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2nd Diocesan Day of Renewal |
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Conclusion of the Year of the Eucharist Day Of Renewal Presentation by Fr. Stan Ilo
The Day of Renewal, presented by the Diocesan Office of Evangelization, was held on November 5th at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Peterborough. It marked the official closing in our Diocese of the Year of the Eucharist, but as such it was meant to be only the beginning of renewed dedication to and love for Our Lord in the Sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist. If as Christians we call ourselves followers of Christ, then we should seek to do precisely that: follow Him, recognize His presence, spend time with Him and learn from Him, so that in every action, every thought and every breath of ours it is no longer we, as St. Paul wrote, but Christ who lives in us (cf. Gal 2:20). Here is the recipe to change the world as He did.
The concluding ceremonies for the Year of the Eucharist on our 2nd Diocesan Day of Renewal were a special Act of Consecration to the Divine Mercy, Holy Hour and Mass. After the singing of the Divine Mercy chaplet, Bishop De Angelis consecrated, in the presence of representatives of all the parishes, the whole Diocese, past, present and future, to the Divine Mercy. Procession, Holy Hour and Benediction followed and the day came to a close with Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop De Angelis of Peterborough. While the Day of Renewal was a great success and its spiritual fruits will be plentiful beyond the limitations of space and time, it is hoped that the Year of the Eucharist will have had a lasting impact on the faithful of our Diocese, calling them recognize and adore the One who gave his life for them and still does every day on the altar. “Seek and you shall find.” (Mt 7:7) “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day; for my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.’’ (John 6:53-55)
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Our late beloved Pope John Paul II proclaimed that October 2004 to October 2005 should be observed by the Church as the Year of the Eucharist, a time for Catholics to reflect and meditate upon the true presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and its significance for our lives and for the world. As such, the year was an opportunity to re-connect with the source and summit of our faith which is the Eucharist, as the Second Vatican Council declared. For those who are trying to grow in virtue, holiness and grace; for those who are being overwhelmed with the various issues and concerns of the world; for those who for whatever reason have distanced themselves from the faith, it was an opportunity to seek company with our Lord in a very personal way and to find all our hope, strength and joy in Him. 
The Day of Renewal was filled with music, prayer, slideshows and meditative talks, all focused on the Eucharist. A moving short film was shown on various Eucharistic Miracles which have occurred around the world over the centuries. While every Eucharistic celebration is a true miracle, the rare occurrences of what the Church calls ‘Eucharistic miracles’ were and still are designed to make people realize anew how remarkable and wonderful His true presence is among us and how explosive and powerful it could be, if we but allowed it to penetrate our hearts and minds. 
