Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Guadalajara (Fides Service) - Some 300 parishes in the archdiocese of Guadalajara are putting the finishing touches to preparations for the 48th International Eucharistic Congress, the first held in Mexico, to be celebrated 10 to 17 October on the theme “The Eucharist Light and Life of the New Millennium”. Besides arranging accommodation for the Congress participants, parishes are also setting up large TV screens on which to project the Congress activities live.
In effect all over Guadalajara City people will follow catechesis and testimony presented in the Congress hall on live TV at their local parish church. In the afternoon there will be a second appointment to reflect the morning’s catechesis and testimony and how to apply it to spiritual, family and parish life. The meeting will end every day with a Concelebration of Mass, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.
As a prelude to the important Eucharistic appointment on Saturday 9 October thousands of children will make their First Holy Communion in parishes throughout the archdiocese. Many of these First Communion masses will be presided by Bishops coming to Mexico for the Congress.
On the same day about 2,000 Mexican cowboys “charros”, who are also musicians and dancers, bearing Eucharistic and Marian standards and banners will parade in the first “Cavalcade of Faith” to pay homage to Jesus in the Eucharist and to commemorate Mexico’s “Martyrs of the Faith”. The cavalcade will travel 24 km, from Lienzo Charro at Santa María Ranch to “Cerro del Tesoro” in Tlaquepaque, where a shrine in honour of the country’s martyrs is under construction. The cavalcade will end with a special Mass at the site of the future Shrine of the Martyrs.
At midday on Sunday 10 October chiming church bells in every church in the city will announce the opening of the Eucharistic Congress. The solemn opening Concelebration of Mass attended by parish delegates will take place in the afternoon in Jalisco Sports Stadium. Later in the evening the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in churches designated for the purpose and this will start 24-hour adoration for the entire duration of the Congress. Mexico has 4 million registered volunteers for regular night adoration of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 4/10/2004; Righe 29; Parole 368)
