PONTIFICAL COMMITTEE
FOR INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESSES
THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL DELEGATE
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESSES
Fr Ferdinand Pratzner, S.S.S.
1.0. A glance over the origin of the Eucharistic Congresses
International Eucharistic Congresses originated (before the national and
diocesan Eucharistic congresses) in the second half of the 19th
century. They were inspired by the Eucharistic spirituality of Saint Peter
Julian Eymard (1811-1868), who understood well that the real force of renewal of
the Church, already emarginated by a secularized society, was the faith in Jesus
Christ present in the Sacrament of God’s love, the EUCHARIST.
The words with which Father Eymard described the religious situation of his time
still have a poignant ring: “The great evil of this time is that people do not
go to Jesus Christ as Saviour and God. People are abandoning their one
foundation, the only law, the only grace of salvation. The malice of a sterile
piety is that it does not spring any longer from Jesus Christ, nor does it lead
us anymore towards him. It halts by the wayside; it is satisfied with externals…
Divine love that does not derive its life, its centre in the Sacrament of the
Eucharist, is not discovered anymore in the necessary conditions that unfold its
power. It is soon extinguished like a fire that is not fed; it becomes quickly a
mere human love… So, what is to be done? Return to the source of life, to Jesus:
not only to Jesus who lived in Judea or to the glorious Jesus in heaven, but
always and above all to Jesus present in the Eucharist… One should know well
that in the course of a century worship towards the divine Eucharist has been
developing. In this worship consists the life and extent of its faith, of its
charity and of its virtue. May this reign of the Eucharist come about evermore:
for long enough impiety and ingratitude have held sway. May thy kingdom come.” (P.J. Eymard, in : Le trčs Saint Sacrement, juillet 1864, pp.12-13)
Touched by this Love Father Eymard bestirred himself to make the Eucharist known
by fostering a sense of Eucharistic adoration and the work of preparing people
for their First Communion in which he involved priests and lay persons.
Enkindled by such a “spiritual fire”, he prepared the path for those Congresses
that would constitute a “wonderful triumph” of Jesus present in the Eucharist.
One of his spiritual daughters, Miss Emilie Tamisier (1834 – 1910), took the
initiative to organise, despite not a few obstacles, the first International
Eucharistic Congress in 1881 at Lille in France. In this she was aided by some
lay persons, priests, bishops and received the blessing of Pope Leo XIII.
These Congresses have the objective “To make ever better known, loved
and served Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Eucharistic Mystery, the centre of the
Church’s life and mission for the salvation of the world” (Statute
of the Pontifical Committee art.2). These words describe the vision of the
International Eucharistic Congress that has existed right from the beginning – a
vision that is like a fire which they have to set alight in the four corners of
the world.
2.0. The International Eucharistic Congresses
2.1. National Eucharistic Committees
Following the first International Eucharistic Congress of Lille in 1881 the
first permanent national committees were established. At the International
Eucharistic Congress held at Brussels in 1898 a decision was taken and expressed
in these words: “It would be useful to imitate in every country the example of
the bishops of Spain, Italy and the United States, namely, to set up national
committees that would work together with the diocesan committees in promoting
activities related to the Blessed Sacrament and to ensure the fruition of
Eucharistic Congresses.”
As is stated in Article 9 (entitled National, regional and diocesan
committees) of the Regulations of the permanent Committee of
International Eucharistic Congresses of 1930: “To facilitate the preparation of
Congress and to ensure the bringing about of concrete and lasting results, the
permanent Committee takes measures to establish - with the agreement of with the
relevant ecclesiastical authorities - national, regional and diocesan
committees, with which the General Secretary liaises frequently. These
committees exist not only to focus on the Congresses themselves, but also to
promote and develop all activities capable of contributing to an increase of
fitting honour towards Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.”
A list of the permanent national Committees dates from November the 1st
1957. Here are the nations: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France,
India, Italy, Mexico, Holand, the United States of America, Spain, Uruguay.
2.2. Institution and role of the National Delegates
An International Eucharistic Congress cannot be content with having celebrations
and manifestations in which the Eucharist appears only for some days as the
centre of the Church. As an event of the universal Church it endeavours to
involve both in the pastoral preparation and in the work after the Congress the
particular churches of all continents: the dioceses, parishes, religious
communities, associations and ecclesial movements, especially if they have an
Eucharistic spirituality.
To ensure the pastoral preparation of the International Eucharistic
Congresses it was necessary to establish in the particular churches the figure
of the National Delegate for these events, since permanent national committees
were lacking almost everywhere. In the ’60s permanent national committees
existed only in Italy and the Philippines.
The setting up of the role of the National Delegates for International
Eucharistic Churches took place very recently with the approval of the Servant
of God John Paul II on April 2nd 1986.
In view of this official approval, the President of the Pontificate Committee
asked the Episcopal Conferences and the Patriarchal Synods – according to the
1986 statute – “to appoint National Delegates who would commit themselves to
the preparation of the Congresses and, when needed, would constitute with the
approval and support of the local ecclesiastical authorities National
Eucharistic Committees.”( Art.3b).
The final objective of this task, inspired by that existing from the
beginning of the Eucharistic Congresses, is ever actual: “To make ever known,
loved and served our Lord Jesus Christ in his Mystery of the Eucharist, the
centre of the life of the Church and its mission for the salvation of the
world.” “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the live and mission of the
Church” (Theme of the XI Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist in the
year of the Eucharist 2005).
