Day 64 — Eucharistic Procession in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, July 20 — The 64th Day of the Seton Route's National Eucharistic Pilgrimage featured by far the biggest pilgrimage on all four routes and likely the largest Eucharistic procession in many decades in the United States, involving tens of thousands journeying from St. John the Evangelist Church across from the Indiana Convention Center to the Indiana War Memorial.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Archbishop Charles Thompson rode in a float containing the Blessed Sacrament. Thousands of religious, deacons and priests preceded several hundred bishops in front of the Eucharistic Lord. Tens of thousands of faithful followed.

At the Indiana War Memorial, the servers and bishops preceded Bishop Cozzens up the many steps to where an altar was set up, fittingly right before two huge doors bearing the words "Spirit" and "Life," two words taken from Jesus' Bread of Life Discourse from the Capernaum Synagogue (Jn 6:63). After a period of adoration assisted by praise and worship music, Bishop Cozzens gave benediction and led the multitude in singing the Divine Praises.

In the morning, Seton Route Pilgrims got together for a team Mass at the chapel set up by the Napa Institute at the Omni Severin Hotel. Father Roger Landry, chaplain to the Route, celebrated Mass and preached.

In his homily, he focused on Isaiah's words quoted by St. Matthew in the day's Gospel and applied them to the Eucharist. "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight." Jesus in the Eucharist is the further fulfillment of those prophetic words as in the Eucharist he does "not contend or cry out," no one hears his voice in the streets, he doesn't break bruised reeds or extinguish smoldering wicks. He is ultimately meek and humble of heart and that is hte way he reestablishes justice on earth full of mercy, Landry said.

During the rest of the day, Seton Route pilgrims attended various sessions of the Congress, including the night session, which included adoration and talks by Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the program The Chosen. Roumie came out wearing a white t-shirt with Flannery O'Connor's famous quip about the Eucharist, that if it is just a symbol, "to hell with it." He mentioned how daily Mass has changed his life and powerfully read from Jesus' Bread of LIfe discourse in his accent from The Chosen.