From 2022-2025, our country has faithfully participated in a Eucharistic Revival: “The joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the Church in the United States to the divine invitation to be united once again around the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist” (eucharisticrevival.org). This journey reached its summit in 2024, with both a Eucharistic pilgrimage (that came right through the Archdiocese of Cincinnati!) and a Eucharistic Congress that brought tens of thousands of Catholics to Indianapolis, to celebrate and strengthen our commitment to the most Blessed Sacrament.

We then entered the Eucharistic Year of Mission, a time to explore how the Eucharist compels us to go out into the world. We remember that “Jesus in the Eucharist is the answer to every restless longing of the human heart,” and we seek to “(share) the gift of our Eucharistic Lord with those on the margins” (eucharisticrevival.org/yearofmission). The number of ways our families of parishes and the broader Catholic community share our gifts here in the archdiocese is too large to count, but—since December—we have highlighted a few of the beautiful examples we found.

In The Catholic Telegraph’s December issue, we looked at the Food For All ministry that seeks to meet the dietary needs of our most impoverished families. “By responding to the needs of the hungry and vulnerable, [we] embody Christ’s love, creating a ripple effect of hope in their communities.” In January, we highlighted how the faith of Moeller student Max Milbourn compels him to help people who are in poverty and to inspire his classmates to join him. “Seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they help their community and the joy on the receiving end of the help shows me how much of Jesus’ love is in the world.”

In February, we learned about St. Columban parishioners Chris and Chuck Schell, who took their commitment of caring for God’s creation to the next level: they transformed acres of their lawn into native prairie that supports pollinators, migratory birds, and butterflies. “Just like in the Body of Christ, when one part hurts, the whole body suffers. Our earth is groaning and begging us to care.”

In March, we celebrated over 20 years of solidarity between St. John the Baptist Church in Harrison and the parishes of Santa Cruz and Our Lady of Guadalupe in El Salvador. “What we have all gained by this special twinning relationship cannot be fully appreciated in words,” said Deacon Don Meyer. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the Eucharist was—and continues to be—critical to the relationship. “The unity of this Eucharistic relationship continues.”

In the April issue, we shifted gears a bit to better understand Project Rachel, a confidential Catholic ministry offering hope and healing to those affected by abortion. More than just a support group, Project Rachel is a reflection of God’s mercy, revealing His presence in every conversation. As Natalie, a leader, said, “We all fall. [However], through the grace of God and through Him in the Eucharist, we are able to live a life of gratitude, bringing the love of God to those around us.”

In May, we were reminded of God’s infinite love—no matter what. Families with members who have disabilities often face unique challenges, but their place in the Church is just as certain as anyone else’s. Nanista, who volunteers, offers this wisdom: “Though we may not ever know why God made us this way, there is a reason. You are not broken or a mistake. God has great things in store for you.”

Finally, in June, we tackled the difficult issue of immigration. Church teaching demands that we stand with the poor and vulnerable, especially the widow, orphan, and stranger. When we stand with those who traveled here from foreign lands in search of a better life for themselves and their families, we stand with the broken Christ and receive His love.

As we come to the close of both the Eucharistic Year of Mission and the overall Eucharistic Revival, we are called to look forward and determine how we can continue this work. Because, while the official Revival may be over, our efforts to better and more fully receive the Eucharist and share God’s love and grace in the world are never finished.

We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged (Pope St. John Paul II, Mane Nobiscum Domine [Stay with us Lord], 2004, no. 28).

As individuals and parishioners, we must always look for ways to carry out this call. What ministries in your Family of Parishes are living out this Eucharistic call? How are you supporting them, and how can you get even more involved? What are the needs in your community, and what is your Family of Parishes doing to meet them? Whether rural or urban, north or south, near or far from a university, populated by native Ohioans or newly-arrived neighbors, or filled with lower-income or middle-class families, every area of the archdiocese has its own needs, and our Families are compelled to respond to the needs. How is your Family of Parishes welcoming people of different races and abilities? How is it caring for God’s creation and standing with moms in need?

To answer these questions and others, we recommend that you connect with the archdiocesan staff who support Families of Parishes that seek to put love into action. You can access resources to catalogue your Family’s Love in Action ministries or host a retreat to bring Love in Action folks together. Deaneries can host a Becoming Communities of Salt & Light program to bring together geographically proximate families and explore possibilities for idea sharing and partnership. Even more simply, Families can contact the entities supporting Love in Action—including the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the archdiocesan offices of African American Pastoral Ministries, Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio, Catholic Social Action, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, (persons with) Disabilities Ministries, Mission & Pontifical Mission Societies, Prison Ministries, and Respect Life Ministries—and access their resources and support.

The Beacons of Light process offers, in so many ways, a chance for our Catholic community to revitalize and reinvigorate our commitment to Christ. Through Love in Action, our Families of Parishes can celebrate and grow our dedication to living out Christ’s love in the world, seeking always to become Eucharistic missionary disciples, being Christ to and seeing Christ in our sisters and brothers.

Want to get your Family of Parishes engaged? Contact Andrew Musgrave, Director of Catholic Social Action, [email protected].