Written by Patrick Chester, Diocese of Dallas
Public Catholic liturgical processions have been practiced since the first centuries of the Church. Incorporation of the Eucharist in such events rose to prominence in the time of the Renaissance. In 1551, the Council of Trent explicitly encouraged veneration of the Blessed Sacrament by carrying it from place to place in solemn celebrations. In practice, Eucharistic processions have been especially associated with Holy Thursday and the solemnity of Corpus Christi (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ).
On November 14th, the communities of St. Rita Catholic Church and Notre Dame Seminary came together to hold their annual Eucharistic Day. The day entailed Holy Mass at the parish leading into a Eucharistic Procession down Walmsley onto Carrollton, finishing with an afternoon of Adoration at the seminary.
As priests, parishioners, and seminarians passed by, people came out of houses and stopped their cars. Questions from onlookers and passersby were asked, “What is this? What are they doing?” The answer: a literal carrying of Christ with us from the Mass into the world, and a reminder that He is with us and it is our mission to carry Him with us from every Mass as we publicly live out our calls to holiness.
