Organizers of the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis have announced plans for a major pilgrimage to the event — and a big budget cut.
The Congress, which is the culmination of the National Eucharistic Revival — a three-year initiative by the U.S. bishops to inspire Eucharist belief — is expected to draw some 80,000 people and have a “World Youth Day feel,” Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, told reporters at a briefing Wednesday in Baltimore.
When the initiative was approved a year ago, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA — who now is president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — raised concerns about the eucharistic congress’ $28 million budget.
“I think this is a wonderful proposal. I’m a little concerned, though, and I’ve mentioned this to you once before, the $28 million price tag on this gathering, I think, might appear to be a bit scandalous, if you think about all of the things that the Church needs and asks money for,” Broglio said at the time.
At the bishops’ fall assembly this year, which concluded in Baltimore on Thursday, Cozzens, who chairs the bishops’ eucharistic revival advisory group, said that “originally one of the great concerns for all of us was the cost, and we’ve been able to make significant inroads in getting the cost down.”
“I’m happy to report that cost has almost been cut in half,” Cande de Leon, the revival’s chief advancement officer said.
He said that a “big part” of the cut is attributed to the revival’s choice to recruit experienced people who are “in-house” and have a “missionary spirit.”
Full story at Angelus News.
Excellent idea to cut the budget significantly. These conferences, such as the RECongress and all the youth conferences, mostly appear to me to be a waste of money and time.
Bravo Broglio!!!!!
He didn’t go far enough. The whole thing should be canceled. Focus on parishes, local parishes. Improve things at the local parish level. What’s the point of this national event? It’s like with that deacon who’s going on tour for the Eucharistic revival. Just stay at home and build up your local parish. Why try to have a Catholic Superbowl?
It’s vanity and pride.
Let’s fix things at the local parish level – I agree! Let’s do it. Well, let’s see now, where do I get new ideas for changing the local parish? One way is to meet with others from around the area to see, listen, and learn about what is working in other parishes. Then I can figure out if it is the thing to do in my parish. Will it work? $25MM is too much, yes, but these events aren’t a waste of time. It is how you spread the Gospel and learn.
There’s something called the Internet that makes in-person regional or national meetings of so-called “experts” unnecessary. There’s something called a search engine: you type what you are looking for in the field, then results that match your search are displayed. You can click on any result you want to read it or view it if it’s a video. You can do all that from the comfort of your own home.
You want to hear what a supposed expert has to say? No need to wait for next year’s annual conference. Just go on the internet and look for a video of him speaking. Or find an article he wrote or a book he authored.
RECongress was supposed to be an annual event that enlivened and improved catechesis and liturgy in parishes in the archdiocese, the state and the country. Look how that worked out. Things are worse than when RECongress first started, in no small part because the organizers and presenters were selling bad ideas.
A national Eucharistic Congress is wonderful. The said part is they only expect 80,000 people out of 70 million Catholics.
People in Africa walk 4 hours just to get to Mass.
80,000 people? Imagine all the carbon emissions. That’s not in the spirit of Laudato Si.
But is Laudato Si in the spirit of Laudato Si?
Good news for conferences! The RECongress 2023 speaker and workshop list has been released, and none of the liberal dissenters from years past will speak at the event! See for yourself:
https://www.recongress.org/workshops-adult-days
Took long enough. But it happened.
The whole thing is a waste of time and money. Not only that, but it’s slated to happen right in the middle of the election season. It’s a political boondoggle.