Before I became Catholic, I was a fundamentalist Baptist. Catholic friends I met online challenged me to consider their point of view before I reject the Catholic Church wholesale. I spent 3 years in study, and during that time I started attending Eucharistic Adoration, and then Mass. I found great solace and peace in the Eucharistic Adoration chapel. Even though I did not yet understand or accept the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, there was something different about the sacred space that I had stepped into. Jesus worked on my heart over a number of months, before I finally surrendered and said,
Yes, Lord! I do want to receive you in the Eucharist.
Today we are in the midst of a National Eucharistic Revival in the United States. Our bishops are calling Catholics to step forward as Eucharistic Missionaries. Here are SPSE’s “Top 5 Ways to be a Eucharistic Missionary.”
5. Recognize that the Eucharist is a who not a what
In Luke 24:13-35, Jesus walks with two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. They do not recognize who Jesus is. Then he celebrates the Lord’s Supper with them and disappears. It is in the breaking of the bread that the disciples recognize who Jesus is.
In paragraph 1374 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says,
The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as the perfection of the sacramental economy. The body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ, and therefore the whole Christ, is truly, really, and substantially contained.
The Eucharist is not simply a piece of bread and a cup of wine. If it was, Catholics wouldn’t be mere idolaters. We would be stupid idolaters — who worships a piece of bread? But all of Sacred Scripture, from the sacrifice of bread and wine by Melchizedek in Genesis 14, to the Passover in Exodus 12, to the Bread of Life discourse in John 6 — all points to the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. And that means that the Eucharist is not a what, it’s a who. It is Jesus we meet in the Eucharist, as closely as we can this side of Heaven. It’s vital to our own salvation to receive the Holy Eucharist as often and as devoutly as we can, and the graces given will help us become better missionary disciples, drawing more souls to Christ in the Eucharist. As St. John Chrysostom said,
The table is set, the feast is ready, the bread is the body of Christ and the cup is His blood. Let us receive with joy the food which our Lord has provided for us.
4. Distribute our holy cards
In honor of the National Eucharistic Revival, SPSE has produced special Eucharistic holy cards. We gave away thousands of these holy cards at the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN in July 2024. A great many of these went to non-Catholics. These cards are a great way to “spread seeds,” to raise awareness of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and spread devotion to Him. You can purchase them here (we also have a Spanish version).
3. Invite someone to Light the Fire or another adoration event
As I mentioned, spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist was instrumental in my own conversion to the Catholic faith. I spent many hours with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The Mass usually isn’t the best event to invite someone that you are evangelizing to. The Mass is, properly speaking, for faithful Catholic disciples where they go to be nourished. During the Order of Christian Initiation catechumens and candidates waiting to become Catholic leave with the Gospels after the homily for separate instruction because they cannot yet receive Communion. Likewise, if someone hasn’t even started OCIA, it’s often a good idea to pick something other than Mass to bring them to. One powerful option might be an evening of Eucharistic Adoration with music and prayer teams.
When people meet Jesus in the Eucharist, they experience profound conversions.
St. Paul Street Evangelization offers a free program called “Light the Fire,” available here. We give your parish all the instructions they need to host the event. SPSE offers this event at our national conference each year. It’s always hugely fruitful as people come in off the streets, pray before the Eucharist, and receive prayer from prayer teams. Catholics also go to Confession if they wish (many have been away for a long time). When people meet Jesus in the Eucharist, they experience profound conversions.
2. Invite a Catholic back to Confession and Mass (Use “One Good Reason”)
If someone is Catholic, it’s never a bad idea to invite them back to Confession and Mass. Even if it has been years. You could offer to go with them, go to Confession first, and even introduce them to the priest before they go to Confession. I have done that before.
I might go to Confession and then say,
Hey Father, my friend, Dave, is next, and he wanted to go to Confession with me. He hasn’t been in 10 years and he’s nervous. He asked me if I would just do a quick introduction.
I would then grab my new friend and say something like,
Father: meet Dave. Dave: meet Father.
It’s quick, simple, and Dave’s mind is now at ease. Of course, if a longer conversation might be in order before the person goes back to Confession and Mass, set up an appointment with the priest over a cup of coffee or lunch. I’ve also been known to pull Father out of the sacristy after Mass to hear a Confession for someone. As long as they have time, they never mind being bothered to do so.
If you meet a Catholic who isn’t going to Mass, use our “One Good Reason” method to invite them to Mass. At St. Paul Street Evangelization we like to say,
Can I give you one good reason that I go to Mass each Sunday?
(We also use this method to give good reasons for believing in God, going to Confession, having faith in Jesus, being Catholic, and other things.)
My “one good reason” might be,
I have been married for 20 years. Would I love my wife very much if I told her ‘Honey, I told you on our wedding day that I love you. If anything changes, I will let you know.’ Or else, ‘I don’t need to spend time with you or tell you that I love you. I already did that.’ What would happen? I’d probably meet Jesus that night after she clobbered me to death. The same is true with God. We can’t love God if we don’t spend time with Him. And the most powerful way to spend time with Him is in the Mass.
1. Pray for souls by signing up for a weekly holy hour
Finally, one of the most powerful ways to be a Eucharistic Missionary is to pray for souls during a weekly Holy Hour. I’ve been surprised by how few Catholics make a regular Holy Hour. It’s so important to our spiritual nourishment and relationship with God to spend time with Him in Adoration. Our chapels and churches should be full of Catholics 24/7, praying for the salvation of souls.
In the Eucharist, we have the greatest expression of God’s love for us. Adoration is the response to this infinite love.
St. Alphonsus Liguori