Renewed with a passion for the Most Holy Eucharist, nearly 2,000 of the faithful participated in the Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Conference in Punta Gorda on March 29, 2025.
The day-long Eucharistic Conference was held in recognition of the third and final year of the National Eucharistic Revival, and carried the theme of “Becoming Eucharistic Missionaries,” which built upon the message of the Jubilee Year 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope.”
“We gather for a special occasion in the life of the Diocese – gathered together to come to know God and Jesus Christ in the Real Presence of the Most Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Frank J. Dewane said during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which opened the Conference. “God is stirring up the hearts of you good people. The Holy Spirit is filling you up with grace and zeal – setting our hearts ablaze with His love.”
Bishop Dewane said it is divine intervention for all of us to be united around the Blessed Sacrament, and that this third Diocesan Eucharistic Conference unites the faithful with others across the nation. This was done because the faithful of the Catholic Church have witnessed a loss of a sense of God’s holiness and ultimately the reduction of the role of the Lord in our lives.
“Open your hearts and souls to the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, and come to know His presence in the Holy Eucharist over and over again in the life you live,” Bishop Dewane said.
The Bishop also explained how the National Eucharistic Revival was divided into separate parts, with the opening year a Diocesan Revival, then a Parish Revival, and now the Church is in the missionary period, which has four pillars: Eucharistic encounter, Eucharistic identity, Eucharistic life, and Eucharistic mission.
These pillars serve as a guidance to feel the Lord’s presence in the Most Holy Eucharist and to become more the man or woman of God we are called to be.
The key to being a successful Eucharistic Missionary is having regular encounters with the Eucharist, by going to Mass and Adoration regularly, Bishop Dewane explained. By doing this we can continue to form our identities through ongoing religious formation and prayer, thus coming to know His presence within ourselves, in our world, and in each other as we are all made in the image and likeness of God.
“To accomplish this, your Eucharistic life must be grounded in the family, parish and neighborhood because you will be nourished and you will help nourish others,” Bishop Dewane said. “Ultimately, we must pass on our belief, just as Jesus did. Journey with someone and become Eucharistic Missionaries.”
Bishop Dewane expressed his joy at the large number of participants in the Diocesan Eucharistic Conference and encouraged the faithful to bring the zeal and joy of the Holy Spirit to their family, friends and Parish.
“I know you can do it because it is through your love, and the presence of Jesus Christ there amongst you, that your hearts minds and souls will begin to change,” the Bishop concluded.
The event, part of a nationwide effort called for by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to revive belief in, and reverence for, the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist, began with Mass, celebrated by Bishop Dewane at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center in Punta Gorda. The event, held last year at Bishop Verot Catholic High School, was moved to a larger venue in 2025 to ensure all who wished to attend could do so.
The response to the Diocesan Eucharistic Conference was overwhelmingly positive with many impressed to see so many fellow Catholics from the far reaches of the Diocese coming together to the celebrate the Most Holy Eucharist.
Diane Kemper of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Port Charlotte loved all aspects of the day, but said the Mass and closing group Adoration gave her great inspiration. “It was a beautiful day. My heart is full of love for the Lord.”
Maria Gomez of St. Agnes Parish in Naples had a similar experience saying she feels she became a part of the National Eucharistic Revival. “This was great. I was so happy to be a part of something so special. Everyone opened their heart to the Real Presence, and that is wonderful.”
James Crawford of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice found solace in the Conference, noting how the entire day focused his heart on the Most Holy Eucharist, something he said doesn’t happen as easily as he would like. “I relearned how to love Christ in the Real Presence.”
The day included private Adoration and concluded with group Adoration and closing Benediction. In addition, many took the opportunity to avail themselves of the Sacrament of Reconciliation with long lines. There were also thought-provoking talks by nationally known Catholic speakers, in both English and Spanish. The reaction from Conference participants was inspiring.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Scott Hahn, an internationally renowned author and speaker who is a convert to Catholicism. The title of his talk was “Hearts Burning, Eyes Open: Lessons from Jesus on the Road to Emmaus.”
Hahn centered his talk around St. Luke’s account of the journey to Emmaus. He explained — much like Jesus must have done with the two disciples — how the stories and prophecies of the Old Testament parallel, foretell and find fulfillment in the life and death of Jesus. Those parallels go back to Genesis, course through the lives of Moses and Abraham, and echo the events of Exodus.
“Are we noticing a pattern yet?” Hahn asked after giving dozens of examples. He stressed that the New Testament is “theologically unintelligible apart from the Old,” and its fulfillment in the New Testament “surpassed the wildest dreams of the holiest Jews.”
At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated another Passover, that of the New Covenant, which was consummated with the sacrifice at Calvary.
“If the Eucharist is just a meal, then Calvary is just an execution,” Hahn stressed.
And just as the Emmaus disciples recognized Jesus in “the breaking of the bread,” the Mass is “the means by which we recognize the resurrected Lord’s body, blood, soul and divinity,” Hahn said. “His own resurrected body is what we call the Real Presence. Regrettably, many take it for granted and don’t really see how truly fantastic these Sacred Mysteries really are.”
At this climax of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival, Hahn said it is time to stoke the fire. “This is not to conjure up the warm fuzzy feelings, and not to pretend that it is actually better than it is, because we can’t find the words to express just how great the Real Presence is. St. John Paul II called it a ‘Eucharistic Amazement.’ This is who we are as Catholic. This is our baptismal birthright. This is our Sunday obligation. We have to do it. Brothers and sisters – we get to do it!”
Following the keynote address, there were sessions offered in English and Spanish. Additional speakers include Kimberly Hahn, Mary Ann Wiesinger Puig, and Andrés Arango.
Each speaker offered the faithful the opportunity to become part of the greater National Eucharistic Revival and to leave with their hearts and minds aflame for the love of Jesus, His Catholic Church, and especially His Real Presence in the Most Holy Eucharist.
St. John Paul II Young Adult Group led the retreat in Spanish for 125 men and women. The retreat sought to engage the participants to grow in their faith through the Holy Scriptures while experiencing significant growth in their faith. The theme for the day was “Come and See.”
