As the sun shone down on Glasgow City that last day of June, hundreds of pilgrims gathered from all parts of the world. The event they came to celebrate was the Third International Life in the Eucharist Congress. The experience was to touch their lives, and in turn, affect the communities from which they came.
It began at the Thistle Hotel where strangers quickly became friends. Differences in culture and background were forgotten as people shared their Eucharistic faith and their experiences in the LITES movement. A unity of spirit brought all together in a bond of friendship.
When the Congress participants left the hotel, they were escorted through the streets of the town preceded by a Scottish Highland bagpiper to St. Aloysius Church. This was a profound moment for the Scots as only 3% of the population is Catholic. They were touched at this public display of their faith in the land that they call home.
At the church the various countries represented brought flags and puzzle pieces to the altar. The puzzle became a chalice and host, complete with Celtic decorations, surrounded by 18 different flags. Each country then received a silver Friendship Cup as a welcome gift with a thistle emblem. Fittingly enough, the first main talk followed on the theme of "Eucharist and Celebration".
The opening prayer service on Saturday was a beautiful example of the sincere love these gracious people had for the Eucharist. Liturgical dancers opened the gathering as the celebrant brought in the monstrance. The haunting strains of Celtic music spoke of a deep longing for, and fulfillment by God. This prayer service was definitely one of the highlights of the Congress.
The day continued with two more main talks, workshops, and liturgy. It ended with a very Gaelic festivity-a Ceili. This was a dinner and dance with various entertainments. One of the dances was quite unusual. It involved a bagpiper leading a group of servers into the dining area where Fr. Raphael O'Halloran carved the first piece of beef and then downed a shot of whiskey. The Scots do enjoy themselves!
Sunday opened with another lovely prayer service followed by a main talk which challenged all those present. The morning workshops were lead by the laity, and the final workshops addressed problems commonly encountered by the LITE teams. The closing liturgy was presided over by Cardinal Winning of Glasgow, Scotland along with nearly forty priests. The atmosphere was charged with the Spirit moving among God's people.
The final event of the Congress was a reception held in the City of Glasgow Chambers. Again, this was a profound statement of acceptance by the Scots. The table groaned under mountains of food and drink. Melodies of bagpipes and harps filled the air, and new friends spoke one last time to each other before they scattered to their homes. It was truly a bittersweet moment!
I personally will not forget this experience. Just hearing my native language in so many different accents - Australian, British, Irish, Scottish and American, was unnerving! The ways others come to know of the presence of the risen Lord in the Eucharist, and how they live out their Eucharistic calling, opened up many possibilities for me and those I share my spiritual journey with. Perhaps we may all come together again to explore the boundlessness of our God, and share God's tremendous love with each other.
by Christine Imislund
St. Charles Borromeo LITE Team - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dear LITE team members and friends of the LITE movement,
The weekend of June 30 – July 2, 2000 was a truly grace-filled and joyous event in my life. The 3rd International Life in the Eucharist Congress was celebrated in Glasgow, Scotland by a little more than 300 persons and it was an extraordinary experience. As founder of the LITE movement, you can imagine the range of feelings that I encountered welcoming LITE team members and seminar graduates from around the world. In what follows, I want to share with you some of those feelings.
Pride
I begin with pride because as a Blessed Sacrament religious I was so proud of the way the Glasgow LITE congress incorporated the eucharistic vision and mission of the congregation. Through the LITE movement we have found a way to put our charism to work in the Church in a new and powerful way. The tremendous affection and collaboration that exists between lay persons and SSS religious was wondrously demonstrated in the Congress liturgies, workshops, and social events. The gift of collaboration with the laity has brought new energy, new inspiration, and new possibilities for the promotion of Fr. Eymard's dream. The coming of Christ's eucharistic kingdom was truly furthered by the experience of this congress.
