At the close of the National Eucharistic Congress’ final Mass, Bishop Andrew H Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, asked the crowd of 60,000 gathered in Lucas Oil Stadium if they would identify one person in their life to intentionally evangelise.
“What would happen if 70 million Catholics did that?” he asked 21 July referring to an estimated number of Catholics in the United States. “And so my question is: Will you do it?” The crowd cheered.
Bishop Cozzens referred them to the US bishops’ “Walk with One” initiative that provides resources to help Catholics engage in “spiritual companionship” and effectively evangelise through relationships.
The initiative is a key component of the Year of Mission, the third and final year of the US bishops’ National Eucharistic Revival, which began in 2022 and included the 17-21 July congress and its preceding National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.
Congress-goers from Georgia, Mississippi and Utah shared their reaction to that call, noting they’re considering how to reach out to certain friends and family members who no longer practice the faith, or are not Catholic.
Derrek Nguyen, 16, said he wanted to help better catechise the children in his Salt Lake City-area parish’s faith formation classes. “This is real. This is where you’re from. This is who you are,” he said.