49th International Eucharistic Congress
June 15-22, 2008, Quebec City

The 49th International Eucharistic Congress will take place in Quebec City from June 15-22, 2008, with between 12,000 to 15,000 delegates from over sixty countries taking part, and some 250,000 faithful at the closing Divine Liturgy at which Pope Benedict XI is expected to preside via satellite link.

What is an International Eucharistic Congress?

International Eucharistic Congresses are intended to “make ever better known, loved and served, Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Eucharistic Mystery, as centre of the life of the Church and of its mission for the salvation of the world” (nos. 2 and 3a, Statutes, Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses).

Eucharistic Congresses date back to 1881, when the first Congress was held in Lille, France, and are now held every four years as designated by the pope.

Конґрес 2008 року співпадає з 400-річчям заснування міста Квебек і появою Католицької Церкви на американських землях на північ від Мексики. Канада вдруге прийматиме Євхаристійний Конґрес. Перший відбувся в Монреалі 1910 року, і між учасниками тоді був миторополит Андрей Шептицький, чиї відвідини сприяли призначенню священомученика Никиту Будку єпископом для українських католиків у Канаді в 1912 році.

The 2008 Congress in Quebec City will be a one full week of celebration, catechism, adoration, processions, fraternal encounters, involvement in favour of the needy, cultural and social activities open to everyone, and family and youth oriented activities. Perhaps for the first time at Eucharistic Congresses, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom will be celebrated, led by the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada.

До початку Конґресу 11-е по 13-е червня відбудеться богословський та пасторальний симпозіум для поглиблення нашого розуміння Євхаристійної Тайни.

The Meaning of the Divine Eucharist

The centre of Christian worship is the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The various names by which it is also known give a further understanding of its meaning: Communion, Sacrifice, Sanctification, Mysteries, Offering and Oblation, Eucharist or Thanksgiving, and Breaking of the Bread.

At the Last Supper, the Lord gave his disciples his Body, which was offered for us on the cross, and his Blood, which was poured out for us. In this manner, he instituted the true and mystical sacrifice.

Nicholas Cabasilas, a commentator on the Divine Liturgy, expresses it thus: “So perfect is this Mystery, so far does it excel every other sacred rite that it leads to the very summit of good things. Here also is the final goal of every human endeavour. For in it we obtain God Himself, and God is united with us in the most perfect union….

“Since it was not possible for us to ascend to Him and participate in that which is His, He came down to us and partook of that which is ours. So perfectly has He coalesced with that which He has taken that He imparts Himself to us by giving us what He has assumed from us.

“As we partake of His human Body and Blood we receive God Himself into our souls. It is thus God’s Body and Blood which we receive, His soul, mind, and will, no less than those of His humanity” (The Life in Christ, IV, 10. 26: SCh 355, 270. 288).

Congress Theme

The theme of the Congress is: “The Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world.” As Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec, remarked “The Eucharist, as we receive it from the account of its institution, is evidence of the gift which the Son made of Himself for the multitude, a gift of love for the Father and for us, which seals the New Covenant.”

Євхаристію також можна зрозуміти, як дар для світу від Отця – дар Свого Єдинородного Сина, воплоченого та розп’ятого , який зібрав навколо Свого стола розкиданих дітей Божих . Кінець кінцем – це дар Троїчного причастя за життя світу дією Святого Духа, який забезпечує всеціле причастя вірних у цій Заповітній тайні.”

Daily Themes and Celebrations

Special Call to the Youth

Youth are especially encouraged to participate in the 2008 Congress, which has a special youth component designed to help them:

• To be resourced and buoyed, to deepen and celebrate the Eucharist
• To meet other young Catholics from around the world
• To experience a huge intergenerational Church gathering
• To build yourself up to be a witness of Christ in your midst
• To reclaim and deepen our Christian heritage
• To bear witness to the fact that youth are active in the Church
• To breathe new life into our Church by sharing your particular vibrancy

The Ark of the New Covenant

At a Youth Summit held in May 2005, the youth expressed their desire that a symbolic object, like that of the World Youth Day Cross, travel across Canada to prepare the way for the Congress. The idea of the Ark of the New Covenant therefore was born as conceived and designed by youth themselves.

The Ark of the New Covenant is an historical first for International Eucharistic Congresses. It is rich in meaning and symbolism and helps us to deepen our understanding of the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist.