Gratitude
I was simply overwhelmed with gratitude by the generosity of the lay LITE team members of Glasgow. They poured out so much of their time, talent, and treasure into the preparation and execution of the congress. Fr. Raphael O'Halloran, SSS and his executive committee were a shining example of hospitality, graciousness, and service. It is not only that they worked so hard to ensure the success of the congress, but that they did it with such love and joy that one could not help but feel enormous gratitude for them and for their efforts.
Wonder
The congress liturgies and prayer services were exceptionally moving. The holy hour on Saturday morning filled me with wonder. How wonderful it is when God's children are gathered together as the body of Christ. Maria Novani, one of the Congress' three Bread of Life award recipients and principal coordinator of the Congress' worship life, brought together musicians, artists, and dancers who in their turn assisted us to raise our hearts and minds to the Lord. The three essential elements of contemporary eucharistic spirituality – celebration, contemplation, and communion – where intricately woven together in a worship experience that gave glory to God in Christ and enabled us to be anointed with their Holy Spirit.
Joy
The feeling of joy permeated the entire weekend. It was evident in the way people greeted each other, listened to each other, and shared with each other. The Saturday evening Ceihdli (a traditional Scottish dinner-dance) was very much an agape, a fellowship meal in which the joy and the love of the Lord was everywhere to be found. The fact that I had the opportunity to reunite with so many lay LITE team members from around the world (Australia, the Philippines, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, France, Scotland, Ireland and the USA) only increased these joyful feelings. It is such a pleasure to be able to watch people truly enjoying the presence of each other. A verse from one of the psalms kept returning to me throughout the weekend. "God takes delight in his people". I believe that God was truly delighted with us.
Hope
I have always believed that the LITE movement was the work of God. After this congress, this conviction is stronger than ever. The growing enthusiasm among SSS religious and lay LITE team members to continue our ministry of eucharistic evangelizing together fills me with great hope. On the Monday after the congress, SSS national directors of LITE along with lay representatives met with Fr. Hans van Schijndel, SSS, the Vicar General of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and the International Coordinator of the LITE movement with the Congregation, to discuss how he and I can be of greater service to existing LITE teams. The discussion that took place was both informative and exciting. As a result of our meeting, the first international meeting of SSS national directors of LITE and lay LITE leaders will take place during the summer of 2001. A venue and a date for that meeting will be forthcoming.
Pride, gratitude, wonder, joy and hope! These are the gifts I return to you, O Lord. I pray for all those you gathered together in Glasgow for the 3rd International LITE congress. May the eucharistic love that You so generously imbued us with in Glasgow enable us to continue to proclaim that Jesus is the Bread of New Life and the Wine of Salvation.
One final note. Start saving now for the 4th International LITE congress that will take place in Madrid, Spain in the summer of 2002.
In Jesus, Our Life,
Robert Rousseau, SSS – Director Office of Research and Ongoing Development for LITES
The author of this brief overview about LITE Congress planning is Nancy MacRoberts who together with Noreen Wright was responsible for planning and carrying out the first ever LITE Congress in Houston, Texas in 1994. Nancy continued to be a valuable resource in the planning of the Cleveland Congress in 1998 and the Glasgow Congress in 2000. We have asked Nancy to share with all of us some of the "behind the scenes" information that goes into making a Congress a successful event.
Once you've said "Yes!" - there's no turning back! Two years ago in Cleveland, Ohio, at the 2nd International Life in the Eucharist (LITE) Congress, the LITE team members from the Province of Sts. Peter and Paul in Glasgow, Scotland said a resounding, "Yes, we will accept to present the next International LITE Congress in Glasgow!" As soon as they arrived home, they began working on what was to be a magnificent 3rd LITE Congress. Held this year from June 30 to July 2, in the beautiful Thistle Hotel in downtown Glasgow, Scotland, the fruits of their labors paid off handsomely!
Like any successful event, the International LITE Congress involves many dedicated people volunteering many long hours
Plans for an international meeting like the LITE Congress must begin years in advance. Previous LITE Congresses - the first held in Houston, Texas in 1994 and the second in Cleveland, Ohio in 1998 - provided the organizers with a framework of how to begin and proceed with preparations. Before a date for the Congress can even be finalized, a site must be secured and key volunteers must make a commitment to the project, forming the various committees. The theme for the Congress, a pivotal point around which many parts of the congress revolve, must then be selected. Then the fun begins!
