Bishop William F. Medley, assisted by Deacon Chris Gutiérrez (left) and Deacon John Cecil (right), leads Benediction at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro on June 11, 2023, for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Corpus Christi launches Year of the Parish, as bishop encourages all to ‘wash the feet of others’
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
For Alyssa Magnuson, director of Hispanic ministry for Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro, Eucharistic celebrations hold a special significance in her heart.
She remembers that as a small child she was told during Adoration that “Jesus is coming!” and thought to herself, “Jesus looks like a sun?”
Later, she learned the “sun” was called a monstrance and that it contained Jesus in the Eucharist at its center.
Years later in college, after not having attended Adoration for a while, Magnuson participated in a retreat – which included Adoration.
“I looked up and as I was being prayed over, I saw a crucifix and a little figure (on the Host),” she said. “I took it as a sign that whatever I had been going through at the moment, would be all right.”
This year her parish was selected as the location for the Diocese of Owensboro’s Corpus Christi celebration on June 11. (Corpus Christi, which translates from Latin for “Body of Christ,” is also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.)
The original plan was to have a procession from the parish to Brescia University a few blocks away, followed by speakers, music, food trucks and festivities, but concerns about inclement weather canceled the outdoor portion.
Instead, following Spanish Mass at noon, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held inside Sts. Joseph and Paul for visitors to come and pray. At 4 p.m., Bishop William F. Medley gave a homily and led Benediction to close out the afternoon.
Deacon Chris Gutiérrez – director of the diocese’s Hispanic/Latino ministry – read the Gospel passage of the feeding of the 5,000 in Spanish and English, and assisted Bishop Medley in preaching his bilingual homily.
The choir leads music at the end of Mass in Spanish at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro on June 11, 2023. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
In his homily, the bishop spoke of how Mass attendance is a “fraction” of what it was several generations ago: “Good people, even people we might call devout, are often at best casual or indifferent to coming to receive the sacrament.”
He said that this, as well as studies indicating a lack of belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist among many self-professed Catholics, is the reason for the National Eucharistic Revival. The revival is a three-year initiative led by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is focused on restoring and renewing a love of the Eucharist.
On this day, the revival kicked off the Year of the Parish, following the previous Year of Diocesan Revival. This second phase is meant to foster Eucharistic devotion at the parish level.
Bishop Medley said that when saying “Amen” at the moment of receiving Holy Communion, not only does this confirm the belief in Jesus’ True Presence, but that “we are also saying we accept the other command of Jesus at the Last Supper: At that supper – before they ate – Jesus took a towel and he girded himself and he knelt to wash the feet of his disciples – over their protests.”
“So when we say Amen to affirm the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist we must always, every time, say yes to washing the feet of others,” said the bishop.
Magnuson told The Western Kentucky Catholic that even though the procession did not take place this year, “it’s been special to have people visiting (our parish) from all over the diocese” throughout the afternoon.
She said approximately 350 people joined them for Spanish Mass that day, about 100 more than they usually see, which speaks to the faithful’s love and devotion to the Eucharist.
“For me, Adoration is too important to leave at just one feast day” like Corpus Christi, said Magnuson, adding that Eucharistic celebrations likewise should not be categorized as just for Hispanic/Latino Catholics.
She offered encouragement for others to consider regularly visiting Adoration – for instance, her parish offers Adoration every Thursday – and spend time with Jesus. She also looks forward to future Corpus Christi celebrations and processions, with participation from all cultures.
“Some may say, ‘Oh, it’s just a Hispanic thing,’ but it’s more than that – this is for all cultures,” she said, praising the beauty of “seeing people adore Christ in different ways. I wish there would be more involvement among people from other cultures.”
“As the scriptures say, we’re all one body in Christ and all play different parts,” she said.
Learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese of Owensboro at https://owensborodiocese.org/eucharistic-revival.
A woman holds a baby during Benediction at Benediction at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro on June 11, 2023, for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
A family prays during Mass in Spanish at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro on June 11, 2023. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Bishop William F. Medley blesses the faithful with the Eucharist in a monstrance on June 11, 2023, at Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish during Benediction for Corpus Christi. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
