles will run to and from the convention center from an off-site parking lot on Camp Creek Parkway.

Tickets are required, but the event is free. Participants will receive a badge for their respective tracks upon presentation of their tickets.

Limited indoor seating is on a first come-first served basis. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

For more information, contact Sally Scardasis at (404) 885-7445 or log onto the Web site at archatl.com and click on "Come To Me."