Pilgrimage to Indy a big step in journey of faith

The silence was powerful. 
As many times I’ve been pumped up with emotion in large sports venues I can’t say that I’ve ever had the same sense of joy that I experienced on a recent trip to Indiana. The home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and nearby Indianapolis Convention Center were converted into a house of prayer for five days last month, with the 10th National Eucharistic Congress attracting nearly 60,000 Catholics from all over the world.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this event, to be honest, but what I completely underestimated was the sense of oneness that was shared with people focused on their faith. By its very nature, faith is a deeply personal, life-long journey for any and all who believe, and this for me was an extraordinary experience.
Perhaps a better description of this adventure is pilgrimage, because that’s what this chapter of my faith journey felt like from the start. It began with an 11-hour overnight bus ride, which for a 61-year-old and many riders much older than me was in and of itself a jolt to the system. Life throws all of us curves and unexpected bumps in the road which challenge us at any given time, so starting off by being pushed out of my comfort zone and “sleeping” like a pretzel set the appropriate tone.
I decided I was all in, not turning on my laptop and limiting cell phone use for five straight days, while opening my mind and heart to what really matters here, now and in the hereafter. I have to credit my wife, Paula, for encouraging me to join her on this journey and am so glad we were able to share this experience together. 
The National Eucharistic Congress was actually the culmination of a nationwide pilgrimage. The event itself was a response to polls and surveys within the church indicating that since the pandemic there has been a steady decline in attendance at mass, though I’ve read that the same is true in churches of all denominations. Indeed our sense of normal was threatened during that time of global angst, prompting church leaders to plan an event with no agenda other than celebrating the merciful love of Christ.
For five days we listened to speakers who took me on a deeper faith dive than I’ve ever been, forcing looks in the mirror which are easy to avoid when distracted by the business and busyness of life. I was moved, personally, but also touched to hear priests and bishops who have devoted their entire lives to the church say that this was one of the most moving and hopeful experiences of their own faith journeys. Turns out I was not alone in my renewal of faith as the looks of pure joy and peace I saw on people’s faces throughout our time in Indy left an indelible impression.
I was also repeatedly struck by a conflicting sense of scale in Lucas Oil Stadium. 
Imagine this scene and sensation, if you will, lasting for 20 or more minutes each night of the conference. Sitting in a massive venue with 55,000+ felt familiar in a Husker sort of way, and yet cloaked in darkness and complete silence with all eyes and focus drawn to a Eucharist lit by spotlight felt as though I was kneeling alone in prayer. It was surreal, at times, and yet so inspiring to embrace the essence of faith, which is that no matter what else is happening in our world there is a Christ-based foundation of truth, forgiveness and hope we can count on to keep us anchored. 
The challenge going forward, of course, is to remember and embrace that revelation when life throws me another curve, which it will. My journey of faith continues …
KURT JOHNSON can be reached at kjohnson@ hamilton.net