The first Archdiocesan Eucharistic Congress (AEC) was held on the 29th and the 30th of November 2024 at St John the Apostle Parish at Tokarara meditating the theme “Come Let Us Adore Him”-Mt 2:11. The Archdiocesan Youth Meet too was organized parallelly which began the previous day on 28th. On 29th the eucharistic catechesis were presented to the faithful by Fr. Edward Ante, Fr. Justin Nenat SVD and Fr. Mathew Sobin PIME. The night vigil adoration to the Blessed Sacrament was led by various parishes following their turn of the holy hour. The crowd was facilitated to participate in the Sacrament of Confession.
(The faithful and Religious attending the mass before the motorcade.)
On the morning of November 30th the solemn Eucharistic Celebration was presided over by His Eminence Sir John Cardinal Ribat, the Archbishop of Port Moresby concelebrated by the diocesan clergy and participated by a great number of the faithful including the youth, catechists, parish leaders, lay ministers and the religious.
His Eminence, by his words rekindled in the faithful the flame of the richness of the Eucharist as the priceless Gift given to us. He reminded those gathered to understand and to respond to this heavenly Source of every Christian life.“The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith,” Cardinal Ribat said. “It signifies the presence of Christ, who offers Himself to us in the most intimate way. It is through the Eucharist that we draw strength for our journey of faith.”
In his homily, Cardinal Ribat shared a moving story that highlighted the transformative power of the Eucharist. He recounted the experience of a man from another faith tradition who attended a Catholic Mass out of curiosity. During the breaking of the bread, the man felt a mysterious yet unmistakable inner voice calling him.
“That moment changed his life forever,” Cardinal Ribat told the congregation. “He felt the presence of God speaking directly to his heart. This profound encounter led him to embrace the Catholic faith. Today, he is a baptized Catholic and one of the leading theologians in our Church.”
After the holy Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is enthroned on the truck-top and motorcaded to the St Mary’s Cathedral. The praises and prayers arose from the long line of motorcade added more devotion to the Santissimum Sacramentum.
As the sacred Monstrance was passing through the city roads hundreds of people on the roadsides received the celestial blessing. The Blessed Sacrament was devotedly welcomed to the cathedral and processed onto the altar for the Eucharistic Blessing.
The first AEC was an event of inspiration to increase the faith in the real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It prepared them for the First National Eucharistic Congress. After the Congress many Christians opinioned that it recreated in them the dignity of the eucharistic people, it united them around the Lord’s Table, they felt the ‘awe’ of the heavenly presence of the Almighty, it generated in them the ever need of participating in the Eucharistic Adoration.
“This was a powerful moment for us as a Church,” one parishioner shared. “The procession reminded us of the beauty of our faith and the strength we draw from being part of a community united in Christ.”
Comments