Story by Anthony Richards
The Eucharist is at the center of Catholic life. For those who have drifted from it, the Eucharist may be the very thing missing — the answer to the emptiness many people try to fill in other ways.
That reality was reflected throughout the Diocese of St. Augustine’s 2026 Eucharistic Encounter, where the Eucharist remained the focus of prayer, reflection and witness during the two-day gathering.
Powerful moments of faith resonated not only for those in attendance at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gainesville on March 6 and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jacksonville on March 7, but also for many more who watched the event through livestream or in recordings afterward.
Both days began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, who reflected in his homily on the Eucharist as part of God’s new covenant with humanity.
“As powerful as the sign of the blood of the cross is, God decided to do even more, and to not just make blood a sign of death but to make it the sign of a new covenant,” Bishop Pohlmeier said. “He makes blood into the very thing that becomes our food, and he nourishes us. The new covenant is captured not only in the power of the cross that will give way to the resurrection but in the Eucharist, which is given as life instead of death.”
He explained that a covenant involves not only receiving God’s gift but also responding to it by receiving the Eucharist “worthily.”
“To receive well, we must believe and love,” he said. “We must believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but we must respond to the gift we receive by the love that we extend to others, because it demands a response and action on our part.”
On the second day, shortly after Mass, those in attendance responded to that call by gathering outside for a Eucharistic procession. Led by Bishop Pohlmeier carrying the monstrance, the procession traveled along Old St. Augustine Road and around St. Joseph Catholic Church.
The sight was striking as parishes, ministries, lay apostolates and schools joined the procession. Many carried banners while others sang hymns or prayed the rosary as they processed together in prayer.
“We are in the midst of a spiritual awakening throughout the world,” said Julianne Stanz, director of evangelization and formation for Loyola Press and keynote speaker for the event.
The procession itself became a form of evangelization, with the Eucharist at its center. The faith expressed by those taking part also became a witness to people passing by along Old St. Augustine Road.
Stanz spoke about that witness and how the Eucharist draws believers closer to Christ. Time spent in Eucharistic adoration, she said, allows that relationship to deepen through personal conversation with God.
“The gaze goes both ways during adoration,” she said. “What does God see in you? Because he sees the deep recesses of your heart where you long for Him.”
According to Stanz, evangelization can take many forms, but it often begins within the family.
For parents especially, laying a foundation of faith and creating moments for spiritual growth with God early in a child’s life may be among the most important responsibilities.
“With the help of the Holy Spirit in you, you have all it takes to evangelize, so that we can feed the hungry hearts that are out there,” she said.
A plenary indulgence was available for those who attended the Mass or participated in the Eucharistic Encounter and fulfilled the usual conditions associated with indulgences. For many who gathered in prayer, reflection and public witness of faith, the encounter became not only an opportunity to deepen devotion to the Eucharist but also a moment of spiritual renewal.
Those who were not able to attend in person can still experience the event. The Eucharistic Encounter was livestreamed, and the Mass and keynote presentations are available on the diocesan YouTube channel at youtube.com/dosacatholics, including talks by Julianne Stanz, Father Stephen Gadberry and, in Spanish, Dr. Gerardo Salazar.