Once the coordinators for the Congress have been identified, they must proceed to set up their committees. It is these people who will be the most responsible for the success of the event. The first committee to go to work is the brochure and workshop group. Major presenters and workshop speakers must be contacted and agree to participate before the brochure can be finalized. It must be edited and re-edited to make sure all the details are complete and correct. Once the Congress descriptive brochures are printed, the mailing and registration groups go to work. This committee is in charge of registrations as they are received. They must be sure that people are assigned to their preferred workshops. During this time, those responsible for the physical setting of the Congress are hard at work making sure enough rooms and suitable space are available for all the people coming for all the activities planned. Housing and transportation must be taken care of as well as public relations and publicity. The program for liturgies and worship must be set and the needed booklet put together. The book store committee must select and order books and arrange for tapes that will be for sale to congress attendees. One of the most important aspects is food - what and how to feed all the people who will be coming to the Congress. During all of this time, finances must be the concern of all committees. Good communication among all those working on the Congress is essential!
Like any successful event, the International LITE Congress involves many dedicated people volunteering many long hours. In particular, in Glasgow, these generous people were Fr. Raphael O'Halloran, SSS, Anne Ventisei, Pauline Mannion, Liz Swinton, Peter Kelly, Fr. Brian Logue, Maria Novani, Loreta Stewart, Bernadette Keely, Mary Sinclair, Douglas McDonald, Terri McLean, Sadie Longmuir, Mary Gallagher, Enda Whalen and Ann Gorman. What a rewarding experience it is, having been part of this planning process now for three Congresses, to see hundreds of people from all over the world who are part of the LITE movement come together to hear inspirational speakers, joining in prayer and festivities, and sharing what LITE (Life in the Eucharist) has given to their lives. The Congresses had a humble beginning, but have grown and developed into truly worldwide events that are inspiring and life-changing. The teams that will assume the responsibility and take on coordinating the 4th International LITE Congress in Madrid, Spain in the summer of 2002 have a wonderfully exciting time ahead of them. Let the fun begin!
by Nancy MacRoberts, Administrator, Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing
by Noreen Wright, Corpus Christi LITE Team I - Houston, Texas
Priests, brothers, sisters, bishops, cardinals, politicians, and lay people holding hands, crying, laughing, working, praying, and playing together is a perfect description of what occurred June 30th - July 2, 2000 at the 3rd International Life In the Eucharist Congress in Glasgow, Scotland. Spiritualities were enriched, emotions were stirred and memories were made. From the opening reception and registration on Friday to the closing Eucharist and reception on Sunday, the Congress was carefully planned and beautifully orchestrated. Fr. Raphael O'Halloran, Anne Ventisei, and all those involved in any way are to be commended for their efforts.
Priests, brothers, sisters, bishops, cardinals, politicians, and lay people holding hands, crying, laughing, working, praying, and playing together is a perfect description of what occurred
On Friday, we processed through the streets of downtown Glasgow from the Thistle Hotel to St. Aloysius Church led by bagpipes and drums. Fr. George Dunne, SSS delivered the welcoming address and Angelina Novani introduced and welcomed representatives from the many countries represented. The keynote speaker, Donna Lynn Orsuto, spoke about "Eucharist and Celebration". The evening concluded with a prayer service.
Saturday morning prayer led by Fr. Brian Logue was truly an uplifting spiritual experience. His words, carefully selected and meticulously delivered were simple and clear. They reached deep down into the hearts of everyone and provoked a sense of sacredness, understanding, and love. The incense, liturgical dancers, and music added an extra dimension to this eucharistic prayer service.
