ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 18, 2024 / 14:10 pm (CNA).
Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Danny Meagher is already talking up the preparations for the Australian city to host the next International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.
“The Eucharistic Congress is a unique opportunity for people’s hearts to be touched and their minds opened to the richness of the Eucharist, and it is the Eucharist that invites us to be part of the mission of Christ,” Meagher said in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
Sydney’s designation for the meeting also reflects the desire of the archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, and the local Catholic community to revitalize the life of the Church in their country.
“We need life in the Sydney Church to flourish. We hope that it will be a great occasion of grace for all those attending, so that they return home with a true sense of grace, formed and transformed by what they have learned,” Meagher said.
Catholic Church in Australia faces similar challenges to West
Despite the rich history of the Catholic Church in Australia, which began as a small Irish convict community and grew with immigration, the country faces challenges similar to those of many other Western nations.
According to Meagher, modern culture, saturated by technology and distractions, makes it difficult for people to find their spiritual center and, consequently, their relationship with God.
“We’re distracted by a million different things. It’s hard to find our center because we’re always looking at our phone … it’s hard to find our relationship with God,” he explained.
“Currently, among Catholics in Australia, I think between 10% and 15%, depending on the diocese, attend Mass every week. So it’s a pretty low percentage. At Christmas and Easter the numbers increase. Some people attend once a month, others irregularly. But it is difficult to attract people and make them see the importance of our spiritual health,” he acknowledged.
Faced with this reality, the prelate pointed out that the International Eucharistic Congress not only seeks to be a celebration but also a space for formation and spiritual renewal.
“The success of the congress will be measured by how we get people to appreciate and value the Eucharist, change their lives, and become part of the mission of the Church,” Meagher added.
An event for the world
The auxiliary bishop emphasized the multicultural character of the Australian capital.
“Sydney is a very multicultural community,” he said. “We invite people from all over the world to be part of this occasion of grace.”
In addition to the theological presentations and liturgical celebrations, Meagher mentioned that the congress will include elements that connect with the hearts and spirits of those attending.
“We want the entire process to involve people, with good training and elements that touch the heart, so that the entire community participates and recognizes that we are brothers and sisters,” he said.
Meagher assured that the work of the Church “will be to organize a congress of the Eucharist of the highest quality, which offers the best possible formation and which touches and enriches the hearts of the participants with the grace of God.”
“On behalf of Archbishop Anthony Fisher, I would like to welcome all people from around the world to our International Eucharistic Congress in 2028,” he concluded.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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