In the last plenary Assembly, that took part on
November 5th 2002,
the Servant of God Pope John Paul II spoke about the importance of the role of
the National Delegate regarding the preparation and follow up of the
International Congresses: “… the work of the National Delegates, established by
the respective authorities of the Western and Eastern Churches, is as important
as ever. They are called to sensitise their churches regarding the theme chosen
for the International Congress, especially during the period of its preparation,
so the occasion will become a source from which will spring up the fruits of
life and communion in the particular Churches.... The International Eucharistic
Congresses contribute to this exquisitely ecclesial finality. The participation
of the faithful from different parts of the world is a symbol, in fact, of unity
and communion. The National Delegates are able to take back to their communities
the spirit of Eucharistic fervour and communion that is lived in the intense
periods of adoration, contemplation, reflection and sharing. The Congress,
experienced in its depth, is a fire that forms animators of living Eucharistic
communities and evangelizers of those groups that do not yet know deeply the
wellspring of love hidden in the Eucharist.” He concluded, asking these
Delegates to persevere “with commitment and passion” in this Eucharistic
apostolate, by “enlivening and diffusing Eucharistic devotion in all its
expressions.”
3.0. Suggestions for the
pastoral preparation of the Congress and its the follow up
The words of the Servant of God, John Paul II, offer us fundamental inspiring
pointers as regards the preparation and follow up of every International
Eucharistic Congress:
1° The National Delegates “are called to sensitise their churches regarding the theme chosen for the
International Congress”.
This implies, first of all making the Basic Text of the Congress available in
the various dioceses, in various languages, through the press and other means of
mass media. Pastoral centres in every diocese will then promote a basic
understanding in the parishes and religious communities. The National Delegate
has the responsibility of organizing study days, called Eucharistic weeks,
retreats and days of recollection, particularly for priests, consecrated
religious, committed lay people and for the youth. They should taking advantage
of the important periods of Advent, Lent and the week before the feast of Corpus
Christi. The National Delegate will need source material prepared in relation to
the Basic Text to be used for Eucharistic catechesis, homilies and periods of
adoration.
2° The Pope laid emphasis on the important aspect that the International
Eucharistic Congresses contribute to “the exquisitely ecclesial finality” of
unity and communion as regards the “participation of the faithful from different
parts of the world”.
It is important, hence, to promote and enliven this spirit of ecclesial
communion in the particular churches through holding National and Diocesan
Eucharistic Congresses and other initiatives.
3° Regarding the follow up work after the Congress, the Pope encourages the
National Delegates “to take back to their communities the spirit of Eucharistic fervour and
communion that is lived in the intense periods of adoration, contemplation,
reflection and sharing.”
A deep appreciation of the Eucharist should involve bishops, priests, catechists
and other pastoral workers in such a way that they will hand on a Eucharistic
catechesis that would be as complete as possible and promote a Christian life of
service, sharing and solidarity, especially with the poor.
4° “The Congress, experienced in its depth, is a fire that forms animators of
living Eucharistic communities and evangelizers of those groups that do not yet
know deeply the wellspring of love that is hidden in the Eucharist.”
The Pope does not propose an introverted Eucharistic spirit, but a missionary
sense that will make people discover the deep love abiding in the Eucharist, the
centre of the real Christian community, which for its part will bear living
witness to the evangelizing strength flowing out from the Eucharistic mystery.
Therefore, since it is important to be aware of the people’s level of
Eucharistic faith, a National Delegate should invite every parish, religious
community and each person in charge of a church or sanctuary to make an
examination of conscience regarding the style of the Eucharistic celebrations
and adoration worship outside mass taking place in their places, and also to see
if their personal and social lifestyle is coherent with what they believe.
Finally, it is useful to recall again the concise words addressed by John Paul
II to the Plenary Assembly of 1988, in preparation to the 44th
International Eucharistic Congress at Seoul in South Korea: “The Congress should
involve every diocese, every parish, every religious community, every ecclesial
movement; everyone should feel called through an intense catechesis on the
Eucharist to participate spiritually with a more lively awareness and active
involvement in the Eucharistic Liturgy, with a sense of adoration that enables
them to interiorize the celebration of the Paschal Mystery which transforms our
entire life to become, following the example of Christ, an offering for the life
of the world” (cf. Jn 10,10-11).
During the last Plenary Assembly of November 2002, the Reverend Father Jesús
Castellano Cervera, OCD, a member of the Pontifical Committee since 2005, who
sadly passed away suddenly on June 15th this year, in his talk
entitled “The Eucharist in the Universal Church and in the particular churches”
spoke about a “renewed vision” of the National Delegates who “should be
permanent animators of Eucharistic worship in their own nations and local
churches, keeping alive the strength and flame between both Congresses, as a
vital bridge going from one event to the other.”
Conclusion
In their history of more than a century, International Eucharistic Congresses
have manifest the faith of the Church regarding the Eucharist: they are a
reflection of the Eucharistic life of each period of time. They not only show
the richness of the celebration, veneration and life of the Eucharist in
different cultures, but sometimes they even have had a prophetic significance:
they proclaimed and anticipated the central position that the Eucharist should
have in the Church as it foreshadows the day on which God will prepare a solemn
banquet “for all peoples”, “a banquet with chosen wines and delicious food”
(Isaiah 25,6).
The National Delegates have been incorporated into the history of the
International Eucharistic Congresses, which were inaugurated by a priest (Saint
Peter Julian Eymard), who was seized by an awareness and appreciation of the
inestimable gift of the love of Christ perpetuated in the Eucharist. May the
National Delegates in their turn be enkindled by the same faith and love towards
Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist to continue the world over in following
this path leading towards the city of Quebec in Canada, where the “Statio Orbis”
of 2008 is being prepared.
