February 17, 2022

Bishop Byrne extends diocesan Year of the Eucharist to 2023

REGIONAL
By Carolee McGrath

Bishop Byrne prepares for a eucharistic procession following the Nov. 21, 2021 opening Mass for the Year of the Eucharist. (iObserve photo/Fred LeBlanc)

SPRINGFIELD – Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne announced he is extending the Year of the Eucharist to the June 2023 feast of Corpus Christi.

Bishop Byrne celebrated the opening Mass of the Year of the Eucharist (YOE) in November at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield. The Eucharistic Congress, originally scheduled for October of 2022, has been moved to March of 2023.

The goal of the Year of the Eucharist is to refocus the faithful on the central teaching that the Eucharist is truly Christ’s body and blood. Christ instituted the Eucharist on the night of the Last Supper when he said, “Take and eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).

“There has been a great response for the Year of the Eucharist, with people praying the prayer in their parishes across the diocese, but then doing 40 Hours of Devotion, eucharistic adoration, processions. It seemed to me that there is so much energy, so much going on, that I’ve decided to extend the year,” said Bishop Byrne.

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2019 found that 69% of Catholics don’t believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist; rather, they believe bread and wine are symbols. The goal of the Year of the Eucharist is to change that belief.

A committee has been working since last summer to organize events and develop a plan to promote eucharistic devotions and catechesis. The events include eucharistic processions and holy hours. Different parishes from across the diocese have been chosen to host 40 Hours of Devotion throughout the year. The next one is scheduled at St. Joseph Parish in Shelburne Falls March 3-6.

“The Committee for the Year of the Eucharist is thrilled with Bishop Byrne’s decision to extend the Year of the Eucharist until June 11, 2023, which is the feast of Corpus Christi,” said Father Gary Dailey, the chair of the YOE committee and director of the Newman Catholic Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“This extension will help us to engage in more catechesis and eucharistic devotions. We will work closely with our parish liaisons to assist them in developing more activities in their parishes,” he said.

The Springfield Diocese’s Office of Faith Formation is hosting workshops to help catechists with lesson plans and craft ideas. Recently, students at St. John the Baptist School in Ludlow created an exhibit of eucharistic miracles.

In addition to the Year of the Eucharist website, the YOE committee recently launched “Witness Wednesdays” on social media, which are personal testimonies on the power of the Eucharist, given by people of all ages from throughout the diocese.

Bishop Byrne has encouraged people to “be on fire with the love of Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament.” He said even 15 minutes spent before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is time well spent.

For resources and information, go to yearoftheeucharist.net. T-shirts, which have the quote “Live Forever,” can also be purchased through yearoftheeucharist.net for $15.