PDDM PH-TW-HK: The Catholics from the different parishes all over Taiwan, priests and religious men and women converged to Douliou, Yun Lin Stadium in Chiayi last March 1, 2019 (Friday) to participate in the 4th National Eucharistic Congress. The theme for this year is “All my springs are in thee”(Ps. 87:7). The Congress started with the ritual dance performed by the Tsou Aboriginal Tribe from Alishan with the participation of their Parish Priest and a religious sister. This has disposed the assembly to listen to the introduction of guests and welcome remarks given by Most Rev. Peter Liu, Bishop of Kaohsiung and Vice President of Chinese Reginal Bishops Conference (CRBC). It is worth noting that the Vice President, Philip Chien Jen, with his wife graced the occasion.
Two millennials sung the theme song of the Congress -“Father, You Love Us in Christ” – and they led the assembly to praise and acknowledge with a hymn that expressed the greatness of God, our Lord and King, and the sublime reality of Jesus as the Word made flesh. After this, Most Rev. Thomas Chung An-Zhu, the Bishop of the Diocese of Chiayi accompanied by some youth gave the first part of Catechesis on the Eucharist which was done in a dialogical manner. This was followed by the presentation of the video clip on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
The witnessing dimension of the Eucharistic Congress was brought to the fore by the sharing of the faith experience of the families of Mr. and Mrs. Wu and Mr. Li. After a while two priests took turn in explaining the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network “CLICK TO PRAY”, a pontifical work which aims at leading the people to pray for the mission; and to encourage the people to get involved into this mission, the cellphones of all those present were blessed.
What has transpired in the morning was capped with the singing of a hymn of praise and thanksgiving animated by the children and youth of the Diocese of Chiayi who entered in solemn procession with some young men carrying a big wooden cross which they put on stage. When everybody has gone back to the stadium, the Congress culminated with the concelebrated Mass presided by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, a special envoy of Pope Francis. After the Mass, there was the exposition, procession and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by the bestowal of the indulgence on the assembly and the turn over rite of the symbol of the Eucharistic Congress to the Bishop of the Diocese of Tainan where it will be held two to three years from now.
