Church Leaders Welcome Jesus on His Journey to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress

(KNSI) – Jesus’ journey in a consecrated host to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis began at Lake Itasca and traveled 1,000 miles, being carried in a device called a Monstrance. Its procession to the NEC made a stop in St. Cloud in June.

Father Scott Pogatchnik, Vicar General for the Diocese of St. Cloud, was at the beginning portion of the procession, which began at the Cathedral of St. Mary. He walked roughly six miles of the 13-mile route, bringing Jesus to the next stop. He explained walking with Jesus and the faithful was “Incredible. Just to see people come out and bring Jesus into the public square, more than anything else. It’s where He wants to be. He wants to be out and so that was so beautiful to see.”

Thursday marks the first official day of the Congress. So far, Father Scott says he feels “tremendous gratitude” and “moved by the immensity of God by just the tender power and authority that he has is incredible. We talk about faith can move mountains and this is what God can do.”

Bishop Patrick Neary added he is “taking inspiration from Jesus’s word speaking through all the presenters” and being with the people of St. Cloud, “I’m going to see them later today, and just that connection [and] bringing this back to our diocese.”

When the attendees go back, the Bishop says he hopes they recognize and share that Christ dwells in each one of us. “It’s realizing in my family in my life, my children, my mom and dad. So we’ve got to start seeing Christ in each other even more and more, even though we have our struggles and differences. Can we see that?”

Once he gets back to St. Cloud, Father Scott says he’s looking forward to “everyone going back with testimony going back as a witness and really relaying to people that we meet in our regular lives and our workplaces on the streets, just how good God is.”

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