Pilgrims Fill Churches, Streets of Baton Rouge During   Stop to National Eucharistic Congress

Approximately 1,100 pilgrims on the St. Juan Diego Pilgrimage Route to the National Eucharistic Congress in Cincinnati proceeded through downtown Baton Rouge on June 7, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As they made the 1.5-mile Eucharistic Procession from Sacred Heart of Jesus Church to St. Joseph Cathedral, they appeared to have a “Disciples on the Road to Emmaus” encounter with Jesus. They focused less on the sweltering heat than their experiences with Jesus, asking: “Were not our hearts burning?”   

The day began with Mass at Sacred Heart. Father Josh Johnson, pastor of Sacred Heart, spoke passionately about the need to bring Jesus into places that are “just not comfortable” to touch the hearts and lives of others with the Gospel. 

This revelation came to Father Johnson as he accompanied a youth group from Sacred Heart to Louisiana State Penitentiary. At the end of the retreat, an inmate shared with him his life story, why he was there, and the adverse conditions the inmates face. Father Johnson realized that ministry is often limited to where it is “safe.” 

 “I was convicted by the word of God. I received permission from the warden, and every week, about three of my friends and I go to those places where we are cursed, where they spit at us ... We keep going back because we want to share Jesus with everyone,” said Father Johnson. 

Likewise, people are called to go out from the comfort of the church into the messy realities of life: the streets within the geographic boundaries of parishes where people are ostracized, struggle with mental illness and drug abuse, domestic violence, or even murder. 

“To love Jesus is not to limit him,” said Father Johnson. 

Following Mass, the pilgrims proceeded to St. Joseph Cathedral.  

During a holy hour with Bishop Michael G. Duca, the bishop focused on Jesus’ encounter with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13–35). 

The bishop said the reading is significant because Catholics nationwide have journeyed these past three years, and continue to journey, in deepening their understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist.  

The disciples Jesus encountered placed their lives in service of the Messiah. Like many others, they thought Jesus was a political, as well as a spiritual, Messiah. When Jesus died on the cross, their dreams died of what they thought a Messiah would be. 

The disciples did not recognize Jesus, because he was like he was before, yet “more.” Jesus revealed the “more” of who he was by interpreting Scripture passages about himself, which prompted the disciples’ hearts to burn, the bishop pointed out. 

The disciples urged Jesus to stay with them, and while they were at the table, Jesus broke bread and shared it them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized Jesus.  

“They recognized him, not just in his words, but in his actions, in his presence among them in the breaking of the bread,” the bishop said. 

He added, “We are those disciples along the way. We are on the way. We’ve been on the way for a mile and a half or so. We’ve gone on a journey, but a spiritual journey, a journey to heaven, a journey to be with God.” 

Life’s ups and downs we may make us feel we are walking alone, and we lose hope.  

It important to recognize at those times that Jesus is walking with us and points to the truth of our lives and the sources of comfort in our prayer, his word, and in his body and blood, according to Bishop Duca. 

Following the benediction, the assembly heard from representatives of Vagabond Missions in Baton Rouge, which invites inner-city youth into a relationship with God and others. 

Kendrick Slan, Vagabond lead missionary in Baton Rouge, said the Baton Rouge missionaries, which also include Sarah Vicknair and Alanna Thibodeaux, began ministering in the sweltering heat last summer to develop relationships with youth that will lead them to Jesus and hopefully becoming the next generation of Catholics. 

Born into the Baptist faith, Slan was mortified as a child when he was told that the crackers and grape juice distributed at their communion only represent Christ. Slan delved into Scriptures and began his conversion to the Catholic faith after reading Jesus’ words that he himself was the bread of life. 

“One of the things I love about our church,” Slan said, “is the mystery of the Eucharist and how Christ is present in the Eucharist.” 

The word “Catholic” is not a noun or a pronoun, but a verb, Slan emphasized.  

This is demonstrated by Vagabond Missions, which was born when people were not content to watch the news and grieve over the plight of inner-city youth but rather wanted to do something about it. 

Slan challenged the people to, likewise, be spiritually fueled by the Eucharist and then be present in the community. 

The day ended with a Eucharistic prayer service at Christ the King Catholic (CTK) Church and Student Center in Baton Rouge. 

Prior to Eucharistic adoration, CTK pastor Father Mathew Dunn spoke fervently about the transforming presence of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. 

(“Jesus) as God flows into our hearts, changes and transforms us and bursts forth for the salvation of the world,” said Father Dunn. 

He said if you look at the image of the Sacred Heart, it’s not pretty, not a Valentine’s Day-type. It is bleeding, has a gash in it from a lance being thrust into it, and has a crown of thorns wrapped around it. 

The beauty of the Sacred Heart, Father Dunn said, is captured in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 478, which begins with, “Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us: ‘The Son of God . . . loved me and gave himself for me.’"   

Through his Sacred Heart Jesus desires to expand our hearts, increase our faith and trust in him, and bring us up into his glory, according to Father Dunn. 

“God will never be outdone in human generosity. If you give him an inch, he's going to take a mile in the best possible way,” said Father Dunn. 

Photos taken by Taylor LeJeune Media.