Bishop James P. Powers

Editor’s note: This article is excerpted from Bishop Powers’ Aug. 5 letter to clergy, parish and Catholic school leaders.

It is with joy that I write to you announcing an opportunity for the Diocese of Superior to consecrate to the Lord Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist. In this letter I would first like to tell you why this is important and timely. Then I will share the specifics of this opportunity

The Call to Eucharistic Consecration

Joining ourselves with Christ is the fundamental movement of the Christian life. Accordingly, it is no surprise that this is the very heart of every Eucharistic liturgy. At every Mass, by his grace, we are made one with Jesus. And we are raised up with him in self-donation to the Father.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
All glory and honor is yours,
For ever and ever. Amen.

My desire in making this consecration is not a onetime ‘conversion moment,’ so much as the beginning (or new beginning) of daily surrender of our lives to the Lordship of Jesus. In doing so, we can allow him to both transform us (holiness) and send us (mission). These are the two main thrusts of my Pastoral Letter on Evangelization in 2023. In that letter I wrote,

My hope is not to arouse a sudden burst of activity around the diocese. Rather my hope for us is to stir up a desire to say ‘yes’, like Mary, to receiving the love of God in a fruitful way. The coinciding of this initiative with the national Eucharistic Revival is a providential gift that grounds us in this posture of receptivity. For it is through the great gift of the Blessed Sacrament that the Lord will sanctify, nourish, and send us.

In St. John’s Gospel, Jesus says “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)” I pray that this Eucharistic consecration will ground us in that truth and enable us to ever more fruitfully rely on the graces that flow from abiding in Christ in the Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.

I pray that the 33 days that we will undertake in preparation for this will truly be a pilgrimage. In this Jubilee Year of Hope this is a most fitting journey to make. After all, Jesus Christ IS our hope.

And our surrender to him makes that hope secure. A pilgrimage is a journey designed to reorient our lives: we commit to prayer, penance, and transformation. It is not intended for our comfort, but for our conversion. Accordingly, reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation along the way toward consecration would be a worthy consideration for all.

This pilgrimage will be a journey into our deepest identity as sons and daughters, loved by a Father who is urgently determined to care for us, provide for us, and unite us so closely to himself. I encourage you to invest deeply in these days. Set aside time for quiet prayer and

reflection every day. Truly search your heart. Allow the Lord, by the light of his Word, to shine His love into every aspect of you. In doing so, you will arrive at the altar on the day of consecration as free as possible to surrender yourself with trust and joy.

Specifics of the Consecration

The dates for our Diocesan Consecration are Oct. 22 to Nov. 23. Both of these dates are of deep significance. Oct. 22 is the Feast of Pope St. John Paul II, one of the main architects of the New Evangelization and a tireless evangelist of the importance of the Holy Eucharist. Nov. 23 is the Feast of Christ the King, which is a most fitting feast to consecrate ourselves to the Lord in his presence in the Most Holy Eucharist.

To guide our consecration, we will be utilizing the book “33 Days to Eucharistic Glory” by Matthew Kelly. Thanks to a generous benefactor associated with the publisher, Dynamic Catholic, we will be given as many copies of the book as we need for free.

As with any pilgrimage, the journey is best made in community with other pilgrims. So, while individuals can certainly go through the consecration formation on their own, the three main areas I would ask that this be carried out in the context of are:

* Small groups of adults
* Catholic schools
* Religious education programs.

Families are also strongly encouraged to participate in this together at home! The Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship is putting together implementation kits to make this as achievable for you as possible. Resources will be shared as soon as they become available.