Pope Francis delivered a special message about the Eucharist in a private audience.
"The Eucharist is God's answer to the deepest hunger of the human heart, the hunger for true life: in it, Christ himself is really in our midst to nourish us, console us and sustain us on our journey," Pope Francis said.
He welcomed members of the United States' Eucharistic Revivial initiative, which includes an over 6,000 mile pilgrimage across the country and a National Congress.
Eighty thousand people are expected to attend the Congress that will take place in Indianapolis in 2024 at an important time in the Church.
"I think we're in a moment right now where the world is hurting—I know that's really obvious—but the Church is also hurting in so many different ways," said Tim Glemkowski, director of the National Eucharistic Congress. "And so to have a reconnection, and a bringing back to a relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, to me there is a simplicity and a beauty to coming back to that first love and encounter that really cuts through so much of the noise."
Pope Francis blessed the monstrance that will be used at the Congress and encouraged the members to continue their mission.
"He talked about the importance of how Eucharist leads to mission and that really we are to be missionaries of the Eucharist," said Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend. "Again, the idea that we are nourished by the love of Christ in the Eucharist and we're nourished really to serve—to go out and to serve."
Their meeting with Pope Francis left leaders of America's National Eucharistic Revival even more inspired and hopeful for their initative that leads up to the 2025 jubilee year.
Read the pope's full message to the organizing committee of the U.S. National Eucharistic Revival.