STAMFORD, May 21 — The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Seton Route stopped for a period of adoration, solemn Vespers, a Eucharistic procession, and benediction at the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford, Connecticut.
The Basilica's pastor, Fr. Cyprian LaPastina, received the custodia containing the Blessed Sacrament at the top of the stairs from pilgrim Fr. Stephen Rooney, and proceeded to place the consecrated host in a monstrance or an elevated platform high up on the main altar.
After a 30 minute period of silent adoration, Father LaPastina led the roughly 200 faithful in attendance in Solemn Vespers of the Holy Eucharist, accompanied by the Basilica's renowned choir and organ.
After the reading at Vespers, featuring St. Paul's words about the institution of the Holy Eucharist (1 Cor 11:23-26), Fr. Roger Landry preached a homily on St. John the Evangelist and the Holy Eucharist.
Father Landry said that the Gospel of St. John and his three letters can all be summarized by a focus on what the evangelist wrote in his prologue: "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us," and that the faithful have been able to see, hear, touch and even taste him. Fr. Landry also pondered the words of Jesus remembered exclusively by St. John summoning us to "labor for the food that endures to eternal life" that Jesus gives us every day.
He added that St. John, likewise, calls us to have to make a choice. He stresses that "Jesus came to his own, but his own didn't accept him," how "the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness because their deeds were evil," and how many of Jesus' "disciples" were those who, when Jesus told them that they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood to have life in him, left him, murmuring, "This teaching is hard. Who can endure it?"
In every age, Fr. Landry continued, there is a choice between accepting Jesus, living in his light, and drawing our life from him in the Eucharist.
Fr. Landry finished his homily by giving a Johannine light on the four pillars of the parish phase of the Eucharist Revival: on reinvigorating worship, encountering Jesus in adoration, robustly passing on our Eucharistic faith, and charity.
To listen to Fr. Landry's homily, click here.
At the conclusion of the Vespers, Fr. LaPastina led a Eucharistic Procession around the immediate neighborhood of the parish while the Roasry was being prayed, before returning to the Church for Benediction.
Father Rooney then processed out of the Church with the Blessed Sacrament as the National Eucharistic Pilgrims then went to the Church of St. Gabriel in Stamford.