The theme for the first major presentation given by Fr. Philip Tartaglia of Scotland was Eucharist and Contemplation. Fr. Tartaglia addressed a document titled "One Bread, One Body" a very controversial teaching document drawn up by the Bishops of England, Scotland, and Ireland. "Celebrating a Faith That Does Justice" by Fr. Robert Rousseau was the afternoon's major presentation which was well received by the assembly. Following each major presentation were workshops based on the many different aspects of the Eucharist.
Saturday evening's Eucharist was concelebrated with Bishop Dom Joviano, SSS as the principal celebrant. An awards dinner and Ceildeh (Scottish dinner and dance) allowed the participants to socialize with one another. One highlight of the celebration was the recognizing of Father Poli Ty, SSS of the Philippines, Maria Novani of Glasgow and Ardalee Steiner of Cleveland, Ohio as the Bread of Life Award winners for devoted service to the Life In The Eucharist Movement. Madrid, Spain was announced as the site for the 4th International LITE Congress to be held in 2002.
Fr. Eamon Conway was the final major presenter on Sunday. His talk, "Eucharist and Collaboration" was dynamic and inspiring! Considering the shortage of religious and the fact that the LITE movement is based on collaboration, Fr. Conway had the undivided attention of the religious and the laity. Cardinal Winning of Glasgow was the principal celebrant at Sunday's closing Eucharist. Sunday evening concluded with a civic reception at the City Chambers in George Square of downtown Glasgow. Bailee Katherine McMasters presented Fr. Raphael O'Halloran with a pewter friendship bowl inscribed with the dates and title of the Congress.
by Shirley and Dave Pecjak, St. Justin Martyr LITE Team - Mentor, Ohio
For both of us, the LITE Congress in Glasgow was an incredible experience. We applaud the team members who planned this weekend for us. It must have taken great effort, dedication and much hard work to put this event together.
There were many things that touched us deeply during the weekend, but what we came away with overall was that it was "Eucharistic" in every sense of the word - Eucharistic in so much that it touched on every theme of Eucharist: Celebration, Contemplation, and Communion.
Celebrations of the beautiful liturgies (the Masses, the prayer services, and adorations) were awesome. The music was outstanding and brought tears to our eyes many times. They were all planned so appropriately for the event and moved us deeply. Saturday morning's holy hour is something we will remember for a very long time. There wasn't a person in that room that did not feel the real presence of Jesus there as the Blessed Sacrament was carried throughout the room.
Fr. Eamon Conway's talk on "Eucharist and Collaboration" was also a highlight for us. His articulation of the subject was very inspiring and his delivery of the topic was engaging.
Above and beyond all that, the members of the teams were outstanding in every way, but most especially in their hospitality and concern for others. One of the members of the Glasgow teams was always available to help and give direction whenever needed. They were a true expression of Eucharist to all of us.
We have spent these days in the joy of the presence of the Risen Christ. We have strengthened our faith in the Eucharist. And we have accepted His invitation to proclaim it to the world as Bread for New Life - Wine of Salvation.
My presence here and that of the members of the General Council, and of the former Superior General, Fr. Norman Pelletier, is a sign that the LITE experience is born from and develops the charism of our founder St. Peter Julian Eymard. This experience is a new and fruitful expression of the participation of the laity in the mission of Fr. Eymard. This participation was a special trait of Fr. Eymard from the very beginning of our Congregation and was expressed in various forms.
The much appreciated presence of his Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Winning, and of Bishop Joviano de Lima Junior from Brazil, tells us that our Eucharistic charism is a gift of the Lord to His Church and that we are expected to contribute: "to the building of the Christian community, whose center of life is the Eucharist" (Objective of the 23rd General Chapter).
Fr. Eymard, identifying himself with the hopes and needs of his time, could read and welcome the questions that concerned his contemporaries. He kept asking himself how he could be of assistance to the revitalization of the church and society. We know that it was through a long journey that the Spirit of God helped him to find the response to the needs of his generation "in the love of God manifested in a special way in the gift of Christ in the Eucharist" (Rule of Life, # 3).
