Revive Alive - The Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese of Colorado Springs

We are getting closer to the Solemnity of Corpus Christi and the next phase of the Eucharistic Revival! This past year has been spent praying, discerning, and laying a foundation for the upcoming year.  Now it is time for an update and a look ahead.

On Sunday, June 11 at 3 p.m., Bishop Golka will lead Mass and the Diocesan Eucharistic Procession to begin the Parish Phase of the Eucharistic Revival. This event will be hosted at Divine Redeemer Parish and everyone is invited!

This diocesan procession will kick off the second of a three-year process focused on encountering Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, deepening our love and relationship with him, equipping the Catholic faithful as missionary disciples, and sending them out into the world to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ true presence.

In anticipation of this, every parish and pastor has been invited to designate a parish point person to assist in carrying this out on the parish level. These Point Persons will be trained by the National Revival and given resources to share with the pastor for engaging the parish during this year. Check out the infographic below for a visual of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

One of these resources is the Parish Playbook. This offers some creative and practical ideas on how to implement the Revival at the parish. There are also online seminars, videos, blogs, articles, and grass-roots efforts available to help. Be sure to ask your pastor about how your parish is preparing for this next phase. If your parish does not have a Parish Point Person yet, consider offering your services to your pastor to help!

The four pillars of the National Eucharistic Revival are 1) Personal Encounters, 2) Reinvigorating Devotion, 3) Deepening Formation, and 4) Missionary Sending. These have shaped the national conversation and continue to guide efforts going into the second year, specifically in the form of four invitations:

• Reinvigorated Worship

• Personal Encounters

• Robust Formation

• Send Missionaries

Each of these is a specific area to help parishes carry out the Revival on their local level. The invitations are meant to be adaptable to the needs of the parish.

Along with this, there is strong emphasis on developing and supporting small groups. Admittedly, the average suburban parish is just far too big; it is hard to develop a strong Christian fellowship with thousands of families. That is why many parishes have found small groups to be extremely effective for prayer, study, and sharing life.

The National Revival effort wants to really encourage each parish to take advantage of this great vehicle to foster the revival. There are many guides, bible studies, and testimonies that can help! Don’t be afraid to try it out.

What’s more, no Catholic needs anyone’s permission to start a small group. Many lay faithful host bible studies and fellowship in their homes. With resources like Hallow, Formed.org, Word on Fire, etc. you have a lot of help!

This Year of the Parish Phase will end with a huge Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana in July 2024. This is open to any Catholic who wants to participate, but tickets are required. You can find more information at www.eucharisticcongress.org. Many parishes are sending representatives, so ask your pastor if they have extra tickets. The Diocese of Colorado Springs still has a few tickets left at $200 each, which is a $175 discount. Travel and lodging are not included in the ticket price. If you are interested please send an email to jbaron@diocs.org — available while supplies last.

Finally, the Diocese of Colorado Springs is getting a new diocesan point person for the Eucharistic Revival. We bid farewell to Father Jim Baron, who has been serving in this capacity for the past year, and we welcome Deacon Paul Ruff, who serves at Ave Maria Parish in Parker, as he takes over. He will continue the work and help Bishop Golka in coordinating efforts for this next phase.

Also, Linda Oppelt at The Colorado Catholic Herald will be taking over scheduling requests for the Eucharistic Miracle Display that the diocese owns. If your parish would like to check out this exhibit, please contact Linda at loppelt@coloradocatholicherald.com.

A big thanks to everyone who has been praying for this revival and supporting it through so many different ways. You can stay connected, go deeper, get involved, and learn more by visiting www.eucharisticrevival.org.

May our prayers and efforts draw many hearts deeply in love with Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist!

(Editor’s note: See Page 18 for more information on how to obtain the Parish Playbook and other details related to the Year of Parish Revival.)