San Antonio de Padua Church has taken the Eucharistic I Am movement to prayer and heart to organize two big events: Eucharistic Miracles of the World and an Ash Wednesday Eucharist Procession.
In response to Bishop Kevin Vann’s directive of making all Catholics more aware of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, San Antonio has created a new ministry under the guidance of Fr. Tuan Nguyen called the Eucharist Revival Ministry.
Our mission statement is: To encourage and promote increased awareness and reverence for The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, in our parish, our community and throughout the world.
Our first formal event was held from Thursday, Feb. 1 to Sunday Feb. 4, the week before Super Bowl. Michael Breen of our ministry reached out to the Diocese for contact information on the guardian of the Eucharistic Miracles of the World (EMW) exhibit. Steve Lovison owns and coordinates the 130 Miracle panels and hardware for the West Coast.
THE EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT WAS HELD FROM FEB. 1 TO FEB. 4 AT SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA PARISH. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOEL OAKFORD
There are only six sets for the entire country. We had the perfect place for the exhibition in our newly remodeled classrooms. We had TV monitors in all rooms playing short videos (continually looping) on Eucharistic Miracles and one on Blessed Carlo Acutis who created the EMW website before his death in 2006 at 15 years old. We were inspired by his work and blessed life and praying for a miracle attributed to him for his sainthood advancement.
THE EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES OF THE WORLD EXHIBIT WAS HELD FROM FEB. 1 TO FEB. 4 AT SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA PARISH AND DREW 1,029 PEOPLE TO VIEW 130 MIRACLES OF THE EUCHARIST.
Over the four days, we were open for 32 hours, and had 1,029 people attend, not only from our parish, but the entire Diocese, people of other faiths and those who were just curious. Each classroom was from a different time period beginning with most current to oldest, around the time of Christ. We handed out Blessed Carlo Acutis prayer cards and the most famous Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano brochure. We collected over $4,000 in donations to support our new ministry and even brought in two high profile speakers: Fr. Roch Mary Greiner and Chris Pagel, assistant vice president of Chapman University.
The comments from patrons seeing these miracles for first time were, “Why didn’t we know about this sooner” and, “If these don’t prove the Real Presence, what would?” Our youth ministry had a special evening showing with a passport book that guided them through the exhibits. To say our exhibit objective of bringing The Real Presence of Jesus forward was a success, would be an understatement. The Love of Christ was present.
Our second event was held on Ash Wednesday after the 6:30 a.m. Mass. After receiving our ashes, we processed from the church with the Blessed Sacrament for a 1.6 mile walk with Jesus. Our new pastor, Monsignor Tuan Pham, Deacon Russ Millspaugh, Deacon Brett Schurter and Deacon Victor Valenzuela from St. Joseph’s of Placentia, led the procession around the block with a stop at Canyon High School to drop off our high school students and receive a blessing. We had 120 parishioners join us as we passed through major intersections at rush hour with waves and honks from people on their way to work. We arrived back at church before the 8:30 a.m. Mass and to repose the Blessed Sacrament.
Other events included a screening of “The Passion of The Christ” movie in our parish hall on Saturday, March 23, after 5 p.m. Mass. On Holy Thursday, we were part of the Seven Church Visitation after evening Mass and going through Good Friday morning until 6 a.m. Another Eucharistic Procession will take place on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Thursday, May 30, after morning Mass.
We are most grateful to have other parishes join us in our Eucharistic Revival and if we can be of any help in organizing similar events at your parish, please contact SAPD Church @ 714-974-1416 or visit SanAntoniochurch.org.