Here’s Why the Eucharistic Congress Was a Historic Moment for Sisters in America| National Catholic Register

COMMENTARY: A large number of the nation’s most prominent religious communities did not even exist at the time of the previous National Eucharistic Congress in 1941.

While there were many impressive aspects of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, there is one that has not yet gotten much attention: the prominence of consecrated religious women. The 2024 congress was a truly historic moment for all consecrated women in the United States.

There were close to a thousand consecrated women in attendance from many different congregations. Even though having such a large group of religious women itself was significant, it also marked a unique moment in the history of Catholicism in America. This year’s National Eucharistic Congress was the first since 1941, and a substantial number of the communities present at this year’s event did not exist in the 1940s.

Some of the communities represented at the 10th congress that had not yet been founded at the time of the last congress include the Missionaries of Charity (founded in 1950), the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal (1988), the Sisters of Life (1991) and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist (1997), among many others. While vast swaths of U.S. Catholics have never seen even one religious woman, no U.S. Catholic has ever seen a group of American religious sisters as large, diverse and representative of new communities as the one that gathered at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.

If you were at the congress, you could not avoid interacting with a religious sister if you tried. Far from running away from the sisters, people flocked to them. The young and the elderly, women and men, laypeople and clergy, all sought out the joyful company of sisters on the streets and in the various venues of the Congress. The greatest public outpouring of love for the sisters came on the day of the enormous Eucharistic procession through the streets of downtown Indianapolis. Before the massive crowds reverently knelt to adore the Holy Eucharist, they clapped and cheered as a seemingly-never-ending stream of religious women in an array of habits flowed down the procession route. As the sisters sang along the way with wide smiles on their faces, people shed tears of joy. The very presence of all those sisters touched the hearts of the crowds gathered for the congress.

Why was there such enthusiasm for the sisters? Father John Burns, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, gives us an answer. He is the chaplain of “Friends of the Bridegroom,” an apostolate directed at renewing the Church through the healing, renewal and expansion of women’s religious life in America. He recently said in a video for RenewReligious.org that people are instantly drawn to the presence of women religious because “the religious woman awakens and reminds the whole Church — every believer — of who they are and where they’re going.” As those women religious processed in faith and in honor of their Eucharistic Bridegroom, they certainly reminded the crowds of the direction in which we need to walk as a Church: together toward the Lord with hope and joy.

The collective presence of religious sisters was powerful, but consecrated women were not only present. They were active in the congress in prominent ways. Religious women were organizers, emcees and presenters; they prepared people for the sacrament of reconciliation; they guided people in prayer at the church that hosted 24-hour adoration at the congress; they were readily available to speak to young women curious about religious life; and they addressed small groups and delivered some of the most powerful keynote speeches.

One of the most moving addresses was given by Sister Josephine Garrett of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. In her energizing talk, she called almost 50,000 people to repentance. At one point in her powerful address, she spoke directly to individual groups gathered in Lucas Oil Stadium — bishops, priests, consecrated women and men, married couples and single people. Successors to the apostles and laypeople alike were shedding tears of joy as they were being called to conversion of heart by this loving, compassionate and deeply faithful bride of Christ. Sister Josephine’s talk was just one of many moving addresses by religious women.

The 10th National Eucharistic Congress was an important moment for Catholicism in the United States and it will certainly bear fruit in many ways. One of those fruits may very well be the continued revitalization of women’s religious life. There is no doubt that the people gathered for the congress, especially young women, were inspired by the presence and participation of almost a thousand consecrated women. The Church in the United States was given a glimpse of what consecrated life in the 21st century can look like. The People of God heard the powerful voices of joy-filled, faithful women religious who have a clear sense of their identity and mission in the life of the Church.

In October, Pope Francis will once again convene a synod to discuss “how to be a missionary synodal Church.” Synod members should take a close look at the active participation of consecrated religious women at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress as an example of how religious women can help revive and refresh the Church today. Consecrated religious women were key to the success of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress and they will be key to the success of a continual Eucharistic and ecclesial revival in this country and throughout the world. Without these inspiring women who are living public witnesses of the love of the Bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom (Christ), something essential is missing in the Church. With them, as evidenced at the congress, the entire Church will flourish and grow.

Father Louis P. Masi is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He is the administrator of St. Augustine and Sts. John and Paul parishes in Larchmont, New York, and adjunct professor of theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.

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