The centrality of Jesus today

To pursue further devotion and love for the Eucharist and revitalize faith in all the dioceses of Bohemia and Moravia is the purpose of the first National Eucharistic Congress 2015, which will culminate on October 15 to 17 next in the Czech Republic. Preparations have been underway since last January in the form of a "long-term spiritual journey" undertaken by all parishes, religious communities and lay movements alike. Celebration of Christianity. Preparations for the National Eucharistic Congress in the parish and dioceses will culminate with the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. Over the past five months, the Czech Bishops’ Conference has offered various themes for reflection and ideas to animate the spiritual life of the faithful who declare themselves Catholics. "Parishes were given ample room to find the best ways to present the issues, meaning and purpose of the Congress to the different structures of our Catholic communities", said the organizers of one of the largest spiritual projects in the history of the Czech Republic after the fall of communism in 1989. All the faithful are invited to celebrate the Day of the Eucharist on June 7 and, thus take part in this great celebration of Christianity. A power button with Jesus Christ. In this regard, one of the most important regional events – the Eucharistic Congress of Olomouc – held May 15-16, attracted over six thousand people from all age groups. The program features Masses, adorations, cultural events, conferences and debates on a wide range of spiritual themes in relation to the Eucharist, in addition to common prayers. Mons. Josef Hrdlicka has described four different kinds of prayer: the prayer of thanksgiving, of penance, of intercession and praise, underlining that "if we strive to count on ourselves only, excluding Jesus Christ from our life, we will be too weak". With him we can access "a power button." The Archbishop of Olomouc, Msgr. Jan Graubner, invited young faithful in particular to take the community of the first Christians as an example: "They did not waste their time advertising, and there is no evidence of conflicts or problems between them. On the contrary, they were full of joy and that is why they were popular and many people wanted to join them. "This, according to Msgr. Graubner, could be the recipe for the Christians of the present times: "Even your community will grow, if it radiates generous joy". The Eucharist "helps build the community, and I pray that this Eucharistic Congress may provide a strong impetus for youth communities in our parishes." Eucharist Hour. A concrete answer to the invitation of the Bishops’ Conference was already conveyed with the formula of the diocesan community of the adorers called "Eucharist hour." This activity has been reproposed over the past weekend in Olomouc, with the aim to "spread the celebration of the Eucharist and its effects in everyday life and deepen the personal relationship with Christ, on a regular basis." "May Jesus Christ build the kingdom of God in the hearts of those who open themselves to this recovery," concluded the archbishop of Olomouc. New and eternal testament. Registrations for the national Eucharistic Congress will open on June 14. The leitmotif of the event is "The Eucharist – a new and eternal testament." The logo depicts hands as a symbol of unity and the hands of a priest during the Eucharistic prayer. For Msgr. Jan Vokal, delegate of the Czech Bishops’ Conference for Eucharistic Congresses, all the Holy Fathers, including Pope Francis, have strongly supported the organization of events such as this and the devotion to the Eucharist: "The purpose of the Eucharistic Congress that will take place in October is to inspire all areas of the Catholic Church, namely the faithful, the parishes, the dioceses, the communities of all kinds, to develop love for the Eucharist and live it as an immense gift of God, since it is the necessary nourishment that we all need for our eternal life"; states the letter by Msgr. Vokal to the faithful. For further information: www.nek2015.cz.