Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Diocese of Allentown, I am happy to announce a diocesan-wide initiative that will invite the faithful to consecrate themselves to the Holy Eucharist. This consecration will be done in collaboration with two esteemed partners in this 33-Day Eucharistic Consecration: Dynamic Catholic and Live Vertical.
Dynamic Catholic has long assisted the faithful in deepening their spiritual lives and living the Gospel with greater intentionality through its publications and programmatic initiatives. Dynamic Catholic is generously providing our Diocese, free of charge, with 40,000 copies of the book “33 Days to Eucharistic Glory” by Matthew Kelly. This book is a spiritual guide to deepen our relationship with Jesus and His Presence in the Holy Eucharist.
Live Vertical, a missionary movement founded to lead people closer to Christ and His Church, has generously served within our diocesan schools, guiding students, faculty, and families in prayer before Our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. Live Vertical will guide the Diocese through the Consecration process.
Through this partnership, we are well-positioned to foster a stronger devotion to and understanding of the Most Holy Eucharist as we prepare for, make, and faithfully live our Eucharistic Consecration.
As Catholics, we profess with conviction that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). Under the humble appearance of bread and wine, Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially present – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This sublime mystery stands at the very center of our life as a Church. The more deeply we enter into this mystery, the more profoundly we are transformed by the love of Christ.
The consecration will unfold in three distinct phases:
- Total Parish Consecration – May 5 through June 7 – the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
- College Campuses within the Diocese – Oct. 17 through Nov. 18.
- All Diocesan Schools and Parish Religious Education Programs – Oct. 20 through Dec. 8 – the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
In the months leading to the Consecration, Live Vertical will offer webinars to assist pastors and parish leaders, particularly in the areas of small group facilitation and implementation. Additionally, Live Vertical will conduct the first Eucharistic Glory Holy Hours, to be hosted at five parishes throughout the Diocese on designated dates. These Holy Hours for Eucharistic Glory will serve as an integral part of the preparatory phase of our Consecration, providing opportunities for prayer, catechesis, and spiritual renewal as we ready our hearts for this sacred commitment.
The dates and locations of the Holy Hours include:
- Thursday, March 26: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem.
- Thursday, April 9: Holy Guardian Angels, Reading.
- Thursday, April 23: Notre Dame of Bethlehem.
- Tuesday, April 28: St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven.
- Thursday, April 30: St. John XXIII, Tamaqua.
The schedule of the Holy Hour:
- 6:30 p.m. – Doors Open.
- 6:45 p.m. – Welcome.
- 7 p.m. – Exposition.
- 7:55 p.m. – Benediction.
- 8 p.m. – Social Time.
Further, Holy Hours will also be held in the fall, with dates to be announced, offering occasions to reflect upon and celebrate the spiritual fruits and lasting impact of our Eucharistic Consecration within our diocesan family.
During this 65th Jubilee Year, we are called to renewal in faith and fervor. It is my sincere hope that this Eucharistic Consecration will deepen our communion with the Lord, strengthen the unity of our diocesan family, and bear lasting spiritual fruit.
As the patroness of our Cathedral, St. Catharine of Siena reminds us that “Love follows knowledge.” Under her maternal intercession, may our knowledge of the Eucharistic Lord increase, and through that knowledge, may our love be ever more fully enkindled.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert
Bishop of Allentown