Once he was aware that his mission consisted in proclaiming the Eucharist, he felt that he could bring about the transformation of life and history. He would reach out, especially to the poor and sinners, who are longing for the table of the love of the Father anxious to experience His mercy and friendship. That is why his life was taken up with making people know the Eucharist and participate in it, since the Eucharist is the heart of life, the source of our hope and our consolation in trials.
Following in the footsteps of Fr. Eymard, men and women, religious, priests and lay people share the same mission. That is why we are here: through the Holy Spirit it has been given us to understand that the Eucharist is the heart of the world and the hope of history.
We are here because we want to announce to the World and to our generation, in these early days of the new century and new millennium, the mystery of the Eucharist and witness to its power in our lives.
Let us thank God for bringing us here for these days, we pray that this new expression of our Eucharistic mission, the LITE program, will be full of promise for the future, a precious gift of the Holy Spirit and bear fruit in abundance.
We are most grateful to Fr. Frank O'Dea, SSS from the Blessed Sacrament Community in Melbourne, Australia for sending us his reflections on LITES in this far off land. Fr. O'Dea was one of the three delegates that attended the 3rd International LITE Congress in Glasgow. Fr. Frank O'Dea is the spiritual director of the St. Francis LITE team.
The 3rd International Congress in Glasgow this year and an uplifting visit by Fr. Hans van Schijndel, the new International coordinator of LITES, have provided an impetus for the movement here in Melbourne. Three of us had the privilege of going to Glasgow: Fr. Joachim Dirks who gave a workshop, Elaine Ward who was elected by the team as our lay delegate, and myself, the spiritual director, making it part of a mini- sabbatical.
I have returned with a renewed and deepened enthusiasm for LITES. The liturgies, the Eucharists, the workshops and the talks lifted my spirits. What was equally important for me was the opportunity to discuss methods with other LITE team members, though the time to do this was limited as very often at meals or in coffee breaks I found myself with people who were not LITE members.
However, I was lucky enough to be with other LITE team members at the Congress dinner, five from the USA, two from England and a charming lady from the Philippines. I did try to moderate my enquiring so as not to make the dinner too businesslike so I hope they were not bored by my questioning. I have returned with a renewed and deepened enthusiasm for LITES
Then a big surprise for me on Sunday. For the first time in my life a young lady asked me to have lunch with her, and French at that! Rosen from Grenoble wanted to talk to me about LITES. I had to restrain my enthusiasm so as not to give the wrong impression.
On the Monday morning after the Congress I was delighted to take part in a meeting of the international directors and a lay delegate from each country. What came to me very strongly at the meeting was how easily the teams in Europe, North America, the UK, the Philippines can discuss with other teams in their own countries, and how isolated we are in Australia.
So, we were delighted to have a visit from Fr. Hans who spent about five hours with us during his time in Melbourne. He gave an inspiring teaching on the Eucharist and the Rule of Life, and his personal experience in presenting LITE seminars helped us to feel a bond of kinship with him. He cheerfully answered heaps of questions. A Eucharist and shared meal rounded off the conversation in true LITE style.
Now we are looking forward to Fr. Bob's delayed visit next year when he will also go to Sydney to give LITES there and hopefully establish another team in Australia.
Meanwhile in Melbourne we are quite busy after a pause while our members swapped into different mini-teams to revive some freshness to our presentations. We gave a weekend seminar to 60 parish participants in July and are preparing to give another over six weeks starting at the end of August. Another parish has asked us to give the seminar in two parts, three sessions in October and three in March - which promises to be an interesting experience, while another seminar has been booked for May/June in 2001.
by Gregor Kyle
THE Catholic Church in Scotland played host to the international Life in the Eucharist Congress (LITE) in Glasgow last weekend. And Cardinal Thomas Winning with Bishop Joseph Devine were among the participants in the event which was attended by representatives from 15 countries from across the world. The guests met with nearly 400 members of Scotland's Catholic community with an aim to deepen the faith in the Church's teaching on the presence of Christ in their lives. The Scottish conference marked a new chapter in the LITE story as it was the first time that the organisers, the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, had ventured out of the United States with their concept.
