Letter from Bishop Andrew Cozzens

Dear Friends in Christ,

 Welcome to the most important phase of the National Eucharistic Revival! When the bishops of the United States began this Revival, they envisioned that—through a renewed encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—the People of God in our country would be formed, healed, converted, united, and sent out to a world that is hurting and hungry. This Revival began with an invitation to dioceses and then to parishes in preparation for the mission phase, and that time has now arrived.

 While the National Eucharistic Congress in July 2024—the first such national Eucharistic Congress in our country in 83 years—stands as a key moment for the National Eucharistic Revival, it is by no means the conclusion of our Revival. The next phase of the Revival invites us to go out and share the love of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist to transform the world!  I invite each of you—no matter your vocational state in life, age, or profession—to continue encountering our Lord in the Eucharist, to grow in relationship with him, to allow Jesus in the Eucharist to shape your identity, and to go out on mission with him for the life of the world!

Pope Francis, in his catechesis on Luke 24:13–25 (the “Road to Emmaus”), instructs us that Jesus “repeats for the disciples the fundamental gesture of every Eucharist. He takes bread, blesses it, breaks it and gives it. Does not Jesus’ entire history perhaps lie in this series of gestures? And is there not in every Eucharist, also the symbol of what the Church should be? Jesus takes us, blesses us, ‘breaks’ our life—because there is no love without sacrifice—and offers it to others; he offers it to everyone” (General Audience, May 24, 2017). In this playbook we have outlined this model, and it is organized according to the ongoing dynamic of four pillars: Eucharistic Encounter, Eucharistic Identity, Eucharistic Life, and Eucharistic Mission.

This Playbook, written as an open invitation to all engaged Catholics in the United States, offers ideas for helping you find different ways to participate in this Eucharistic Revival, whether you have been with us since the beginning or are just joining us for the first time. Each section provides strategies, ideas from around the country, and examples from saints who embodied each of these invitations. Please share this Playbook with others so that they, too, might join in the Eucharistic Revival and pray for its success.

At the beginning of this letter, I called this the greatest phase of the National Eucharistic Revival because it includes a concrete call to each of us as practicing Catholics to take ownership of Eucharistic renewal of our country. To this end, we have a new initiative for this mission year called “Walk with One”! This initiative is meant to challenge each of us to ask the Holy Spirit to show us one person whom we could accompany in and through these invitations.

 Dioceses and parishes also have a role to play in this critical year. Throughout this National Eucharistic Revival, there have been numerous examples of bishops and pastors making this initiative a reality in their dioceses and parishes. But no matter how much or how little you have been able to participate thus far, we encourage you to join us in this mission phase, providing holy opportunities for encounter, forming minds and hearts for a Eucharistic identity, offering guidance and spiritual nourishment for living a Eucharistic life, and helping those in your care go out on mission!

 Let us ask the Lord to continue to remain with us, to reveal to us our truest selves, to form us, and to guide us forth into the world, living out the missionary spirit of the Church, beginning with that person he is calling us to reach. This is the work of a synodal Church—inviting a deeper participation, communion, and sense of mission!

 In Christ,

Bishop Andrew Cozzens

Bishop of Crookston (Minnesota);  Chairman of the National Eucharistic Revival