Archdiocese to hold 'Day of Service'

By Rob Herbst
The Catholic Week 
Tens of thousands of Catholics will head to Indianapolis this summer for the National Eucharistic Congress, the first of its kind in 83 years.
In prelude to the congress, the Archdiocese of Mobile will hold its own special Eucharistic event on Saturday, June 15—with a clear mission to help neighbors. 
The archdiocese’s Office for Evangelization and Family Life is sponsoring the “Eucharistic Day of Service.” The day begins with 8 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, followed by an approximately 1.5-mile Eucharistic procession to St. Mary Parish in Mobile. After a talk by McGill-Toolen Theology teacher Jarvis Williams, the day will culminate with volunteers taking part in various service projects throughout the archdiocese. 
“The Eucharist is good in and of itself. Celebrating the Eucharist, processing the Eucharist, consuming the Eucharist, these are all good things,” said office director Pat Arensberg. “But we’re not supposed to be just receiving. We should be giving to our brothers and sisters. We are missionized by the Eucharist. But sometimes I don’t know if we are on mission.” 
The service projects are organized by the archdiocese and are suited to peoples’ various skill sets. Details and registration can be found at mobarch.org/dayofservice. 
Lunch will be provided at all sites, Arensberg said, and projects are expected to finish in the early afternoon.
Transportation will be provided from St. Mary Parish to the Cathedral for those who participate in the procession and listen to Williams’ talk on the connection between the Eucharist and service.
“This is meant to establish in peoples’ minds that there’s a real connection between being Eucharistic people and people of service,” Arensberg said.
The archdiocese’s event is part of the National Eucharistic Revival, an initiative launched by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2022. The revival will be capped by the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21.
-Visit mobarch.org/dayofservice for more information.