Over the centuries, processing with the Eucharist through the streets on the Feast of Corpus Christi has spread throughout the Catholic Church and has become a revered tradition for Catholics all over the world.
“Corpus Christi” is the Latin name for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This year in most U.S. dioceses, this feast day is celebrated on June 22, and Eucharistic processions to mark the feast are taking place across the country in large and small cities and towns.
Last year, these public displays of devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist took on greater importance as the U.S. Church’s three-year National Eucharistic Revival entered its second year and shifted its focus to parish renewal. In 2024, we were honored to host the Mass and procession at the conclusion of the Octave of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi for the West DuPage Deanery. The faithful gathered from surrounding churches and beyond, with Bishop Ronald Hicks presiding at the Mass and the Eucharistic procession. We were overwhelmed with the attendance. The church was full and every space in our parking lot was taken. It was a wonderful and impressive public manifestation of our faith. After this celebration last year, more parishes decided to hold a Eucharist procession on the feast of Corpus Christi this year.
This year we will once again process with the Eucharist publicly on the streets, not inside the church. This is a powerful sign that our faith is something that is both private, deep in our heart but at the same moment, unashamedly public. It says that we ask Jesus to help us live our Christian life not only in the church building, during liturgies, but on a daily basis: at home, school, at work, travel, vacation, at every moment and in every place. The Eucharistic Jesus will walk in our streets and will bless everyone living here in our neighborhood and beyond Carol Stream. He wants to inspire and transform us. Only sincere adoration of the Eucharist and receiving the Eucharist with faith can enable us to understand who we are as humans, as children of God destined to live forever, and to strengthen us on the journey as Pilgrims of Hope. In this way, we will not be negatively influenced by the world with its dangerous pseudo-values, but instead, we will be empowered to influence the world with the values of the Gospel.
In the celebration of this solemnity, we offer the most perfect worship that is possible for human beings to give to the Father, because we join Jesus in worshipping His Father. Let us resolve always to treasure the Most Holy Eucharist. May we rather die than give up this opportunity to celebrate this life-giving food. This Sunday let’s celebrate Emmanuel, “God-with-us,” because He is so real and close to us in the Eucharist.
Fr. Mark Jurzyk
