Revival and Renewal

How Eucharistic Revival and Parish Renewal Go Together

One month ago, I had the privilege of hosting a conversation between Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Bishop of Crookston, Minnesota, who is leading the US-based, three-year Eucharistic Revival, and Fr. James Mallon, the founder of Divine Renovation.

It was a fascinating conversation bridging Eucharistic revival and parish renewal. I encourage you to listen to the whole discussion in which we discuss:

• how the different dimensions of the Mass (memorial, meal, sacrifice) should be held together, and how emphasising one or another can be distorting;

• celebrating the Eucharist in and of itself does not propel a parish to be evangelistic - the liturgy has become disconnected from mission;

• the Eucharist in its authenticity needs to be about transformation - it transforms us to go out and bring Jesus to the world;

• the question of fruitfulness has been downplayed when we overplay sacramental validity: if transformation is the ultimate goal, then fruitfulness is a critical question - how do we help people actively participate for the sake of the fruitfulness of the Eucharist in their lives?

• a Mass can be celebrated validly with little care for preaching, music, or hospitality… and the fruitfulness will be little in the lives of the congregation. There is much that can be done to dispose people to open their hearts;

• the Sunday experience can dispose us to “do the work” - the interior work of actively participating in the Eucharist, offering Jesus to the Father;

• when the laity engages in the “work”, bringing the substance of their faith to the liturgy, it raises the faith, too, of the presiding priest… this increases the subjective fruitfulness of the Eucharist.

So much Eucharistic “food” for thought here concerning the connections between evangelisation and the Eucharist. What struck you?