Kathy Doup (far right) and fellow St. Stephen Cathedral parishioner Mariana Romero watch the opening session of the National Eucharistic Congress on July 17, 2024, which was held in Indianapolis. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Walk With One!
BY DR. JEFF ANDRINI, OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION AND DISCIPLESHIP
As an incredible summer for the U.S. Catholic Church ends, we are looking to the Holy Spirit to lead us forward into year three of the National Eucharistic Revival. If you were not able to attend the National Congress or watch on TV, you can listen to all of the sessions at https://relevantradio.com/national-eucharistic-congress/. The theme for the third year of the Revival is “Year of Mission” and one important challenge is “Walk With One,” the National Eucharistic Revival’s initiative for welcoming people back into the Church and reaching those with no faith at all.
“Walk With One” is not a new concept that all Catholics are being asked to go through; rather it is a simple reminder that “sharing the Good News” typically happens in one-to-one moments that are not planned or scripted. This can happen at the grocery store, the bus stop, or at a sporting event. As Pope Francis has noted, “Anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love” in word and deed (Evangelii Gaudium, no. 120).
Here are the simple steps in “Walk With One.”
Step one: Identify someone in a spirit of humility. In prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the person you are to accompany.
Step two: Intercede for this person in communion with the Holy Spirit. Consider making a holy hour or daily prayer for this person and pray for their joys and struggles.
Step three: Connect in Eucharistic friendship, which is to “take or receive what the other person has to share, to bless or lift up in prayer, to let the Holy Spirit help break open an area for potential growth, and then to give of yourself in response.” Look for an opportunity to connect with them over coffee or lunch and grow an ongoing friendship.
Step four: Invite that person on a path most suitable for him or her. “Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit to invite him or her to a concrete step in fostering a personal relationship with Jesus and the Church.”
Our Acts 2:42 Small Groups begin this month in parishes across our diocese, with a theme of “On Mission as a Eucharistic People.” We encourage you to seek out a group or invite your neighbors and friends to come to your home once a month to participate in a small group. Materials are available and the videos are easily accessible online. The eighth session in this year’s book is titled “Inviting People to the Bread of Life.” It is very much rooted in the “Walk With One” vision and talks about our need to recognize that by our baptism, each of us are called to live and share our faith with others.
For more information on “Walk With One,” check out http://eucharisticrevival.org/walk-with-one.
And pray for our diocesan Eucharistic Revival team as we discern how best to support this “Walk With One” effort in our diocese!
Peace,
Jeff
Dr. Jeff Andrini is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship, and can be reached at [email protected].
Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