The Ark resembles the design of the Ark of the Covenant in which Moses placed the Ten Commandments and is in the form of a boat, bringing to mind Noah’s Ark, which saved Noah and his family, as well as two of every species of animals from the Flood. The Ark also refers to Peter, the Rock, upon whom Jesus makes the foundation of the Church. With this New Covenant, the boat has become a symbol of the Church, that is, the people of God, journeying together. Like Peter, Jesus commands us to put out into deep water, to bear the Gospel message to all nations.

A chest sits inside the Ark with eight icons of the New Testament, which serve as a basis for catechesis.

The four larger icons represent the various moments of the Paschal Mystery:

• The Last Supper, which Jesus celebrates with His disciples and which the Church commemorates on Holy Thursday
• The passion and death of Jesus, which the Church commemorates on Good Friday
• The Vigil of Mary, His Mother, which is celebrated on Holy Saturday
• The Resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning, which is celebrated on Easter Sunday

The four smaller icons also bring to mind the various aspects of the Divine Eucharist:

• The multiplication of the loaves (Mt 14:19-21; 15:36-37)
• The wedding at Cana in Galilee (Jn 2:1-11)
• The washing of the feet (Jn 13:13-15)
• The disciples of Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35)

The top of the chest is designed to hold the Bible or a monstrance.

Take the Pledge

The Ark is also designed to hold commitment forms from the faithful who are invited to adopt a “Eucharistic Charter.”

Following is a list of personal pledges you can make. These pledges, written down, will be placed inside the Ark, then sent to Quebec City where they will be offered together in prayer.

1. I pledge to respond to your invitation to take part in the Sunday Eucharist with my brothers and sisters gathered together.

For where two or three meet in my name, I am gathered there among them (Mt 18:20).

2. I pledge to carefully listen to your Word. I will meditate and pray on your Word. I will put your Word into practice and do what you say, day after day.

And the Word became flesh and he lived among us (Jn 1:14).

3. I pledge to support the priest in his ministry and recognize that you are acting through him in the Eucharist and other sacraments.

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body” (Mt 26:26).

4. I pledge to welcome your love by partaking of your body and to take the time to prolong our encounter in prayer and reflection.

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never by hungry; whoever believes in me will never by thirsty (Jn 6:35).

5. I pledge to recognize you in all people, especially those who are the most difficult to love, seeing in everyone a brother, a sister, because God’s Spirit dwells in everyone.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16).

6. I pledge to stand by you, Jesus crucified, along with your mother, the Virgin Mary, helping my brothers and sisters who suffer in body, mind and spirit.

Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me (Mt 25:40).

Financial Support

It is anticipated that the 2008 Congress will require an operating budget of approximately $8 million, of which $2 million is projected for expenses related to the visit of the pope.

An important contribution is from the Knights of Columbus, who have committed themselves to a $1 million donation. This amount is in addition to the contributions from the Archdiocese of Quebec and religious communities which have supported this project since the beginning.

The remaining required monies will come from the generosity of the faithful throughout Canada, including Ukrainian Catholics in our various eparchies.

More Information

For more information on the 2008 Congress and to register, visit www.cei2008.ca.

Official Prayer of the Congress

God our Father,
We bless you and give you thanks
For your Son Jesus, the gift of your love
For the life of the world.

Watch over your Church as it celebrates in joy and hope
The 49th International Eucharistic Congress.

Renew our faith in the Holy Eucharist,
The memorial of your Son’s death and resurrection.

May your Holy Spirit shed its light upon us
And grant us strength
To serve as faithful witnesses to the Gospel.

Nourish us with your Word and your Bread of Life
So that united with Mary, 
The Mother of your Divine Son and Mother of the Church,
We will bear much fruit for the salvation of the world.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Пресвята Євхаристія –
Божий дар для життя світу  

Отче Боже наш,
ми благодаримо і дякуємо Тобі
за Сина Твого Ісуса, дар Твоєї любови
для життя світу.

Споглянь на Твою Церкву, що з радістю та надією
святкує 49-ий Міжнародний Євхаристійний Конґрес.

Віднови віру у Пресвяту Євхаристію,
цей символ Твого Сина смерти і воскресіння.

Нехай Дух Святий освітить нас
та дарує нам силу
бути вірними свідками св. Євангелії.

Корми нас Твоїм Словом та Хлібом життя,
щоб разом з Пречистою Марією,
Богородицеєю і Матірю Церкви,
ми могли творчо працювати для спасіння світу.

Прийми, Господи, нашу молитву!