Dear Editor: We are still experiencing a divine high from our first Parish Eucharistic Congress, “The Eucharist: The Source of Mercy”, held March 3-5 at Immaculate Conception Church in Goose Creek, and would like to share some more information with your readers:
Our speakers were Father James “Jim” Worth, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Maplewood, N.J.; Father Bernard Olszewski, JCD, who joined the Diocese of St. George’s Grenada in the Caribbean in 2007, and was selected by His Holiness Pope Francis to go out to the world during the Jubilee Year of Mercy; Father Luciano Felloni, parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes from the Philippines; and Mother Mary Assumpta Long, OP, the Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Each of these speakers represented their love for Jesus by sharing their personal experiences, talents, and knowledge (historically to present) of life’s journey with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the importance of the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration of the hidden Jesus. The spoke about how we have the wonderful and holy opportunity of the real presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with us and to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration as He waits for us.
We were blessed to have testimonies from Jennifer Mayen-Gutierrez, Brother Rafael Padron, CRM, and Fe Ancheta, who gave their hearts to show us how Jesus’ great love and mercy has worked and continues to work in their own personal lives after having had prayed before Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. God’s grace was truly present.
The youth gave beautiful Animations (presentations) that moved everyone’s heart toward a reflection of Jesus’ great love for all of us.
We even had the opportunity to stretch and move with music. The Holy Spirit had a smile on everyone’s face.
We were given the opportunity for an open forum with all of the speakers and some concerns and questions were addressed from the attendees of the congress and were answered.
We then were blessed to have our Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone as celebrant for our evening Holy Mass. Our altar was full of holy men who love our Lord. The Mass was glorious and the Church was full to capacity.
Afterwards was a Eucharistic procession, which we moved out of the Church’s parking lot onto St. James Avenue, sharing our Lord to bless Goose Creek.
Sunday was devoted entirely to the children and youth of our parish. It was good to see the focused attention on Christ’s love for the future of our Church and for America.
We also are very blessed to have the Vatican Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition in our parish. Everyone is invited to view them until after Easter.
If you would like to see and hear the talks and many pictures that were taken of our Parish Congress, “The Eucharist: The Source of Mercy”, visit Immaculate Conception’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Immaculate-Conception-Catholic-Church-35138012303/.
We also give thanks to our pastor, Father Jason Caganap, CRM, plus all the Adorno fathers and brothers, and all the parishioners who worked together for the success of this truly grace-filled weekend.
Thank you.
Respectfully yours in Christ,
Mrs. Marie “Annette” M. Griebsch, member of the St. Francis Caracciolo Eucharistic Adoration Ministry of Immaculate Conception Church
Hanahan
