Duluth, Crookston Dioceses to Host Eucharistic Congress May 17-18

Submitted by DEACON KYLE ELLER

The Catholic Dioceses of Crookston and Duluth will jointly host the Star of the North Eucharistic Congress at the Sanford Center in Bemidji May 17-18, preceding the May 19 commencement of the Marian Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage at the headwaters of the great Mississippi River in Itasca State Park.

Registration is open, and all are invited to attend. The event is expected to draw bishops, clergy, and pilgrims from across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Wisconsin, gathering to celebrate and glorify Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

A Eucharistic Congress is an event dedicated to honoring and bearing witness to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The events often draw large crowds who gather for Mass, for eucharistic devotions such as adoration, as well as for talks and testimonials. They can take place, as the Star of the North Congress is, at the regional level but also at the national and even the international scale.

The Star of the North Congress will feature a host of dynamic speakers. In addition to addresses by the two hosting bishops, Bishop Daniel Felton of the Duluth Diocese and Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Crookston Diocese, who is helping to lead the National Eucharistic Revival efforts of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, two internationally known speakers based in Minnesota will be speaking - Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Ministries and now Bishop of the Diocese of WinonaRochester, and Father Mike Schmitz, a priest of the Duluth Diocese who has drawn a wide audience with his videos for Ascension Press and his Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts. Sister Jude Andrew Link, OP, known for her work through her community’s apostolate on catechetical and educational resources, will be presenting, and Saints Alive will host a special family track. Throughout the conference, Aly Aleigha, from the Duluth Diocese, will provide music, leading praise and worship.

“This Eucharistic Congress hosted by our two dioceses is a beautiful opportunity to come together with Catholics from far and wide to encounter Jesus more deeply in the Holy Eucharist,” said Bishop Felton. “May this deep encounter with Jesus light our hearts on fire with the Holy Spirit to bring his healing, hope, and joy to all the people in our lives.”

“As we deepen our relationship with God the Father and our identity as his beloved sons and daughters, the Lord will strengthen us for the mission we have ahead of us - which is to be the Body of Christ in the world today,” said Bishop Cozzens. “Join us in Bemidji May 17-19. Your participation will help to make the Eucharistic Revival fruitful.”

The cost of the Star of the North Eucharistic Congress is $40 for adults (18 and over) and $30 for youth (ages 7-17). Children ages 6 and under are free. All seating is general admission. For more information or to register, visit the Star of the North Eucharistic Congress website at www.crookstoneucharist.org.

Deacon Kyle Eller is Director of Communications for the Diocese of Duluth.