"The weekend was very impressive and encouraged a prayerful atmosphere. There is a hunger for events of this kind among sections of the laity, which allow them to better explore their faith."
The event was staged in Glasgow's Thistle Hotel and St. Aloysius Church, Garnethill, and was earmarked as a major part of Scotland's Holy Year celebrations. Co-organiser, Fr. Raphael O'Halloran, gave his verdict on this year's congress: "We are very happy with the response to what was an excellent occasion. We wanted this year's congress to involve a social side which would allow people to meet and share their experiences. The weekend was, also a sharing of faith. It brought up the questions, the challenges, the hopes and the dreams with which we are all familiar." He added: "There was also a very strong element of participation from the lay community, which was both uplifting and encouraging."
Song and dance were two of the main ingredients used to give the conference a very distinct Celtic flavour, with the Innisowen Ceili Band and the St. Mungo Choir giving the guests a taste of Scotland during their visit. The weekend involved a number of high profile guests, including Glasgow's Lord Provost, Alex Mosson and Scotswoman of the Year, Dr. Anna Murphy, who hosted a series of talks and workshops on the Eucharist, Liturgy and their own personal experiences of their faith. Also speaking was founder of LITE, Fr. Bob Rousseau, who discussed "Celebrating a Faith that does Justice" and stressed that being Eucharistic carries the responsibility of reaching out to others and helping the disadvantaged.
The other highlights included a talk on the "Eucharist and Celebration", by director of the Roman lay centre, Foyer Unitas, Donna Lynn Orsuto and a Mass on Saturday celebrated by Brazilian Bishop, Dom Joviano de Lima Junior. Fr. Philip Tartaglia, of St. Mary's, Duntocher, who was also a speaker said: "The weekend was very impressive and encouraged a prayerful atmosphere. There is a hunger for events of this kind among sections of the laity, which allow them to better explore their faith."
The weekend concluded with a civic reception.
The administrators' of LITES teams throughout the United States will be invited to gather in Houston, Texas December 8-10, 2000 and meet with the Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing staff. The purpose of the meeting is to gather and share prayer time, experiences and plans and to respond to needs, hopes and difficulties that have been experienced. Administrators will receive an invitation to this meeting.
The pilgrimage to France entitled "In the Footsteps of St. Peter Julian Eymard" is being planned for October, 2001. It will be lead by Fr. Thomas Wiese, SSS, Director of the Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing in Houston, Texas, and Fr. Norman Pelletier, SSS, author of a popular biography of Fr. Eymard entitled "Tomorrow Will Be Too Late" ,will be the expert guide through the significant sites in the life of St. Eymard. A detailed brochure, itinerary and general information is being put together and will be mailed to all LITES enthusiasts. Start planning now to join us for this unique opportunity to visit the places associated with the life of St. Peter Julian Eymard and other additional sites. Among the places to be visited will be Paris, Versailles, Chartres, Lyons, Grenoble, Chartreuse, La Mure, Gap, Ars, Taizé, Avignon, LaSalette, Marseilles and many more.
We remind you that all three volumes of MANNA are still available from the C.E.E. in Houston. The cost is $40.00 per volume, or the special price of $100.00 for all three volumes. This is an excellent resource for adult religious education, prayer groups, parish societies, etc. If you haven't yet ordered your copies of MANNA, don't wait any longer. Call the C.E.E. in Houston and make your order.
In the name of all who are participants in LITES in the U.S.A., we would sincerely like to thank Fr. Raphael O'Halloran and the LITE teams of Scotland and Ireland who made the 3rd International LITE Congress possible and so well run.
SSS International | Eucharistic Theology | SSS USA | Saint Peter Julian Eymard
©
Copyright 2000-2001
Rev. Thomas A. Wiese, SSS, Director
Mrs. Nancy MacRoberts, Administrator
Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing
9900 Stella Link Road
Houston, TX 77025
Telephone: (713) 661-3958 + Fax: (713) 662-2014