- Feb 5, 2002
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(OSV News) — Marina Frattaroli describes herself as the National Eucharistic Revival‘s “first convert,” after a related social media post led her to a website describing the church’s teaching on Jesus’ true presence in the Eucharist.
Now she’s spending most of her waking hours with the Eucharist as one of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s 30 perpetual pilgrims, who set out from points in California, Connecticut, Texas and Minnesota to meet at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21.
“The last six weeks have been like the greatest introduction to the depth of the Catholic Church for anyone, ever,” said Frattaroli, a 26-year-old pilgrim on the eastern St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route. “I have just seen so many people, so many churches, so many liturgies, so many bishops, so many faithful — just all in the most packed amount of time possible, and on a very deep level. … I feel like God is rolling out the red carpet.”
For a new Catholic, the unprecedented pilgrimage has included “so many overwhelming aspects” as she continues to learn about and experience the faith, Frattaroli said.
“I’ve been in more adoration during this pilgrimage than in my whole life combined before,” she said. “Pretty early in the journey, I totally had to rewire my notion of what it was to pray in front of the Eucharist. … It went from ‘I want to delve into this mystery’ … (to) what I need is just to rest — to rest with God, to trust him more deeply.”
Continued below.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
Now she’s spending most of her waking hours with the Eucharist as one of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s 30 perpetual pilgrims, who set out from points in California, Connecticut, Texas and Minnesota to meet at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21.
“The last six weeks have been like the greatest introduction to the depth of the Catholic Church for anyone, ever,” said Frattaroli, a 26-year-old pilgrim on the eastern St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route. “I have just seen so many people, so many churches, so many liturgies, so many bishops, so many faithful — just all in the most packed amount of time possible, and on a very deep level. … I feel like God is rolling out the red carpet.”
Daily life on the pilgrimage
Since May 18, she and other members of the pilgrimage’s eastern “Eucharistic caravan” have traveled with the Eucharist — participating daily in Mass, adoration and processions — through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia and Ohio. On July 8, the group entered Indiana, where they will continue westward, arriving in suburban Indianapolis July 14.For a new Catholic, the unprecedented pilgrimage has included “so many overwhelming aspects” as she continues to learn about and experience the faith, Frattaroli said.
“I’ve been in more adoration during this pilgrimage than in my whole life combined before,” she said. “Pretty early in the journey, I totally had to rewire my notion of what it was to pray in front of the Eucharist. … It went from ‘I want to delve into this mystery’ … (to) what I need is just to rest — to rest with God, to trust him more deeply.”
A personal spiritual journey
Continued below.
Meet the 'first convert' of the National Eucharistic Revival
"The last six weeks have been like the greatest introduction to the depth of the Catholic Church for anyone, ever," said Frattaroli, a 26-year-old pilgrim on the eastern St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
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