Eucharistic Procession on Sunday Marks Beginning of Three-Year National Eucharistic Revival

Catholics will walk, sing and pray in a mile-long Eucharistic procession from St. Paul Cathedral through the heart of Oakland on Sunday, June 19, 2022, as part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s opening Mass for a three-year National Eucharistic Revival.

The opening Mass for the Eucharistic revival in each diocese is June 19, the feast of Corpus Christi, when the Church celebrates God’s gift of the Eucharist. The Mass begins at noon, but participants are asked to arrive by 11:30 a.m. The procession is expected to begin at approximately 1:15 p.m. All Catholics are welcome to participate.

Catholics believe that Jesus is truly present, in the form of consecrated bread and wine, in the Eucharist, also commonly referred to as Holy Communion or the Blessed Sacrament. In a Eucharistic Procession, the Blessed Sacrament is carried into the public as a way of sharing His life and hope with the world. Hundreds of people of all ages will participate in the Eucharistic procession, including children who recently made their First Holy Communion, many attired in white suits and dresses.

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of all Catholic life,” Bishop David Zubik said. “Through this gift of His Body and Blood, He empowers the faithful to do His will and makes them eager to invite others to experience His love and mercy. The National Eucharistic Revival calls all Catholics to renew their relationship with Jesus through the Eucharist. Belief that Jesus is truly present – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity – in the Eucharist is the heart of Catholic worship.”

St. Paul Cathedral is at the corner of Fifth Avenue and North Craig Street.

The procession will pause at three temporary altars for prayer. Police will conduct rolling closures of the affected streets, shutting them to traffic only while the procession is passing. The route will be a circuit from the cathedral, to the right on Fifth Avenue, left on Bigelow Boulevard to Schenley Drive, Schenley Drive Extension, and South Craig Street, ending back at the cathedral for a solemn Benediction. A map of the route is here: https://bit.ly/PghProcessionRoute.

Such processions are a traditional part of Catholic life.

The National Eucharistic Revival is a three-year initiative sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, intended to form, heal, convert, and unite Catholics through a renewed encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist – and then to send them out as “Eucharistic missionaries” to a hurting and hungry world. It is a response to Pope Francis’ call for the Church to be “permanently in a state of mission” (Evangelii Gaudium, n. 25).