Archbishop Vigneron discusses impact, hope of Eucharistic congress on podcast

National gathering of Catholics in July showed the 'Church is alive in the United States,' archbishop says on 'Eyes on Jesus'

DETROIT — In the latest episode of his “Eyes on Jesus” podcast, released Aug. 28, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron unpacked both the personal and archdiocesan impact of the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, which took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, July 17-21.

Speaking alongside host Michael Chamberland and special episode guest Kim Kerwin, a theology teacher at St. Fabian School in Farmington Hills, Archbishop Vigneron spoke about his experience at the congress, the renewal he experienced, and the many graces of the revival that have yet to reveal themselves.

“It reaffirmed for me my own conviction about leading the Church in the new evangelization in that the Eucharistic Revival is a very, very important, principal dimension for the new evangelization,” Archbishop Vigneron explained in the episode, the 54th since his podcast launched in 2019. “It’s kind of the way to focus our attention on Christ and his good news."

“(The revival) has made me think about my own preaching and teaching about what we might call a Eucharistic spirituality — that acknowledging the presence (of Jesus) is very important, but the fruit of being in the presence of Christ is to be joined with him in making an offering of ourselves.”

Kerwin made a last-minute decision to attend the revival after meeting pilgrims who were walking to the congress from northern Minnesota along their route in South Bend. Her experience at the congress further sealed her conviction.

“For me, it sealed in that I do humbly what I can in my ministry in the parish, but with the conviction that the Eucharist is the true presence of Christ,” Kerwin said. “I came into ministry the same summer that Archbishop Vigneron wrote Unleash the Gospel … and those guideposts really helped me with what am I doing, why am I here, and just reaffirmed (my conviction) to continue to listen to the Holy Spirit.”

“Eyes on Jesus” is a monthly podcast with Archbishop Vigneron, hosted by Mary Wilkerson, a parishioner at Divine Child Parish in Dearborn, and Michael Chamberland, a parishioner at St. Genevieve-St. Maurice Parish in Livonia. The podcast launched in 2019 as a way for the archbishop to share his vision for the missionary transformation of the Church in southeast Michigan and to discuss the fruits of the Unleash the Gospel movement.

More than 300 Detroit-area pilgrims attended the National Eucharistic Congress, joining an estimated 50,000 Catholics from across the country. While in Indianapolis, Detroit pilgrims celebrated Mass with Archbishop Vigneron at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Archbishop Vigneron said the Mass with the Detroit faithful was “the high point of the week.”

Kerwin agreed, referring to it as a “happy reunion.” Kerwin recalled that in the evening, as pilgrims made their way back to their hotels, many stayed in the downtown area to try to find dinner.

“(One night) we were in a Steak and Shake, and it was completely full of Catholics all with their little lanyards and their name tags,” Kerwin recalled.

Kerwin said the wait for food was long, but in the interim, conversation broke out and fellowship formed between the Catholics from all walks of life and all areas of the country.

“Everyone was just talking and sharing … it was similar to any conference, but with a different vibe because the conviction to be there for the Eucharist was so powerful and so specific,” Kerwin said. “Often when we go to conferences, people are looking for something different or they are encountering something for the first time. This (had) so much conviction of, ‘We are all here for Christ. Let’s share, let’s talk about it and let's share some onion rings in the process.’”

Archbishop Vigneron recalled running into congregants and fellow clergy from past ministries, including from his tenure as bishop of Oakland, Calif., from 2003-09.

“Over time, people would come up and greet me, people I knew from Oakland, for example, or other ministries,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “I was surprised. It made me aware of how connected I've been with so many people."

The Eucharist is the "sacrament of communion," Archbishop Vigneron pointed out, "and it reminded me of how rich the communion of the Church has been in my life.”

One of the catalysts for the congress was an alarming set of statistics from a Pew Research showing waning belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Kerwin, who was born and raised Catholic, said she has observed the reality of this study in the lives of many people with whom she grew up and went to school.

“I see in my own little existence how many people that I was catechized with are not part of the faith anymore; they walked away. They didn't have that anchor to the Eucharist,” Kerwin said. “It’s heartbreaking to think about it, because you are walking away from the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus that is meant to strengthen you, to give you grace and bring you to God.”

However, Kerwin said, the revival has sparked hope within the Church for a change, as well as renewed belief in the Real Presence.

The congress provided a focus for the path forward for the Church in the United States toward the new evangelization, Archbishop Vigneron added.

“One of the great graces of the congress and really the whole revival is a profound sense to anyone who is watching that the Church is alive in the United States, and that gives us encouragement," Archbishop Vigneron said. "But besides the encouragement, it gives me gives a motive for praise and thanks. There are parts of the world where the local Church is struggling so much more than we are. We have our challenges, (but) when I get discouraged by the challenges we face in the secularized world — a world often apathetic to the Gospel — God has made it possible for us, (and we have) a lot going for us.”