The mission of the National Eucharistic Revival is To renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Here are the ways we are participating in the Eucharistic Revival at Ascension.
Holy Hour for Vocations
Join us in the church each month to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, as well as holy and healthy marriages. We particularly pray for our seminarians, Alex Rickert and Michael Santamarina, as well as all the seminarians of The Archdiocese. The holy hour includes Exposition & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament with time for individual, quiet prayer, in addition to public, vocal prayer.
Upcoming Dates:
Monday | December 8 | 7-8PM | Church
Holy Half-Hour for Families
Join us in the church quarterly for Exposition & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. This holy half-hour is the perfect opportunity to introduce your little ones to quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament without the pressure of a lengthier amount of time. Following the half-hour, join the priest celebrant downstairs in the parish hall for a simple supper (provided) and conversation!
Upcoming Dates: Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
First Thursday Masses
The priests will offer a votive Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest on the first Thursday of each month to call to mind the sacrificial nature of the Mass to unite ourselves and our parish to the glorious events of Holy Thursday—the Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist.
Upcoming Dates:
First Thursdays | All Masses
First Friday Masses
The priests will offer a votive Mass of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the first Friday of each month to call to mind the sacrifice of the cross—the Heart that poured forth Blood and water for our salvation—and to make reparation for sins against the Sacred Heart. The all-school Mass on first Fridays will also be of the Sacred Heart and the children at the school will be treated to a special dessert at lunch this day.
Upcoming Dates:
First Fridays | All Masses
The Forty Hours Devotion
This ancient practice of the Church has made a resurgence in recent years. For forty hours, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar of the church (except during Mass) for adoration by the faithful. The Forty Hours typically opens with a special Mass of the Most Holy Eucharist with Eucharistic procession (indoors) and ends with special prayers and a closing Eucharistic procession (indoors). Generally, the altar is decorated elaborately with lots of candles and bouquets of flowers.
Upcoming Dates:
Spring 2024 | Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
Bishop Barron’s “The Mass”
During this parish year of Eucharistic Revival, join us in walking through “The Mass” by Bishop Barron and be transformed through insights on this most privileged and intimate encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. See how the Mass brings us out of the fallen world and into the heavenly realm, how it resonates with a call from God and a response by his people, the Church, and, most importantly, how we are intimately joined with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. “The Mass” will help you understand how to fully, consciously, and actively participate in the source and summit of the Christian life.
Upcoming Dates:
August 9 – September 20 | 6:30-8PM | St. Mark Rm.
September 19 – October 31 | 1 – 2:30PM | St. Mark Rm.
Live the Mass Retreat
Mass boring? No longer! The Live the Mass retreat is meant to generate amazement and awe for the Mass by providing a new perspective of the most powerful prayer available to the human person. This retreat offers a new outlook on being a child of God, praise, and reconciliation. At the end of the weekend, we hope that you will have a greater understanding and appreciation for the Mass. Come “discover the mystery” with us February 3rd & 4th here at Ascension.
Upcoming Dates:
February 3: Arrive by 8AM; session will end at 6PM
February 4: Arrive by 7:15AM; session will end after 11:45AM Mass.
Building a Eucharistic Marriage
The “Building a Eucharistic Marriage” course is a seven-part video series, built off of a therapeutic model for change, which connects seven areas for therapeutically strengthening our marriage with seven areas of deepening our relationship with Christ through the Eucharist. This course comes out of a longer program written by Greg Schutte, MSW, LISW-S called “Discovering Our Deepest Desire,” which has an imprimatur from the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Upcoming Dates:
Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
“Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist” shines fresh light on the Last Supper by looking at it through Jewish eyes. Using his in-depth knowledge of the Bible and ancient Judaism, Dr. Brant Pitre answers questions such as: What was the Passover like at the time of Jesus? What were the Jewish hopes for the Messiah? What was Jesus’ purpose in instituting the Eucharist during the feast of Passover? And, most important of all, what did Jesus mean when he said, “This is my body . . . This is my blood?” To answer these questions, Pitre explores ancient Jewish beliefs about the Passover of the Messiah, the miraculous Manna from heaven, and the mysterious Bread of the Presence. As he shows, these three keys—the Passover, the Manna, and the Bread of the Presence—have the power to unlock the original meaning of the Eucharistic words of Jesus. Along the way, Pitre also explains how Jesus united the Last Supper to his death on Good Friday and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Inspiring and informative, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist is a groundbreaking work that is sure to illuminate one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith: the mystery of Jesus’ presence in “the breaking of the bread.”
Upcoming Dates:
Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for Adults
Have you ever wondered what the children at Ascension Catholic School learn while engaged in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd? Join us for this informative set of classes to see the wonders of this program in action. The sessions will each treat a separate topic, so attend them all or only those themes you prefer. Each will be taught by one of our excellent Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechists here at Church of the Ascension.
Upcoming Dates:
Spring 2024 | Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
Eucharistic Revival Small Group Initiative
Small groups are a powerful way to see the fruit of the Revival at our parish! A study called “Jesus and the Eucharist” has been created specifically for the Year of Parish Revival and is provided to parishes free of charge, along with the training and support to be successful.
Upcoming Dates:
Spring 2024 | Watch the bulletin and social media for more details!
Liturgical Living Group
This group began in March 2023 and seeks to provide families with ways to integrate the Church’s liturgical calendar (saints days, etc.) into everyday life at home. “Religion” is not simply something that happens for an hour on Sundays at church. In this year of Eucharistic Revival, this initiative is particularly important, as Vatican II tells us the Eucharist is to be the “source and summit” of the Christian life–all our activities should flow from the Eucharist.
Upcoming Information:
Watch the bulletin, social media, and bulletin boards in the narthex for more information in the coming months!